To her surprise, the money was coming from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott and her husband, Dan Jewett. Scott, who divorced Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, in 2019 and left the marriage with a stake in the company, is one of the richest people in the world. On Tuesday, the philanthropist announced she was donating $2.7 billion to 286 organizations. Forbes estimates that Scott’s net worth is $57 billion, making her the 22nd wealthiest person in the world.

Wednesday morning, Mackenzie Scott, ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, announced a $2.7 billion donation with no strings attached to 286 charities. She made the donation alongside her new husband, lifelong educator Dan Jewett. NBC’s Natalie Morales reports from Los Angeles.

In honor of Record Store Day, charitable organization Barnstock presents the Off the Record Block Party, which benefits Youth on Record and includes sets by The Reminders, LVDY, Retrofette, Trayce Chapman and a surprise set with a very special featured guest. The gig will be capped off with a late-night DJ Dance Party with Funk Hunk and Fred Fancy.

Youth on Record Block Party
Saturday, June 5, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., online

Music education nonprofit Youth on Record is hosting its annual block party, once again virtually, at Oh Yay. There will be panels for aspiring musicians in everything from marketing, to working with media, NFTs, copyright law, and talking with your inner child and collaging your feelings; there will also be art workshops in creative writing, beatboxing and freestyling.

More than a good time, Off the Record Block Party, will be benefitting a good cause in Youth on Record. This local nonprofit empowers underserved youth to reach their fullest artistic potential through musical education and mentorship. Supporting the organization further, a portion of the proceeds from purchased copies of 303 Music vol. 4  will go directly to Youth on Record.

“It was the first time I had this shift in my perspective where I suddenly saw what came from a little extra effort and time and a little bit more belief in myself,” says Maben, who will be opening for DeVotchKa on Saturday, May 22, at Levitt Pavilion. “To see that result at first just sparked my motivation to be like, ‘I need to try this.’”

Foundations excel at breaking the exact things we say we want to fix. I know, because the private foundation I’ve managed for six years used to break what we thought we were fixing, too.

Westword recently covered an open letter to foundations by Jami Duffy, the executive director of Youth on Record, in which she reiterated what many foundation executives continue to ignore: pleas from nonprofit leaders across the field to provide unrestricted, multi-year funding and to quit wasting their time with extensive applications, reports, meetings and requests for information. To Duffy’s voice, I’d add the voices of twenty local nonprofit organizations led predominantly by leaders who are Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC). They are making the same requests for foundations to quit wasting their time and requiring that they serve us, often taking priority over serving the communities we are actually trying to support.

Read the full article here.

At the end of 2020, University of Denver Advancement hosted a series of virtual fireside panels with the city of Denver’s movers and shakers, many of whom are DU alumni. The topic: how Denver can thrive during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. In this four-part series, the DU Newsroom chats with alumni from a variety of industries and sectors to examine the community’s strengths, weaknesses and solutions in the years ahead.

In addition to successfully completing a $2M capital campaign DEBT FREE, Youth on Record has expanded its programs by 600% in seven years, has administered grants from the City and County of Denver, The Denver Office of Economic Development. Denver Public Schools, Denver’s Youth Office of Behavioral Development, and many private foundations.  We hold a deep belief that nonprofits must be as innovative, entrepreneurial, and spirited as the for-profit sector if we are to make a substantial impact. Our growth and success is reflective of that spirit, and truly makes Youth on Record one-of-a-kind in our field.

In our nine-year history, Youth on Record has received the following awards for our innovative, and entirely unique approach to empowering Denver’s youth through creative education.