Oakland-based Global Citizen Year has announced a $12 million grant from MacKenzie Scott and Dan Jewett in support of efforts to develop diverse leaders who are equipped to build a more just, peaceful, and sustainable future.

The largest gift in the organization's history will kick off the New Leaders Fund, a $50 million campaign to support a critical mass of new leaders who have the insights, skills, and networks needed to change the world. The funding will enable Global Citizen Year — which provides youth with exceptional leadership potential a year of exploration during which they develop empathy to connect with people of all cultures, backgrounds, and economic classes; agency to define their own path and the confidence to choose it; and leadership practices that drive real change — to make long-term investments to expand its core programs and accelerate systemic change in the education sector.

"MacKenzie and Dan are funding social impact with unprecedented speed, heart, and humanity. This is what philanthropy in the twenty-first century should look like: a partnership, not a patronage," said Global Citizen Year founder and CEO Abby Falik. "If we have a shot at addressing our greatest challenges — ending racial injustice, curbing our climate crisis, and reimagining education — we'll need many others to follow their lead. With this gift, they've said, 'We see you, we trust you, and we believe in you.' These are the partnerships that will change the world."