Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has donated $70 million to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) as part of a broader effort to strengthen HBCUs.

The $70 million donation, publicly disclosed by UNCF and confirmed by Scott’s team, is one of the philanthropist’s largest single gifts ever and among the first of her donations to be revealed in 2025.

“This extraordinary gift is a powerful vote of confidence in HBCUs and in the work of UNCF,” Dr. Michael L. Lomax, UNCF President and CEO, said in a statement. “It provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our member institutions to build permanent assets that will support students and campuses for decades to come.”

The funds will go toward UNCF’s pooled endowment, which is part of a long-term campaign to raise $1 billion to redu

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