When billionaire MacKenzie Scott informed Metro United Way (MUW) in December 2020 that her team had researched 7,500 nonprofits across the country and chose Louisville’s Metro United Way as one of just 384 to receive a gift from her, we knew it was a once in a lifetime opportunity that brought with it great responsibility.
Ms. Scott acknowledged that her choice of MUW was because of our commitment to operationalizing diversity, equity and inclusion to address systemic barriers, build racial equity, and advance opportunity for all.
From the time we were aware of this historic, unsolicited, and unrestricted $20 million gift, we wanted to leverage and maximize it for the benefit of our entire community for sustained and transformational change, which would include addressing the pronounced geographical divides within our region.
We acknowledge it’s time to usher in a new era of philanthropic responsibility that focuses on racial equity without stigmatizing impacted people and communities. We must elevate voices, listen and ensure solutions are supported.