Milpitas, CA, March 19, 2024 – Today, MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving  announced Shine Together as one of the Yield Giving Open Call’s awardees working with  people and in places experiencing the greatest need in the United States. Shine Together received $2 million.

Shine Together creates economic advancement for multiple generations, by partnering with young mothers to further their education, build life and career skills, and nurture their children’s development.

In March 2023, Yield Giving launched an Open Call for community-led, community-focused organizations  whose explicit purpose is to enable individuals and families to achieve substantive improvement in their  well-being through foundational resources.

“We are beyond grateful for this opportunity. Education stands as the cornerstone in our fight against the cycle of generational poverty for young women. At Shine Together, we partner with young mothers to navigate and remove barriers so they can achieve their educational, wellness, and parenting goals. Through our partnership with Yield Giving, we are able to amplify our mission and create lasting change in communities facing the greatest need.”

The Open Call received 6,353 applications and initially planned for 250 awards of $1 million each. In the Fall of 2023, organizations top-rated by their peers advanced to a second round of review by an external  Evaluation Panel recruited for experience relevant to this cause, and underwent a final round of due  diligence. In light of the incredible work of these organizations, as judged by their peers and external  panelists, the donor team decided to expand the awardee pool and the award amount.

“We are excited that our partnership with Yield Giving has resonated with so many organizations,” said Cecilia Conrad, CEO of Lever for Change. “In a world teeming with potential and talent, the Open Call has  given us an opportunity to identify, uplift, and empower transformative organizations that often remain  unseen.”

More information on the Yield Giving Open Call and other initiatives can be found at  www.leverforchange.org.

Shine Together

Shine Together believes education is the key factor in breaking the cycle of generational poverty faced by young families. Shine empowers young mothers to complete high school, persist through post-secondary education, and nurture their child’s positive development, thus creating an avenue to economic advancement for the whole family.

Yield Giving

Established by MacKenzie Scott to share a financial fortune created through the effort of countless  people, Yield Giving is named after a belief in adding value by giving up control. To date, Yield’s network  of staff and advisors has yielded over $16,500,000,000 to 1,900+ non-profit teams to use as they see fit  for the benefit of others. To learn more, visit www.yieldgiving.com.

Lever for Change

Lever for Change connects donors with bold solutions to the world’s biggest problems—including issues  like racial inequity, gender inequality, lack of access to economic opportunity, and climate change. Using  an inclusive, equitable model and due diligence process, Lever for Change creates customized challenges  and other tailored funding opportunities. Top-ranked teams and challenge finalists become members of  the Bold Solutions Network—a growing global network that helps secure additional funding, amplify members’ impact, and accelerate social change. Founded in 2019 as a nonprofit affiliate of the John D.  and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Lever for Change has influenced over $1.7 billion in grants to  date and provided support to more than 145 organizations. To learn more, visit www.leverforchange.org.