When Angelique Albert, CEO of the Native Ahead Students Fund, obtained a name from a consultant of MacKenzie Scott, she initially thought her group was about to obtain a $15 million donation. In actuality, the present was $50 million for America’s largest supplier of scholarships to Native college students. “What do you do however cry?” Albert instructed Observer.
Scott’s contribution, one of many largest-ever presents to a Native nonprofit, marks the second time the philanthropist has supported the Native Ahead Students Fund with an unrestricted donation. In 2020, she gave $20 million to the group, enabling it to launch an endowment fund, create six packages and strengthen its inner operations.
This time, Albert is decided to channel the cash on to college students. Native Ahead has already earmarked a part of the donation to award scholarships to an extra 400 college students, whereas additionally contemplating the creation of a pooled endowment to make sure long-term assist.
“I don’t know that folks actually perceive how transformative it’s once you take a $5,000 scholarship and put it into the fingers of somebody who’s sensible and proficient,” stated Albert, who has led Native Ahead since 2017.
Alumni supported by the Albuquerque, N.M.-based nonprofit embrace Debra Haaland, the primary Native individual to function a U.S. cupboard secretary; Pulitzer finalist Tommy Orange; and Cynthia Chavez Lamar, director of the Smithsonian’s Nationwide Museum of the American Indian.
Based in 1969, Native Ahead gives scholarships, programming, funding and mentorship to Native college students pursuing undergraduate, graduate {and professional} alternatives. Its influence, which incorporates contributing to 1,700 legislation levels and a pair of,200 Ph.D. levels, has aided some 22,000 students from greater than 500 Tribes throughout all 50 states.
Nonetheless, demand far outpaces provide. “We are able to solely fund about 22 % of the scholars who apply—and that’s on a typical yr,” stated Albert, who famous that scholarship purposes have surged 35 % in 2025. Of roughly 7,000 candidates this yr, solely about 1,000 have obtained help.
Albert attributed the elevated want partly to a rollback of variety, fairness and inclusion (DEI) insurance policies and up to date adjustments to the Free Utility for Federal Pupil Assist (FAFSA). “It’s critically necessary that we’re intentional with this funding in order that it might proceed to provide to college students sooner or later in probably the most impactful means,” she stated.
The dimensions and adaptability of Scott’s present align along with her broader trust-based strategy to philanthropy, which depends on quiet analysis and main, unrestricted donations. With an estimated internet value of $33.1 billion—a lot of it tied to her Amazon shares—Scott has given away almost $20 billion since pledging in 2019 to donate most of her fortune.
Her giving has more and more emphasised training. In September, she donated $70 million to UNCF, a nonprofit that helps traditionally Black schools and universities (HBCUs), boosting endowments at greater than three dozen colleges throughout the U.S.
“She is altering the panorama of Native increased training, to not point out the entire different fields that she’s impacting,” Albert stated of the philanthropist. Given the transformative outcomes of the 2020 present, she is raring to see what this new one will accomplish. “It’s a a lot completely different world than it was 5 years in the past, and I sit up for seeing what this seems like in one other 5 years.”
