MacKenzie Scott’s latest Yield Giving Open Call exceeded its initial expectations.
In March 2023, Yield Giving, founded by the billionaire and philanthropist, launched the initiative to back community-led, community-focused organizations that actively support people “in places experiencing the greatest need in the United States,” per the organization’s website.
On Mar 19, 2024, CNN reported that Scott donated $640 million to 361 non-profits. Initially, 250 organizations were to be awarded $1 million each. However, with over 6,000 applicants, the donation plan expanded.
“We are excited that our partnership with Yield Giving has resonated with so many organizations,” said Cecilia Conrad, CEO of Lever for Change — which managed the Yield Giving Open Call — per the release. “In a world teeming with potential and talent, the Open Call has given us an opportunity to identify, uplift, and empower transformative organizations that often remain unseen.”
According to the release, Birthing Beautiful Communities (BBC) is one of the 361 awardees. BBC is the only community-based trained doula organization focused on Black families in Northeast Ohio. The Black women-led 501(c)3 nonprofit was awarded $2 million — making it one of the largest awards from Scott’s Yield Giving initiative.
For about a decade, Birthing Beautiful Communities has served its community with the mission of supporting Black mothers, babies, and families. Per the press release, the nonprofit offers free services such as perinatal support doula services, childbirth and parenting workshops, transportation, postpartum support, and more to over 700 new and expectant mothers and families annually. Now, the team is looking to take its holistic support even further.
“We’re overjoyed and deeply grateful for this transformative gift from MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving Open Call,” BBB President and CEO Jazmin Long shared.
“This generous support propels Birthing Beautiful Communities into an exciting new chapter, empowering us to amplify our impact and further our mission of ensuring every mother, baby, and family receives the care and support they deserve,” she continued. “With this funding, we’re poised to continue transforming maternal health outcomes in Northeast Ohio and beyond, ushering in a future where every birth is a beautiful and healthy experience.”
Thanks to Scott’s donation, Long shared that Birthing Beautiful Communities is moving to a new birth center, which will break ground in the fall of 2024.
