BROWNING — The Blackfeet Community College has received a monumental boost to its mission with an $8 million unrestricted donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.
College officials say the donation marks the largest single gift in the college’s 51-year history.
The investment will directly strengthen student opportunities, support employees, enhance campus infrastructure, and reinforce the tribal college's long-term strategic goals.
Watch tribal college president discuss the donation here:
The donation builds on Scott’s earlier $3 million contribution in 2020, which established an endowment that has now grown to more than $6 million.
The new gift will significantly expand the college’s financial foundation and elevate its position among tribal colleges and universities receiving similar high-impact philanthropic support.
It also opens the door to increased scholarships, improved employee resources, and sustained growth in programs designed to meet the needs of the Blackfeet Nation and the broader “Universal Community.”
“This gift is coming at the perfect time for the college,” said Blackfeet Community College President Brad Hall. “One lesson it's taught me is that growth is incremental. It doesn't all happen at once. Very excited, full of gratitude. We're looking at more growth and connecting the sense of success and wellness, because both of those are really critical together. But also looking at what the community wants from us in the future."
The Board of Trustees also expressed deep gratitude for Scott’s generosity, calling the donation an investment not only in the college, but in the future of Blackfeet students and families for generations to come.
Scott’s latest gift to Blackfeet Community College is part of her continued philanthropic support for tribal higher education nationwide.
Earlier this year, she also donated $11 million to Fort Peck Community College, another Montana tribal institution, reinforcing her commitment to uplifting Native communities and expanding access to culturally grounded education.
Blackfeet Community College leaders say they are excited to begin planning how the funds will be allocated but emphasized that every dollar will return to the students, staff, elders, and community members who make the college what it is today.
