Eva Longoria Reveals How She Spent the $50 Million Grant From Jeff Bezos

Apart from being an award-winning actress, producer, director, and businesswoman, Mexican American actress Eva Longoria is also very active in philanthropy.

In a recent interview with Fortune, Longoria said she received $50 million from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to support causes backed by the Eva Longoria Foundation, which she founded in 2012.

Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sánchez, have distributed millions of dollars to charities and organizations since launching the Courage and Civility Award in 2021. The award recognizes individuals and groups making significant contributions to society and is given annually.

In 2024, Longoria received a portion of the award, sharing the $100 million grant with Bill McRaven, a retired Navy admiral who oversaw the 2011 raid that killed Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

"This award has allowed me to continue investing those resources into the communities and causes I care deeply about, supporting Latina entrepreneurs, expanding access to education, and backing organizations that are driving real change on the ground," Longoria said. "The Courage and Civility Award makes it possible for us at the Eva Longoria Foundation to create long-term impact with transformative giving."

Since launching her foundation more than a decade ago, Longoria has focused on expanding educational and entrepreneurial opportunities for Latinas in the United States. She also founded Eva's Heroes, an organization that supports people 14 and older with intellectual disabilities through programs aimed at personal development.

"Receiving that support was incredibly meaningful, not just because of the scale of the gift, but because it represented trust and responsibility," Longoria said, adding that she has become "more intentional and more strategic" in her work as an advocate, as reported by Fortune.

Although financial support can be transformative, Longoria said it is not the only factor needed to drive meaningful change.

"One of the biggest misconceptions about philanthropy is that impact is tied to wealth or scale, when in reality, impact comes in many forms," she told Fortune. "What I've learned is that impact doesn't come from how much money you have, it comes from how you show up."

She pointed to everyday acts of support as equally important in creating lasting impact.

"Mentoring someone, supporting a small business, sharing what you know, those things matter because not everyone has access to capital or resources, but anyone can be part of someone else's support system," she said. "And I think that's really what's missing for a lot of people. They don't have someone in their corner."