MacKenzie Scott has made another major investment in historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), donating $25 million to Lincoln University.
The unrestricted gift, announced by the school on Friday, December 5, marks Scott’s second contribution to the Pennsylvania-based institution and continues her ongoing series of large-scale donations to HBCUs across the country.
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Lincoln University said the funding will support scholarships and university initiatives, noting that the no-strings-attached nature of the gift allows leadership to direct resources where they are most needed. University officials described the donation as a reflection of Scott’s confidence in Lincoln’s mission and leadership.
“Lincoln University was founded to break barriers and create pathways for African Americans to thrive,” President Brenda A. Allen said in a statement. “This investment honors that legacy and propels us forward, enabling us to build on 171 years of excellence and innovation.”
She added that the gift serves as “a powerful affirmation of the enduring value of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.”
The latest donation follows Scott’s $20 million gift to Lincoln in 2020, which at the time was the largest single contribution in the school’s history. Lincoln, founded in 1854, is recognized as the nation’s first degree-granting HBCU. As of mid-2023, the university’s endowment stood at approximately $54 million.
Scott’s renewed support for Lincoln University comes amid a broader wave of giving to HBCUs this year that has reached historic levels. In 2025 alone, she has directed more than $740 million to historically Black colleges and universities, according to figures reported by recipient schools and higher-education analysts.
Those gifts include $80 million to Howard University; $63 million each to Prairie View A&M University and North Carolina A&T State University; $50 million to Bowie State University, Norfolk State University, and Winston-Salem State University; and $38 million to Xavier University of Louisiana and Spelman College. She also contributed $19 million to Dillard University, the largest private gift in that institution’s history.
In addition, Scott provided $70 million to the United Negro College Fund, which is investing the funds through a shared endowment model that benefits nearly 40 HBCUs.
Several HBCUs in Maryland have also received recent support, including Bowie State, Morgan State University, and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Collectively, the donations announced this year represent one of the most significant single-year investments in HBCUs by a private individual.
Since pledging in 2019 to give away most of her wealth during her lifetime, Scott has donated more than $19 billion to nonprofits, universities, and community organizations.
Her approach emphasizes unrestricted funding, allowing institutions to strengthen financial stability, expand student support, and invest in long-term priorities without donor-imposed constraints.