In a significant development for LGBTQ+ youth support services, The Trevor Project announced receiving a $45 million donation from billionaire philanthropist and author MacKenzie Scott at the close of 2025. This contribution stands as the largest single gift in the organization's history, arriving at a time when it has faced severe financial and operational difficulties.
The Trevor Project, renowned for its hotline catering to LGBTQ+ young people, has endured management challenges, including leadership changes and staff reductions, in addition to the loss of substantial federal funding during the summer months. The departure of funds previously allocated by the federal government severely impacted the nonprofit's capacity to deliver crisis services through established channels.
Jaymes Black, Chief Executive Officer of The Trevor Project, expressed profound astonishment upon learning about Scott’s generous gift, stating, "I literally could not believe it and it took some time. I actually gasped." This significant donation from Scott, whose wealth stems predominantly from her former marriage to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, was not among the donations publicly listed on her philanthropic website by the end of 2025. Scott had earlier contributed $6 million to the organization in 2020.
The cut in federal support stemmed from the Trump administration's decision in July to halt dedicated funding for gay, transgender, and gender nonconforming youth who utilized the 988 National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The Trevor Project was a key entity responsible for managing the LGBTQ+ option on that lifeline and reported losing $25 million in funding as a result. While maintaining an independent hotline reaching approximately 250,000 young people annually, The Trevor Project also served another 250,000 callers through the previous 988 Press 3 option designed to specifically aid LGBTQ+ youth.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has recorded over 1.5 million contacts routed through the 988 service from September 2022 to July 2025, underscoring the scale of mental health support demand during this period.
Following the cessation of federal funding, The Trevor Project’s independent hotline has become an even more crucial resource. Scott Bertani, director of advocacy at the National Coalition for LGBTQ Health, emphasized, "Their services fill a gap that generic crisis lines simply aren’t designed to meet, particularly for young people facing identity-based stress, isolation or rejection." This observation highlights the specialized nature of mental health support necessary for LGBTQ+ youths.
The organization's trajectory has been marked by rapid growth and subsequent periods of instability. Public tax records reveal that The Trevor Project's budget soared from roughly $4 million in 2016 to over $83 million in 2023. However, this growth was followed by a turbulent phase, including the board's removal of the CEO in 2022 and multiple rounds of layoffs, including those in July 2025. Jaymes Black noted that the budget for 2026 had contracted to $47 million, reflecting a leaner operational model. He further stated, "We are a smaller organization than we were before. And we will continue to be really intentional and really mindful around growth and what growth really means for the organization."
In response to the loss of the 988 funding, The Trevor Project initiated an emergency fundraising campaign that has so far generated $20 million. Black indicated that this financial resilience may have influenced Scott's decision, suggesting that her representatives viewed the donation as a commitment to the organization's long-term sustainability: "MacKenzie Scott’s folks were clear, like this gift was made for long-term impact." He also noted their intention to carefully consider how best to allocate the funds.
Academic insights contribute further context to this situation. Thad Calabrese, a professor at New York University specializing in nonprofit financial management, explained that rapid organizational growth often brings financial management challenges. He noted that persistent cuts and uncertainties in federal funding have disrupted many nonprofits’ business operations, adding, "Academic research has often viewed public funding as very stable, as a signal to donors that you’ve arrived as an organization, but the reality is you are now also open to changing political fortunes." Calabrese highlighted ongoing debate on whether a diversified mix of revenue streams ensures better financial health or creates complex management challenges.
Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott is known for her substantial, unrestricted donations to nonprofits, frequently emphasizing equity and social justice endeavors. Apart from an open solicitation in 2023, she generally refrains from soliciting proposals or applications for support.
Despite the magnitude of her contributions often exceeding recipients’ annual budgets, research from the Center for Effective Philanthropy suggests concerns about mismanagement or unsustainable expansion stemming from Scott’s gifts have not materialized. Elisha Smith Arrillaga, vice president of research at the center, attributes this to the thorough vetting process conducted by Scott’s largely confidential team prior to grant awards. She drew an analogy to venture capital, noting that some funders may reinforce commitment to organizations despite difficulties, driven by belief in their long-term potential: "People make all different kinds of investments because they really believe in the outcomes that organization can make and what their gifts can do to help accelerate that."
Scott, in her 2025 essay announcing the year’s philanthropic contributions, reflected on the underestimated power of "peaceful, non-transactional contribution," suggesting that perceived liabilities may actually be beneficial. She wrote, "What if some of our organizations are vulnerable can itself be a powerful engine for our generosity?"
Jaymes Black described Scott’s renewed philanthropic engagement as "a powerful validation" of The Trevor Project’s mission and efficacy, dubbing the organization’s current phase "our turnaround story."