MacKenzie Scott has made another major investment in youth mental health, awarding a $20 million unrestricted grant to Active Minds, the largest donation in the nonprofit's history.
The organization, which works with high school and college students to promote mental health awareness and advocacy, said Scott's latest contribution will help the organization expand its reach without restrictions on how the money is spent. It's also Scott's second gift to the nonprofit after a $4 million donation in 2021.
“MacKenzie Scott’s investment in Active Minds is transformative not just in its scale, but in its validation of young people as the primary drivers of change in mental health,” founder and executive director Alison Malmon told Fortune.
She added that unrestricted funding gives the organization flexibility to invest where it's needed most while strengthening its long-term capacity.
Rather than directing the money toward a single initiative, Active Minds said it has developed a multi-year strategy that includes expanding its national infrastructure, investing in youth-led mental health programs, growing advocacy efforts, and strengthening leadership development through its high school Mental Health Advocacy Academy and college-level Mental Health Advocacy Institute.
The donation arrives amid growing concern over the mental health of young Americans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly one in five U.S. high school students reported seriously considering suicide in 2023, while millions of adolescents also reported symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Recent research has found that rates of severe anxiety and depression among young people have climbed dramatically over the past three decades, making youth mental health one of the country's fastest-growing public health challenges.
Malmon emphasized that philanthropy alone won't solve the issue. “While this gift secures a strong foundation and helps us navigate an uncertain philanthropic landscape, philanthropy alone cannot solve this crisis,” she said. “Lasting progress requires sustained, cross-sector investment.”
The Active Minds donation is the latest chapter in Scott's ongoing philanthropic campaign, which has transformed nonprofits and colleges across the country. Earlier this year, she gave $70 million to Meals on Wheels America as local providers struggled with growing demand and funding challenges.
Beyond those institutions, Scott has awarded multi-million-dollar grants to tribal colleges including Red Lake Nation College, Bay Mills Community College, Little Priest Tribal College, and Nebraska Indian Community College.
Scott's philanthropy has extended well beyond education. Habitat for Humanity has received $436 million in unrestricted support, the Forests, People, Climate collaborative received $90 million, Girl Scouts of the USA received roughly $84.5 million, and organizations like the United Negro College Fund, Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Native Forward Scholars Fund, and The Trevor Project have all secured major gifts.
Since launching Yield Giving in 2020, Scott has donated more than $26 billion, including $7.2 billion in 2025 alone.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or is in crisis, help is available. In the U.S. and Canada, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or visit 988lifeline.org to chat with a trained counselor.
