In March 2024, actor and entrepreneur Eva Longoria received $50 million from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sanchez Bezos, through their Courage and Civility Award. Two years later, the Desperate Housewives star has a message about philanthropy: you don’t have to be rich or famous to make a difference.In an interview with Fortune, Longoria spoke about one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding charitable work, saying that people often associate meaningful impact with the amount of money someone can donate. She believes, however, that even small acts of support can help bring about 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,” Longoria told the publication. “What I’ve learned is that impact doesn’t come from how much money you have, it comes from how you show up.”Her message comes at a time when large donations from billionaires often dominate conversations about philanthropy. Longoria believes that giving back should not be seen as something only wealthy individuals can afford to do. According to her, mentoring someone, supporting a small business or sharing professional knowledge can also make a meaningful difference.“Mentoring someone, supporting 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 added. “And I think that’s really what’s missing for a lot of people. They don’t have someone in their corner.”
What Eva Longoria did with Jeff Bezos’ $50 million award
Two years after receiving the award, Longoria says philanthropy is not just about how much money a person has, but how they contribute to society. (Photo: Getty)
Longoria and retired US Navy Admiral Bill McRaven received $50 million each in March 2024. The grants were part of the Bezos Courage and Civility Award, launched by Bezos and Sanchez in 2021 to recognise individuals making significant contributions to society. The award allows recipients to direct the funds towards charitable causes of their choice.For Longoria, the recognition was about more than the financial contribution. She said the award represented trust and responsibility and encouraged her to become more intentional and strategic in her advocacy.“Receiving that support was incredibly meaningful, not just because of the scale of the gift, but because it represented trust and responsibility,” she said.The actress explained that the grant had allowed her to continue investing in communities and causes close to her heart, particularly supporting Latina entrepreneurs, expanding access to education and backing organisations working towards change on the ground.“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,” she said.Longoria added that the award had helped the Eva Longoria Foundation create long-term impact through transformative giving. Founded in 2012, the foundation works to improve educational and entrepreneurial opportunities for Latinas in the United States.She is also associated with Eva’s Heroes, a charity that supports young adults with intellectual special needs.
Eva Longoria is mentoring small-business owners
Eva Longoria believes mentoring, supporting small businesses and sharing knowledge are meaningful ways to make a difference, even without being wealthy. (Photo: Eva Longoria Foundation)
Apart from her foundation work, Longoria is also putting her belief in community-level support into practice through a new partnership with Lenovo, under which she is mentoring small-business owners.The actor has built a business portfolio that includes luxury tequila brand Casa Del Sol, media company Hyphenate Media Group and a stake in women’s soccer team Angel City FC. She has also made an early investment in the John Wick franchise.Despite her business success and the resources available to her, Longoria believes that people do not need substantial financial means to help someone else succeed. She sees guidance, mentorship and access to opportunities as important forms of giving.
From Van Jones to Eva Longoria: The Bezos Courage and Civility Award
Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos launched the Courage and Civility Award in 2021 for individuals who make significant contributions to society. Previous recipients include CNN commentator and civil rights advocate Van Jones, chef and humanitarian Jose Andres, and country music legend Dolly Parton.Jones and Andres were among the first recipients, each receiving $100 million. Parton received $100 million in 2022, with her philanthropic work including support for research that helped fund Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine development.In 2024, Longoria and McRaven each received $50 million. McRaven, who oversaw the 2011 US military raid that killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, pledged to use his share for educational programmes for future military leaders and children of deceased veterans, as well as mental health support for military personnel.The Giving Pledge, co-founded by Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates and Warren Buffett in 2010, is another initiative encouraging large-scale philanthropy. It asks billionaires to commit at least half of their wealth to charitable causes. However, questions have been raised about how quickly such pledges translate into actual donations.Two years after receiving the $50 million award, Longoria’s message is that philanthropy is not measured only by the size of a cheque. While the grant has given her the resources to support causes on a larger scale, she believes anyone can make a difference by offering their time, knowledge and support to someone who needs it.