Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has announced a significant increase in her planned donations for the year, pledging a staggering $640 million (£504 million) to non-profit organizations. This sum more than doubles her initial commitment.

In a recent announcement, Ms. Scott disclosed that the funds would be distributed among 361 small-scale groups, selected from over 6,000 applicants vying for financial support.

Originally intending to allocate 250 grants of $1 million each for the year, Ms. Scott has decided to expand her philanthropic efforts considerably.

Since finalizing her divorce from Amazon’s Jeff Bezos in 2019, Ms. Scott has been on a giving spree, having already donated a remarkable $16.5 billion. Forbes estimates her net worth at $37.5 billion, ranking her as the fourth-wealthiest woman globally. Her pledge to distribute half of her wealth during her lifetime largely stems from a 4% stake in Amazon, which was part of her divorce settlement with Mr. Bezos, the e-commerce titan’s founder.

Among the recipients of Ms. Scott’s latest round of donations are notable organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Alabama, Justice for Migrant Women, the Sacramento LGBT Community Center, and Mental Health Advocacy Services.

Taking to social media, Ms. Scott expressed that the donations were granted to these groups in recognition of their exceptional efforts in uplifting individuals and families facing financial hardships, discrimination, and systemic barriers.

This year, Ms. Scott adopted a new approach, departing from his previous method of discreetly reaching out to organizations with substantial, unrestricted grants. Instead, after a thorough review process involving a panel, she awarded $2 million to 279 non-profits, with an additional 82 groups receiving $1 million each.

Lever for Change, the entity overseeing the application process, noted that the remarkable endeavors of many applicants prompted an increase in both the number and size of awards.