How Melinda Gates and MacKenzie Scott are Creating a New Path for Philanthropy

Since the last century, philanthropy has served as a restorative tool for the public image. Traditionally, public philanthropy was dominated by men and their wives were rarely involved but commemorated.

However, that has changed in the past decade. Donations that celebrate the donor have become increasingly questioned. Donors today work more collaboratively as active partners and on a global scale. Today’s emerging philanthropists want their efforts and aspirations to speak for themselves. Two women, in particular, who have harnessed their philanthropic roles and have represented this major shift are Melinda Gates and MacKenzie Scott. 

While these two Seattle neighbors may not be the sole wealth creators themselves, they married two of the wealthiest men of all-time. Their foray into philanthropy pursuits perhaps began as passion projects aimed at positioning a new identity for themselves. While their struggles resembled the experiences of many affluent women in power, their impact and the evolution of their public personas became notable, illustrating how their journeys have led them to different ways to give back.

Both had the background to uniquely position for great pursuits on their own. Melinda graduated from Duke University with an MBA and later joined Microsoft as a fast-tracking executive before meeting Bill. MacKenzie graduated from Princeton as an aspiring writer who studied under Toni Morrison and wrote her first novel, which won an American Book Award. Entering their 50s and both leaving their long-term marriages, they became philanthropic giants in their own right. 

Melinda began focusing on her own pursuits within The Gates Foundation. In her 2019 book, The Moment of Lift, she reflected on the divergence from Bill, mentioning her efforts to be heard and effective. She gave an example of how in 2013, she wanted to co-sign the foundation’s annual letter, which Bill always signed alone. This became a huge conflict that ended with him signing the letter and Melinda adding a supplementary article. The foundation was no longer a partnership and she began to take on a more independent role.

MacKenzie was ready to pursue her own philanthropic pursuits. She has a different mindset about the importance of giving and its role than Jeff. After divorcing her husband, she signed the Giving Pledge with a humble insight into how she planned to use her donation. Her entry into philanthropy was highly influential in a low-key way. Although she didn’t have a foundation, she and a team of advisors researched the groups that are doing important work in inequality, social justice, education and the environment, especially when it comes to women and people of color. After identifying multiple groups, she and her team reached out to hundreds to offer significant grants with no strings attached. She quietly gave away billions of dollars. Unlike foundations, she did not require an extensive application or conduct site visits or interviews before funding a small number of applicants, but instead trusted in their goals. This put the central focus on the group and allowed the work of each to stand on its own, without the extra costs to satisfy her own needs. Recently, she gave grants to another 286 non-profit organizations, with her donations totaling over $8 billion.

Similarly, Melinda made independent moves of her own. Although remaining a part of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, she branched out in 2015 to establish her own effort, Pivotal Ventures, which reflects and helps fulfill her philanthropic goals. It would not be a surprise if this venture became a full-time focus within her philanthropic portfolio.

What the prominence of philanthropists of women like Melinda Gates and MacKenzie Scott shows us is that the complementary roles of men and women with huge wealth are often expressed through different approaches to giving. 

Debra Mesch, professor at Indiana University’s Women’s Philanthropy Institute, says that, “If you look at the motivations for the way women engage in philanthropy versus the ways that men engage in philanthropy, there’s much more ego involved in the man, it’s much more transactional, it’s much more status driven.” For the most part, women don’t like their names signaled on buildings.

Of course, women are increasingly becoming primary decision-makers when it comes to finances in philanthropy. Susan Winer, the co-founder of Strategic Philanthropy, says that women want to be more active partners in their efforts rather than simply being recognized for charity. Often, this is a general difference between philanthropic men and women, with the latter being more process-oriented and expressing more empathy. While women have historically been involved in their husband or father’s philanthropy and often go under the radar, they are also strong leaders who choose to show what issues they care about and who to give to, forging a new path away from their husbands.

Melinda Gates and MacKenzie Scotts have ventured on new giving paths, moving in fiercely independent from their former husbands and the earlier philanthropists. As part of their personal development and drive, they solidified their unique approach to giving back. As time will tell, working solo will likely strengthen their resolve to donate to organizations that reflect their values and the global causes that need more support. Now, they have chosen a new style of philanthropy that may influence other power players to follow suit.