MacKenzie Scott has added another tribal institution to her expanding list of education beneficiaries, awarding a $9 million unrestricted gift to Bay Mills Community College in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
According to The Detroit Free Press, the donation, made through Scott’s philanthropic organization Yield Giving, continues her recent focus on tribal colleges and follows earlier multi-million-dollar investments in Native-serving institutions.
Bay Mills Community College announced the gift on Monday, December 1, confirming that the $9 million contribution is unrestricted in its use.
The college is located within the Bay Mills Indian Community, a federally recognized Ojibwe tribe in Brimley, roughly 17 miles west of Sault Ste. Marie. The institution serves as a tribally controlled community college with a mission centered on access, workforce preparation, and community empowerment.
“This donation will be truly transformative for Bay Mills Community College,” said BMCC President Duane Bedell. He noted that the funding will create new opportunities for students and have a broader impact on the communities the college serves. According to the school, the gift aligns with its efforts to provide high-quality education while strengthening tribal communities.
College leaders said the funding will support new programs and infrastructure projects, including the school’s recently launched Allied Health Facility. The investment is also expected to enhance existing academic offerings and improve resources that support student success across campus.
Whitney Gravelle, president of the Bay Mills Indian Community and chair of the BMIC Board of Regents, said the gift reflects shared values centered on education and long-term stewardship.
She emphasized that the donation strengthens the college’s ability to expand facilities and programming while supporting students and families across the region. Gravelle added that the contribution invests in future generations and will have ripple effects throughout Indian Country.
Bay Mills Community College is fully accredited and currently enrolls approximately 961 students, according to the Tribal College Journal of American Indian Higher Education. The school offers 11 associate degree programs and 13 certificate programs designed to meet workforce and community needs. As a community-based institution, BMCC plays a central role in education access for Native students in Michigan’s eastern Upper Peninsula.
The gift to Bay Mills is the latest example of Scott’s growing role in reshaping higher education funding for under-resourced institutions. In recent months, she has directed significant support to tribal colleges such as Little Priest Tribal College in Nebraska, which received $5 million, and to the Native Forward Scholars Fund, which was awarded $50 million to support Native American students through scholarships.
Scott’s education philanthropy also spans historically Black colleges and universities. In 2025 alone, she has donated more than $740 million to HBCUs, including landmark gifts to Xavier University of Louisiana, Prairie View A&M University, North Carolina A&T State University, Howard University, and several others across the country.
Since pledging in 2019 to give away the majority of her wealth, Scott has donated more than $19 billion through Yield Giving to nonprofits and educational institutions in the United States and around the world.