MacKenzie Scott donates $45 million to The Trevor Project's queer crisis hotline

Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has made a landmark donation of US $45 million to The Trevor Project, the West Hollywood-based organisation providing crisis support for LGBTQ+ youth. This is the largest single gift in the charity’s 27-year history.

The donation comes at a critical time, following the withdrawal of approximately US $25 million in federal funding for LGBTQ-specific support via the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The “Press 3” option, which connected callers with LGBTQ-trained counsellors, was discontinued in mid-2025. In response, The Trevor Project launched its own independent LGBTQ-focused hotline to ensure continued support amid rising demand.

Jaymes Black, Chief Executive of The Trevor Project, described Scott’s gift as “transformational” and a powerful step toward building sustainable capacity, while stressing that “the work is far from finished.”

LGBTQ+ youth remain disproportionately affected by mental health challenges, being four times more likely to attempt suicide than their non-LGBTQ peers. An estimated 1.8 million LGBTQ+ young people in the US seriously consider suicide each year.

The Trevor Project plans to use the funds to strengthen its 24/7 crisis-support infrastructure, invest in technology, expand research and advocacy, and build long-term sustainability beyond federal grants.

Scott, who previously donated US $6 million to the organisation in 2020, has given roughly US $26 billion to thousands of non-profits since 2019 through her philanthropic foundation, Yield Giving.