At a Glance
- MacKenzie Scott donated $45 million to The Trevor Project, the largest single gift in the group’s 27-year history.
- The Trump Administration cut $25 million in federal funding to the LGBTQ+ youth suicide-prevention nonprofit last July.
- Why it matters: The infusion arrives as the organization says 40 million LGBTQ+ youth globally consider suicide each year and federal support has vanished.
The Trevor Project announced on January 12 that philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has contributed $45 million to the nonprofit, eclipsing the $6 million she gave in 2020 and offsetting the $25 million eliminated by the Trump Administration.
Record Gift Follows Federal Defunding
According to News Of Los Angeles, the donation is the biggest one-time contribution the suicide-prevention organization has received since its founding in 1998.
CEO Jaymes Black called the timing pivotal. “This extraordinary contribution comes at a pivotal moment for our organization and the LGBTQ+ young people we serve,” Black said in the Monday announcement posted on the group’s website.
The Trevor Project had already lost federal backing. In July 2024, the administration terminated $25 million in funding and ordered the shutdown of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services program, which the nonprofit operated.
Services at Risk
The 24/7 crisis-care provider offers:
- Confidential support for coming-out concerns
- Help navigating LGBTQ+ identity questions
- Depression and suicide-prevention counseling
- Peer-support groups
- Public-education campaigns
- Policy advocacy
The organization estimates that 40 million LGBTQ+ youth worldwide “seriously consider” suicide annually. Black noted that even at peak capacity, The Trevor Project reaches only a fraction of those individuals.
“Hundreds of thousands of young people each year still go without the life-saving support they deserve,” Black said.
Reaction to Federal Cuts
When the funding was axed, Black condemned the move as politically motivated. “Suicide prevention is about people, not politics,” he said in June. “The administration’s decision to remove a bipartisan, evidence-based service … is incomprehensible.”
Black told the Associated Press on Monday that Scott’s new gift caught the organization off guard. “I literally could not believe it and it took some time. I actually gasped,” he said.
How the $45 Million Will Be Used
Black pledged to invest the funds “with great care,” focusing on:
- Strengthening core crisis services
- Accelerating progress toward “a world where every LGBTQ+ young person knows they are loved and supported”
He emphasized that LGBTQ+ youth remain more than four times as likely to attempt suicide as their peers, calling the issue “one of the largest public health crises of our time.”
Scott’s History with the Organization
Scott, the former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, first backed The Trevor Project in 2020 with a $6 million grant. The latest gift brings her total support to $51 million.
The nonprofit did not disclose any conditions attached to the new donation.
Key Takeaways
- The $45 million private donation replaces the $25 million stripped by federal authorities, providing long-term stability.
- The Trevor Project will expand crisis-care capacity aimed at reducing suicide risk among LGBTQ+ youth.
- The gift highlights growing reliance on private philanthropy after public funding cuts.
If you or someone you know needs help, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7.
