The Native Forward Scholars Fund, an organization dedicated to helping Indigenous students access higher education, announced it has received a $50 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. Of this amount, $40 million will establish a permanent endowment designed to provide long-term support, while the remaining $10 million will be allocated toward expanding scholarships over the next five years to address increasing demand among Native college students.
The organization has provided scholarships, emergency grants, mentoring, and other support services to Indigenous students seeking to enroll in and complete college programs. Since its founding in 1969, Native Forward Scholars Fund has served over 22,000 students representing 500 tribes nationwide. The group’s CEO, Angelique Albert, emphasized the significance of the endowment approach, noting that Native communities traditionally consider the long-term impacts of decisions on future generations.
This latest contribution represents Scott’s second major gift to the organization, following a $20 million donation made in 2020. The organization used proceeds from that earlier gift to expand services, acquire a building to reduce operational costs, and create a $2 million endowment. Scott, the former spouse of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has become a major philanthropic force in higher education, directing billions toward programs serving historically underrepresented student populations, including those at historically Black colleges and universities, tribal colleges, community colleges, and organizations supporting Hispanic students.
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