Billionaire philanthropy’s growing divide: Mark Zuckerberg stops funding immigration reform as MacKenzie Scott doubles down on DEI
Mark Zuckerberg's Chan Zuckerberg Initiative has ceased funding the pro-immigration group FWD.us he co-founded, signaling a retreat from advocacy amid a pivot to science and AI under President Trump's administration. Meanwhile, MacKenzie Scott ramps up grants to DEI-focused organizations, deepening a rift in billionaire philanthropy between tech titans aligning with conservative shifts and those doubling down on progressive causes.
Zuckerberg's Strategic Pivot
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) formalized its split from FWD.us in April 2025, ending financial support after providing over half of the group's $400 million since 2013. CZI cites a multi-year shift toward science, education, and community work, including Biohub labs and AI research with heavy GPU investments. Zuckerberg's meetings with Trump advisor Stephen Miller and Meta's $1 million inaugural donation underscore a rightward realignment, ditching immigration reform for pragmatic tech priorities.
FWD.us Independence
FWD.us, launched in 2013 with backers like Reid Hoffman, continues bipartisan pushes for immigration and criminal justice fixes without CZI funds. President Todd Schulte affirms the mission endures, now relying on diversified donors amid Zuckerberg's exit from the board via chief of staff Jordan Fox. The cutoff marks the first year of zero Zuckerberg support, closing a chapter on his early advocacy for H-1B visas benefiting Silicon Valley.
MacKenzie Scott's DEI Surge
Contrastingly, Scott donated $640 million in 2025 to equity initiatives, including $50 million to Black-led DEI trainers and funds for racial justice groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center. Her Yield Giving funds 300+ nonprofits annually, emphasizing underrepresented voices despite corporate DEI pullbacks post-Trump reelection. Scott's approach—rapid, no-strings grants totaling $19 billion since 2019—prioritizes systemic change, funding orgs like Planned Parenthood amid conservative scrutiny.
Philanthropy Polarization
This divide reflects broader trends: Zuckerberg joins Elon Musk and Peter Thiel in tech philanthropy tilting toward national security and innovation, while Scott, Bill Gates' ex, and Laurene Powell Jobs sustain left-leaning bets on social reform. Critics argue Zuckerberg's move hedges against Trump-era regulations, whereas Scott's persistence risks backlash in a GOP-led Congress eyeing tax reforms on endowments. The schism highlights how personal politics shape billions in giving, with 2025 marking peak divergence.
Political Realignment Pressures
Zuckerberg's funding halt aligns with Silicon Valley's post-2024 election recalibration, where Meta lobbies for lighter AI regulations under Trump's FTC picks, trading immigration advocacy for deregulation wins. FWD.us's stalled H-1B expansions now face headwinds from Trump's mass deportation pledges, prompting tech donors to prioritize visa carve-outs over broad reform. This pragmatic shift mirrors Bill Ackman's campus DEI purges, positioning Zuckerberg as a bridge-builder with the administration.
Scott's Yield Giving Expansion
MacKenzie Scott's 2025 portfolio swelled to $2 billion, channeling funds into DEI hubs like the Race Forward network and Latina-led orgs combating voter suppression. Her model—anonymous, trust-based grants—bypasses bureaucratic hurdles, empowering grantees amid corporate retreats from ESG mandates post-Boeing scandals. Critics from the Manhattan Institute decry it as subsidizing "woke" activism, yet Scott's returns show 80% grantee growth in impact metrics.
Comparative Giving Scales
Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan pledged 99% of their $200B fortune via CZI's LLC structure for tax agility, focusing on curative biotech like sickle cell therapies over policy fights. Scott, with $40B post-Amazon divorce, outpaces in volume per capita, her $19B total eclipsing Gates Foundation's annual outlay while shunning strings that Zuckerberg increasingly favors for measurable ROI.
Future Philanthropy Fault Lines
As Trump eyes endowment taxes above 5% growth, Scott's unrestricted model risks clawbacks, while Zuckerberg's targeted bets secure influence via White House tech councils. This bifurcation could fragment the Giving Pledge cohort, with younger billionaires like Sam Altman splitting on AI ethics versus border security. Observers predict 2026 as a tipping point, where philanthropy mirrors national divides in funding climate versus energy independence.
