Merced, CA (December 11, 2025) — MacKenzie Scott has donated $38 million to the University of California, Merced, marking the largest single gift in the university’s history. UC Merced announced the contribution in early December 2025. Public reporting confirms that the donation is unrestricted, meaning the university may allocate the funds across student success programs, research efforts, and long-term institutional priorities. The university noted that the gift will support its mission as a growing research campus and as a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution.
Scott is an American author and philanthropist known for her large-scale charitable giving. She signed the Giving Pledge in 2019, committing to donate the majority of her wealth, and has since distributed billions of dollars to educational institutions and nonprofits across the country. Her philanthropic approach relies on independent research by her team to identify organizations that serve diverse and historically underserved communities.
UC Merced, founded in 2005, has consistently expanded enrollment and research capacity over the last two decades. The $38 million gift arrives during a period of continued campus growth and represents significant outside investment in the Central Valley’s only University of California campus. Scott’s recent philanthropic activity has focused on colleges and organizations that serve diverse and historically underserved communities, and UC Merced was among several institutions nationwide selected to receive major gifts during this funding round.
According to available public information, the $38 million donation is the largest philanthropic contribution UC Merced has received to date. Details on how the funds will be allocated have not yet been publicly released.
