MacKenzie Scott's big bet on Global Citizen Year

Last month I shared my experience of leading through the ‘messy middle’ -- an uncertain, lonely and confusing spell that left me disoriented and depleted.? The post struck a chord: any of us forging our own paths eventually learn that things often break down before they break through.??

A few weeks later, I experienced that breakthrough. And with it, a renewed faith in the entrepreneurial process, and the gratifying thrill of the long-game.

Earlier this year I wrote a piece describing what I was learning about fundraising in the time of COVID.? The Chronicle of Philanthropy published it, and later invited me to speak on a panel about how MacKenzie Scott’s inspiring approach to funding social change can become the norm, not the exception.?

In the last two years MacKenzie Scott has made big bets with unprecedented speed, heart and humanity, demonstrating what philanthropy in the 21st Century must look like: a partnership, not a patronage.?

A few months later I got an unexpected and extraordinary phone call.? MacKenzie and her husband Dan Jewett had learned about Global Citizen Year, believed deeply in our mission, and decided to make a $12 million investment toward our growth plans.??

I paused, not believing what I’d heard.?

Was this actually happening?!

I stood in my room, drenched in sweat from a morning workout, too stunned to speak.?

Slowly, and then suddenly, a wave of emotion took over: this was actually happening.?

The sense of possibility (and responsibility!) I felt in that moment -- and have felt every day since -- are the most powerful fuel I know.??

When I founded Global Citizen Year in 2010, I knew we had an opportunity to forge a new - and better - path for our next generation leaders.? Together with an exceptional team, we’ve since shaped the trajectory of more than 1,500 diverse, rising leaders — equipping them with the insights, skills, and networks necessary for a lifetime of social impact.?

At the same time, we knew the work could deliver even greater impact at scale.

Over the last decade, we’ve developed a blueprint for creating a future where our most celebrated leaders put people, purpose, and our planet before short-term wins and personal gain. And today, we have the opportunity to seize the promise we’ve always felt was within our reach.?

This is our largest gift to date, and we couldn’t be more grateful or inspired by the trust these visionary philanthropists have placed in us.

Their confidence in our vision strengthens our conviction: together, we can build a movement to launch the leaders our world needs now.

The gift allows us to break out of “business as usual” and to make long-term investments that expand our programs, and accelerate systemic change in the education sector. It's a call to action — to elevate our ambition to do more, and to do it better.??

Today I shared this video with our network announcing the gift, and the launch of our New Leaders Fund — an audacious, $50M campaign to launch a critical mass of diverse leaders equipped to build a more just, peaceful, and sustainable future.?

MacKenzie and Dan's transformative gift is a breakthrough step toward this goal, and now we are calling on others to join them — and us.?

This moment would never have been possible without the commitment and support of our entire community.? To our alumni, teammates, donors and partners worldwide: thank you, thank you, thank you. Each of you has helped write our first chapter, and I am outrageously grateful to have you with us as we embark on the next.?

Together, we can unleash a force of new leaders who are equipped to change the world. For good.?

#EducationOnPurpose #CollegeCanWait #TransformativePhilanthropy #LeadingOutLoud