Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (2024)

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Gates Foundation) was formed in 2000 by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda. Its total assets of nearly$55 billion (as of year-end 2021) make the Gates Foundation the largest private philanthropic foundation in the world. 1

The Gates Foundation spends five percent of its endowment on programs and advocacy concerning education, health, poverty, climate change, and “clean energy.” The other 95 percent is invested through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Trust, which is controlled by Bill and Melinda Gates and Democratic Party donor and investor Warren Buffett, who pledged $31 billion to the Foundation in 2006. They are signers of The Giving Pledge, an initiative started by Gates to invite billionaires in committing “to give the majority of their wealth to philanthropy either during their lifetimes or in their wills.” 2 3

The Foundation spent hundreds of millions of dollars to promote and implement the highly controversial national Common Core education standards. The funding for the standards stretched from teachers’ unions and business groups to political advocacy groups, and was embraced by the Obama administration, which eventually hired a number of former Gates Foundation staffers. 4

Gates and the Foundation have also come under scrutiny for purportedly cornering the market on global health initiatives, and encroaching on the territory of public organizations with parallel vision such as the World Health Organization. 5 The Foundation has given more than $82 million to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, International Planned Parenthood Federation, International Planned Parenthood Federation – European Network, International Planned Parenthood Worldwide, and Planned Parenthood in both central and western Washington state. 6

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Trust is the foundation’s “sister” nonprofit, established in 2006 to manage the group’s endowment and investment portfolio. 7

Founding and Mission

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation was founded in 1994 as the William H. Gates Foundation. It was created by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda French Gates, and was run by Gates’ father, William H. Gates, Sr., ostensibly to focus on global health. 8

Bill and Melinda Gates founded the Gates Library Foundation in 1997 with the stated goal of bringing internet access and computers to U.S. public libraries. It became the Gates Learning Foundation in 1999 when it broadened its focus to include college readiness. 9

In 2000, the William H. Gates Foundation merged with the Gates Learning Foundation and became known as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 10

Following an infusion of money from billionaire investor Warren Buffet in 2006, the foundation set up a separate Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Trust to handle foundation assets. 11 The Gates Foundation also reorganized to include global development, global health, and United States divisions. A global policy and development division was added in 2012. 12

Organizational Overview

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is controlled by three trustees: Bill Gates, Melinda Gates, and Warren Buffett. William H. Gates, Sr. is the foundation’s co-chair. 13 The foundation has 1,489 employees and gives to grantees in all 50 states and the District of Columbia as well as more than 100 countries. 14

The foundation issues grants from an endowment that is handled by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Trust that lists Bill and Melinda Gates as the sole trustees. 15 The foundation has funded $50.1 billion in grants since its inception. 16

Grantmaking areas include: 17

  • Global Development Program
  • Global Health Program
  • Global Growth & Opportunity Program
  • Global Policy and Advocacy
  • United States Program
  • Small Charitable Sector Support Initiative

The foundation’s locations include: 18

  • Headquarters – Seattle, Washington
  • East Coast Office – Washington, D.C.
  • India Office – Delhi, India
  • China Office – Beijing, China
  • Europe and Middle East Office – London, United Kingdom and Berlin, Germany
  • Africa Offices – Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Abuja, Nigeria; and Johannesburg, South Africa

Funding

Most of the money for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has come from the Gates’ personal wealth, starting with $94 million in Microsoft stock in 1994 to establish the William H. Gates Foundation. 19 On his 43rd birthday in 1998, Gates gave the foundation $1 billion. 20 In 1999, Gates and his wife Melinda contributed $16 billion to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 21

Contributions are held in an endowment, which must give away at least five percent of its worth each year. The other 95 percent is invested. 22 From 2000 to 2007, the endowment was managed by Bill Gates Investments, which handles Gates’ personal fortune.

In 2006, investor Warren Buffett made a lifetime pledge to the foundation of Berkshire Hathaway stock valued at $31 billion. 23 The gift is paid in yearly installments with most recent contribution of $3.6 billion on July 1, 2019. 24To date, Buffett has contributed $24.5 billion to the BMGF. 25

In 2006, the foundation trustees restructured and created the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Trust to hold donated investment assets from Bill and Melinda Gates, and annual contributions from Warren Buffett. 26 In turn, the trust funds foundation programs and grants. 27 Tax documents list Bill and Melinda Gates as the sole trustees of the Trust. 28

In 2020, the Gates Foundation received nearly $12.7 million in Berkshire Hathaway stock from Warren Buffett. 29

Leadership

Co-Chairs and Trustees

The Gates Foundation has three trustees, according to its latest IRS Form 990 from 2018.

30

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda Gates, are co-chairs and trustees for the Gates Foundation, as well as the foundation’s main philanthropists.

Billionaire and philanthropist Warren Buffett is a Gates Foundation trustee.

In addition, William “Bill” H. Gates, Sr., a retired business executive and father of Bill Gates, is a Gates Foundation co-chair, an attorney, and the former head of Planned Parenthood. 31

Chief Executive Officer

Mark Suzman is the chief executive officer of the Gates Foundation, a position he’s held since February 2020. Prior to that, the South Africa-born Suzman was director of Global Development Policy and Advocacy for the Gates Foundation from 2007 to 2020. 32 In 2018, Suzman reported $995,462 in total compensation in his role as director of Global Development Policy and Advocacy. 33

Susan “Sue” Desmond-Hellmann was the Gates Foundation’s chief executive officer from 2014 to January 2020, when she retired from the organization. Desmond-Hellmann is an oncologist, career healthcare nonprofit officer, and a former Facebook board member. Prior to joining the Gates Foundation in 2014, she was chancellor of the University of California, San Francisco and president of product development for Genentech, a biotech firm. 34 In 2018, Desmond-Hellman reported total compensation of $1,489,778 as CEO of the foundation. 35

Funding

Donors to the Gates Foundation

Also see Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Trust (Nonprofit)

The Gates Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation required to report its donors. Much of the foundation’s donations come from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Trust, a separate but related foundation created in 2006 to manage its “sister” group’s endowment assets and investment portfolio. 36

In 2018, the Gates Foundation’s largest donors were the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Trust, which gave the foundation nearly $5.6 billion, and Bill Gates, who gave it nearly $2.5 million. 37

Grant Initiatives

Education

In June 2018, Business Insider cited a RAND Corporation report to note that a $1 billion education initiative that the Gates Foundation backed had “largely failed to help students.” 38 The Gates Foundation had chosen RAND Corporation, a nonprofit think tank, to evaluate the education initiative. The RAND report stated that, “[o]verall. . . the initiative did not achieve its goals for student achievement or graduation, particularly for LIM [low-income minority] students.” 39

Poverty

In May 2018, the Gates Foundation announced its plans to give $158 million to the Partnership on Mobility from Poverty, which is connected to the left-of-center Urban Institute. 40

Environment

Bill Gates believes that divesting in fossil fuel has little to no impact on tackling climate change. Gates told the Financial Times, “Divestment, to date, probably has reduced about zero tones of emissions. It’s not like you’ve capital-starved [the] people making steel and gasoline.” 41 Gates believes that a more effective method is to invest in businesses and technologies that increase innovations towards reducing carbon emissions. He commented, “When I’m taking billions of dollars and creating breakthrough energy ventures and funding only companies who, if they’re successful, reduce greenhouse gases by 0.5 per cent, then I actually do see a cause and effect type thing.” 42

Political Activity

Contributions to Political Candidates, Campaigns and PACs by Employees

Foundations are not permitted by tax law to contribute to candidates for election. However, the Center For Responsive Politics lists contributions from individuals who list the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as their employer: Those contributions total $1,006,305 to political candidates and political action committees (PACs) since 2000. Of those contributions, 88 percent, or $106,212, were made to Democratic candidates and committees. 43 The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is also a donor to the political nonprofit Demos, a progressive policy research group. Since 2009, the Gates foundation has contributed at least $850,000 to the nonprofit. 44

Contributions to “Dark Money” Advocacy Groups

In 2020, the Gates Foundation contributed $126,754,593 to the New Venture Fund, part of a multi-billion-dollar “dark money” nonprofit network created and run by Arabella Advisors, a consulting in Washington, D.C. 45 The New Venture Fund specializes in passing grants from its donors to left-of-center political causes and activist groups as well as sponsoring new “pop-up” groups, or websites dedicated to pushing left-of-center policy while disguised as independent activist nonprofits. 46

Common Core

In 2014, the Washington Post characterized the involvement of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in establishing national Common Core education standards as a “swift revolution,” with the Foundation not only bankrolling the development but also building “political support across the country, persuading state governments to make systemic and costly changes.” 47

Starting in 2008, hundreds of millions of dollars in Gates Foundation money went to a broad range of organizations including the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association, policy groups including liberals (most notably the Center for American Progress) and conservatives (such as the Thomas B. Fordham Institute) and state and local groups. The “revolution” received further support from the Obama administration, which was populated with former Gates Foundation staffers and associates. 48

The Gates Foundation provided seed money the non-profit Teaching Channel website and Teaching Channel television program to promote Common Core teaching instructions. 49 The effort was launched in September 2011 with programs airing on public television stations. 50

By 2010, 45 states and the District of Columbia had fully adopted the Gates-backed Common Core State Standards. By 2014 Common Core came under increasing criticism even among former supporters on the left. 51 A 2016 report found that Common Core was not preparing students very well for college or a career. 52

In May, 2016, then-CEO Sue Desmond-Hellman admitted in an annual letter that the foundation had made mistakes with Common Core. 53 The letter prompted a Los Angeles Times editorial titled, “Gates Foundation failures show philanthropists shouldn’t be setting America’s public school agenda.” The editorial criticized the Gates Foundation of taking on an “unhealthy amount of power in the setting of education policy,” landing former foundation staff members high positions in the U.S. Department of Education and head of the Los Angeles Unified School District. 54

Criticisms

Too Few Trustees

Some have criticized the Gates Foundation by pointing to the fact there are three trustees deciding how billions of dollars controlled by the world’s largest philanthropic foundation are spent. Pablo Eisenberg of Georgetown University’s Public Policy Institute told NBC News, “That is much too small and narrow a board to run a foundation whose combined assets will one day exceed the budgets of all but 30 percent of the countries in the world,” which he said “offers little protection to America’s taxpayers or the national interest.” Diana Aviv of the Independent Sector coalition of 600 charities said larger boards are wiser and provide necessary “checks and balances” required for good decision-making and oversight. 55

Socially Irresponsible Investments

The Gates Foundation has faced criticism from the left for breaking its social commitments. A Los Angeles Times investigation published in 2007 found that $8.7 billion, or 41 percent of Gates Foundation assets, were invested in companies that countered the foundation’s charitable goals or socially concerned philosophy. 56 These include companies responsible for heavy air pollution in the Niger Delta to pharmaceutical firms whose pricing policies have hampered access to antiretroviral drugs for HIV/AIDS patients in developing nations, a primary Gates Foundation focus area. 57

Too Much Influence

The Gates Foundation has been criticized for too-broad funding through an interconnected network of organizations and individuals across academia and the NGO and business sectors which University College London Dr. David McCoy said in 2012, “allows it to leverage influence through a kind of ‘group-think’ in international health.” And in 2008 the head of malaria research for the World Health Organization accused a s-called Gates Foundation “cartel” of suppressing diversity of scientific opinion, claiming the organization was “accountable to no-one other than itself.” 58

A 2016 report from the far-left British activist organization Global Justice Now analyzed Gates Foundation programs and concluded the foundation’s giving is far from a neutral charitable strategy, but instead an ideological commitment to “promote neoliberal economic policies and corporate globalization.” 59 The report authors called on an international investigation into Gates Foundation spending. 60

Lawsuit by Former Employee

Todd Pierce, a former Gates Foundation chief digital officer, filed a lawsuit against the foundation in April 2017, alleging he was misled about the scope of his job when he was recruited, and that he was fired for clashing with executives who didn’t believe in his new role. The complaint stated, “During his exit interviews with several co-workers, they admitted that the job he was expected to perform was not the job he had been promised and that he hadn’t been told the truth about his position.” 61

References

  1. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 2021. Part I, Line 16. Archived here: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2022/11/gates-foundation-2021-form-990.pdf
  2. The Giving Pledge, About. Accessed January 6, 2023.https://givingpledge.org/About.aspx
  3. Woodhouse, Leighton. “How Big Philanthropy became Big Grift.” The Spectator, December 18, 2022.https://thespectator.com/topic/bad-samaritans-big-philanthropy/
  4. “Gates Foundation failures show philanthropists shouldn’t be setting America’s public school agenda.” Editorial. Los Angeles Times. June 01, 2016. Accessed July 18, 2017. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-gates-education-20160601-snap-story.html.
  5. Bowman, Andrew. “The flip side to Bill Gates’ charity billions.” New Internationalist. April 01, 2012. Accessed July 18, 2017. https://newint.org/features/2012/04/01/bill-gates-charitable-giving-ethics.
  6. “Awarded Grants.” Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Accessed January 6, 2020. https://www.gatesfoundation.org/How-We-Work/Quick-Links/Grants-Database#q/k=planned%20parenthood.
  7. “Who We Are.” Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Trust. Accessed January 21, 2020.https://www.gatesfoundation.org/who-we-are/general-information/financials/foundation-trust
  8. “Gates Foundation.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Accessed July 06, 2017. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Gates-Foundation.
  9. “Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.” Foundation Center. Accessed July 06, 2017. https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/grantmaker-profile/?collection=grantmakers&key=GATE023.
  10. “Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.” Foundation Center. Accessed July 06, 2017. https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/grantmaker-profile/?collection=grantmakers&key=GATE023.
  11. “Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.” Foundation Center. Accessed July 06, 2017. https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/grantmaker-profile/?collection=grantmakers&key=GATE023.
  12. “Gates Foundation.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Accessed July 06, 2017. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Gates-Foundation.
  13. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2015, Part VIII.
  14. “Foundation Fact Sheet.” Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Accessed January 21, 2020. http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Who-We-Are/General-Information/Foundation-Factsheet.
  15. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Trust. Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2015, Part II Line 16.
  16. “Foundation Fact Sheet.” Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Accessed January 21, 2020. http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Who-We-Are/General-Information/Foundation-Factsheet.
  17. “Foundation Fact Sheet.” Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Accessed July 05, 2017. http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Who-We-Are/General-Information/Foundation-Factsheet.
  18. “Foundation Fact Sheet.” Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Accessed July 05, 2017. http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Who-We-Are/General-Information/Foundation-Factsheet.
  19. Stepanek, Marcia, and Cristina Maldonado. “Rockefeller 2.0: Gates relaunches philanthropy.” NBCNews.com. June 24, 2008. Accessed July 16, 2017. http://www.nbcnews.com/id/25332025/ns/us_news-giving/t/rockefeller-gates-relaunches-philanthropy/#.WWunt4jyvIU.
  20. “Donor Advised Funds | NPT | National Philanthropic Trust.” NPT Donor Advised Funds | National Philanthropic Trust. Accessed July 16, 2017. https://www.nptrust.org/index.php?%2Fhistory-of-giving%2Ftimeline%2F1900s.
  21. “Donor Advised Funds | NPT | National Philanthropic Trust.” NPT Donor Advised Funds | National Philanthropic Trust. Accessed July 16, 2017. https://www.nptrust.org/index.php?%2Fhistory-of-giving%2Ftimeline%2F1900s.
  22. Piller, Charles, Edmund Sanders, and Robyn Dixon. “Dark cloud over good works of Gates Foundation.” Los Angeles Times. January 07, 2007. Accessed July 05, 2017. http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-gatesx07jan07-story.html.
  23. “Gates Foundation.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Accessed July 06, 2017. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Gates-Foundation.
  24. “What’s the Largest Charitable Donation Warren Buffett Ever Made? .” Investopedia. September 22, 2019. Accessed January 21, 2020. https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/021015/whats-largest-charitable-donation-warren-buffett-ever-made.asp
  25. Stempel, Jonathan. “Warren Buffett Donates $3.4 Billion to Gates’ and Family Charities.” Reuters. July 16, 2018. Accessed January 23, 2020. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-buffett-charities/warren-buffett-donates-3-4-billion-to-gates-and-family-charities-idUSKBN1K62NM.
  26. “Financials.” Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Accessed July 05, 2017. http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Who-We-Are/General-Information/Financials.
  27. Stepanek, Marcia, and Cristina Maldonado. “Rockefeller 2.0: Gates relaunches philanthropy.” NBCNews.com. June 24, 2008. Accessed July 16, 2017. http://www.nbcnews.com/id/25332025/ns/us_news-giving/t/rockefeller-gates-relaunches-philanthropy/#.WWunt4jyvIU.
  28. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Trust. Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2015, Part II Line 16.
  29. Tanoria, Yuvika. “Warren Buffett donated Berkshire shares worth $2.9 billion to charities.” Finance Rewind. 2020. Accessed July 21, 2020. https://financerewind.com/news/warren-buffett-donated-berkshire-shares-worth-2-9-billion-to-charities/
  30. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 2018. Part VIII (List of Officers, Directors, etc.). Archived here: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2020/02/Gates-Foundation-2018-Form-990.pdf

    See PDF page 675

  31. “Transcript: Bill Moyers Interviews Bill Gates.” PBS. May 09, 2003. Accessed July 16, 2017. http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/transcript_gates.html.
  32. “Executive Leadership Team: Mark Suzman.” Gates Foundation. Accessed February 10, 2020. https://www.gatesfoundation.org/Who-We-Are/General-Information/Leadership/Executive-Leadership-Team/Mark-Suzman
  33. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 2018. Part VIII (List of Officers, Directors, etc.). Archived here: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2020/02/Gates-Foundation-2018-Form-990.pdf

    See PDF page 675

  34. Betsy McKay. “Gates Foundation CEO to Step Down.”Wall Street Journal.December 5, 2019. Accessed February 10, 2020. https://www.wsj.com/articles/gates-foundation-ceo-to-step-down-11575570659
  35. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 2018. Part VIII (List of Officers, Directors, etc.). Archived here: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2020/02/Gates-Foundation-2018-Form-990.pdf

    See PDF page 675

  36. Who We Are.” Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Trust. Accessed January 21, 2020.https://www.gatesfoundation.org/who-we-are/general-information/financials/foundation-trust
  37. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 2018. Schedule B. Archived here: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2020/02/Gates-Foundation-2018-Form-990.pdf
  38. Berke, Jeremy. “A $1 billion Gates Foundation-backed education initiative failed to help students, according to a new report — here’s what happened.” Business Insider.com. June 27, 2018. Accessed August 15, 2018. https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-melinda-gates-foundation-education-initiative-failure-2018-6.
  39. Berke, Jeremy. “A $1 billion Gates Foundation-backed education initiative failed to help students, according to a new report — here’s what happened.” Business Insider.com. June 27, 2018. Accessed August 15, 2018. https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-melinda-gates-foundation-education-initiative-failure-2018-6.
  40. Lamm, Greg. “Gates Foundation will spend $158M on U.S. poverty.” Bizjournals.com. Accessed August 15, 2018. https://www.bizjournals.com/bizwomen/news/latest-news/2018/05/gates-foundation-will-spend-158m-on-u-s-poverty.html.
  41. Nauman, Billy, and Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson. “Fossil Fuel Divestment Has ‘Zero’ Climate Impact, Says Bill Gates.” Financial Times. Financial Times, September 17, 2019. https://www.ft.com/content/21009e1c-d8c9-11e9-8f9b-77216ebe1f17.
  42. Nauman, Billy, and Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson. “Fossil Fuel Divestment Has ‘Zero’ Climate Impact, Says Bill Gates.” Financial Times. Financial Times, September 17, 2019. https://www.ft.com/content/21009e1c-d8c9-11e9-8f9b-77216ebe1f17.
  43. The Center for Responsive Politics. “Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation”. Open Secrets.org. May 16, 2017. Accessed July 16, 2017. http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000031958&cycle=A.
  44. Data from FoundationSearch: Demos. www.FoundationSearch.com.
  45. Return of Foundation Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 2020. Schedule I.
  46. Hayden Ludwig. “Arabella Advisors: Democrats’ Darkest ‘Dark Money.'”The American Conservative. May 12, 2021. Accessed Jan. 17, 2022. https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/arabella-advisors-democrats-darkest-dark-money/
  47. Layton, Lyndsey. “How Bill Gates pulled off the swift Common Core revolution.” The Washington Post. June 07, 2014. Accessed July 05, 2017. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/how-bill-gates-pulled-off-the-swift-common-core-revolution/2014/06/07/a830e32e-ec34-11e3-9f5c-9075d5508f0a_story.html?utm_term=.7f5355683d3f.
  48. Layton, Lyndsey. “How Bill Gates pulled off the swift Common Core revolution.” The Washington Post. June 07, 2014. Accessed July 05, 2017. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/how-bill-gates-pulled-off-the-swift-common-core-revolution/2014/06/07/a830e32e-ec34-11e3-9f5c-9075d5508f0a_story.html?utm_term=.7f5355683d3f.
  49. “Frequently Asked Questions.” Teaching Channel. Accessed July 18, 2017. https://www.teachingchannel.org/faq.
  50. “Teaching Channel Launches: New Teacher Resource Now Available Online And On TV.” Teaching Channel. Accessed July 18, 2017. https://www.teachingchannel.org/pressrelease001.
  51. Baker, Al. “Common Core Curriculum Now Has Critics on the Left.” The New York Times. February 16, 2014. Accessed July 18, 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/17/nyregion/new-york-early-champion-of-common-core-standards-joins-critics.html.
  52. Strauss, Valerie. “Common Core isn’t preparing students very well for college or career, new report says.” The Washington Post. June 09, 2016. Accessed July 18, 2017. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/06/09/common-core-isnt-preparing-students-very-well-for-college-or-career-new-report-says/?utm_term=.9af2385bbe12.
  53. Strauss, Valerie. “Gates Foundation chief admits Common Core mistakes.” The Washington Post. June 02, 2016. Accessed July 18, 2017. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/06/02/gates-foundation-chief-admits-common-core-mistakes/?utm_term=.69f43fd5bc8b.
  54. The Times Editorial Board. “Gates Foundation failures show philanthropists shouldn’t be setting America’s public school agenda.” Los Angeles Times. June 01, 2016. Accessed July 18, 2017. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-gates-education-20160601-snap-story.html.
  55. Stepanek, Marcia, and Cristina Maldonado. “Rockefeller 2.0: Gates relaunches philanthropy.” NBCNews.com. June 24, 2008. Accessed July 16, 2017. http://www.nbcnews.com/id/25332025/ns/us_news-giving/t/rockefeller-gates-relaunches-philanthropy/#.WWunt4jyvIU.
  56. Piller, Charles, Edmund Sanders, and Robyn Dixon. “Dark cloud over good works of Gates Foundation.” Los Angeles Times. January 07, 2007. Accessed July 05, 2017. http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-gatesx07jan07-story.html.
  57. Stepanek, Marcia, and Cristina Maldonado. “Rockefeller 2.0: Gates relaunches philanthropy.” NBCNews.com. June 24, 2008. Accessed July 16, 2017. http://www.nbcnews.com/id/25332025/ns/us_news-giving/t/rockefeller-gates-relaunches-philanthropy/#.WWunt4jyvIU.
  58. Bowman, Andrew. “The flip side to Bill Gates’ charity billions.” New Internationalist. April 01, 2012. Accessed July 18, 2017. https://newint.org/features/2012/04/01/bill-gates-charitable-giving-ethics.
  59. “Gated Development – is the Gates Foundation always a force for good?” Global Justice Now. June 16, 2016. Accessed July 18, 2017. http://www.globaljustice.org.uk/resources/gated-development-gates-foundation-always-force-good.
  60. Connett, David. “Gates Foundation accused of ‘dangerously skewing’ aid priorities by promoting ‘corporate globalisation’.” The Independent. February 19, 2016. Accessed July 18, 2017. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/gates-foundation-accused-of-dangerously-skewing-aid-priorities-by-promoting-big-business-a6822036.html.
  61. Levy, Nat. “Former Bill & Melinda Gates digital chief sues organization, claims he was misled about his role.” GeekWire. April 25, 2017. Accessed July 18, 2017. https://www.geekwire.com/2017/former-bill-melinda-gates-executive-sues-organization-claims-misled-role/.
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (2024)

FAQs

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation? ›

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people's health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty.

What does the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation do? ›

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people's health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty.

How do I get a grant from the Gates Foundation? ›

How do I apply for a grant from the foundation? We do not make grants outside our funding priorities. In general, we directly invite proposals by directly contacting organizations. We do occasionally award grants through published Requests for Proposals (RFPs).

How much does the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation cost? ›

SEATTLE, WA (January 16, 2023) – In his annual letter published today, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman announced the foundation will spend US$8.3 billion this year to continue its work fighting poverty, disease, and inequity.

What companies does the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation own? ›

Portfolio
  • 1mg Technologies Private Limited. ...
  • Abbott Laboratories. ...
  • Achaogen. ...
  • Acrobatiq. ...
  • Adjuvant Global Health Technology Fund. ...
  • Affinivax. ...
  • Africa Health Fund. ...
  • African Agricultural Capital Fund.

Does the Gates Foundation give money to individuals? ›

In general, and except in specific circ*mstances as noted on certain grant applications, the foundation is unable to make grants directly to individuals. Examples of areas the foundation does not fund: Direct donations or grants to individuals.

How much does Bill Gates give away? ›

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is the second-largest charitable organization in the world by assets, with an endowment worth nearly $70 billion. Through the foundation, Gates has reportedly donated more than $50 billion since 1994 to eradicate diseases, promote education, and advance gender equality.

What is the Gates Foundation biggest donations? ›

Topping the list is Gates, who gave $5 billion to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to back the grant maker's work in global health, development, policy and advocacy and U.S. education.

What is the Bill and Melinda Gates travel grant? ›

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Travel Award for Scientists from Low and Low-Middle Income Countries. Scientists in low- and low-middle-income countries who would otherwise be unable to attend the meeting can receive the funds necessary for travel expenses.

How do I get Usaid funding? ›

Most funding is allocated through Acquisition and Assistance (A&A) mechanisms. To solicit support for its programs, USAID typically uses a Request for Proposals (RFP) for contracts and a Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) for cooperative agreements and grants. Contract opportunities are posted on SAM.gov.

How much do Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation executives make? ›

How much does a Director make at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in the United States? Average Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Director yearly pay in the United States is approximately $339,030, which is 246% above the national average.

Where does Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation money come from? ›

The trust holds the donated investment assets from Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates and receives contributions from Warren Buffett. The primary role of the trust is to manage the investment assets and transfer proceeds to the foundation as necessary to achieve the foundation's charitable goals.

How much money has Bill Gates given to his children? ›

Even though Bill Gates is worth around $10,560 crore and his ex-wife Melinda Gates is worth $660 crore, the Gates children are not entitled to any inheritance. You read that right!

How much of Walmart does Bill Gates own? ›

Bill Gates Walmart Inc

That's 1.17% of their equity portfolio (9th largest holding). The first Walmart trade was made in Q2 2006. Since then Bill Gates bought shares eight more times and sold shares on five occasions. The stake costed the investor $163 Million, netting the investor a gain of 172% so far.

How to contact Bill Gates for financial help? ›

Contact
  1. Phone: (206) 709-3400.
  2. Email: media@gatesfoundation.org.

Where does Bill Gates keep his money? ›

The majority of his financial assets are held by Cascade Investment LLC, an entity controlled by Gates to manage his investments. 3 Although Cascade is not a public company, some of its investment activity must be disclosed to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

What diseases does the Gates foundation fund? ›

Public health surveillance.

Four of our target NTDs—sleeping sickness, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, and leprosy—can be controlled by screening at-risk populations and treating infected individuals.

Can I write a letter to Bill Gates? ›

Things You Should Know

Send a letter to Bill Gates at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The mailing address is PO Box 23350, Seattle, WA, 98102. You can also tweet at Bill Gates. His handle is @BillGates.

Does Warren Buffet have a foundation? ›

As of 2014, the Buffett Foundation ranked fourth among family foundations by grants paid. It invests heavily in reproductive health and family planning grants across the world, including substantial investments in abortion and contraceptives.
...
Buffett Foundation.
Formation1964
Key peopleAllen Greenberg (Executive Director)
2 more rows

Who is the biggest donor in the world? ›

1. Bill Gates - $5 billion. Topping the list is Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who gave $5 billion to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to back the grantmaker's work in global health, development, policy and advocacy, and US education.

What company donates the most to charity? ›

Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO), The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS), and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) are some of the most charitable companies along with Ben & Jerry's.

Who donates the most money? ›

(Soros has not signed the Giving Pledge, but has given away more than half his fortune.) Warren Buffett tops the list of givers yet again, as measured by total amount given away. He's been handing over billions of dollars worth of Berkshire Hathaway stock annually for 17 years–and continued that tradition last June.

What is the richest charity? ›

Wealthiest foundations by endowment value
RankOrganisationEndowment in USD
1Novo Nordisk Foundation$120.2 billion
2Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation$50.2 billion
3Wellcome Trust$42.8 billion
4Stichting INGKA Foundation$37.3 billion
43 more rows

What is the biggest charity donation in the world? ›

Two of Airbnb's co-founders gave to help Ukrainian refugees, and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates took the top spot by giving $5.1 billion to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation last year. Altogether, the donors on the list contributed $16 billion.

How much money has Elon Musk donated to charity? ›

In 2001, he set up the Musk Foundation, offering grants for the "development of safe artificial intelligence to benefit humanity" among other causes, according to its website. He donated about $5.74 billion (€5.35 billion) in 2021.

How much does Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation donate to education? ›

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Commits $350 Million Nationally, Starting in Washington State, To Help Students Succeed in the Classroom.

Does the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation give scholarships? ›

Award. Scholars will receive funding for the full cost of attendance* that is not already covered by other financial aid and the expected family contribution, as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), or the methodology used by a Scholar's college or university.

Does USAID give loans? ›

USAID can make loans or issue loan guarantees for any development purpose in Part 1 of the Foreign Assistance Act. Credit programs available to USAID are often used to leverage private funds for development purposes.

What is the USAID budget for 2023? ›

Each year federal agencies receive funding from Congress, known as budgetary resources . In FY 2023, the Agency for International Development (USAID) had $49.35 Billion distributed among its 4 sub-components. Agencies spend available budgetary resources by making financial promises called obligations .

What branch of government is USAID? ›

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent federal government agency that receives overall policy guidance from the Secretary of State. USAID provides economic, development, and humanitarian assistance around the world in support of the foreign policy goals of the United States.

Who owns Bill and Melinda Gates foundation? ›

The Foundation Trust holds the endowment, including the annual installments of Warren Buffett's gift, and funds the foundation. Bill and Melinda are the trustees for the Foundation Trust, and the endowment is managed, as it has been for almost three decades, by Cascade Management Company.

How much did Melinda Gates take from Bill Gates? ›

The couple wed on January 1, 1994, in Hawaii and Melinda left the company in 1996 to focus on starting their family. Melinda got $76billion from Bill Gates as a result of the divorce.

How successful is the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation? ›

Since 2000, Gavi and partners have helped immunize more than 760 million children and helped prevent more than 13 million deaths. Public and private sector donors pledge US$8.8 billion of new commitments to Gavi, including $1.6 billion from the foundation.

Do people donate to the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation? ›

We prefer that people give directly to our grantees, but from time to time, individuals generously offer to contribute money to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In response, we created Gates Philanthropy Partners, a 501(c)(3) public charity closely affiliated with the foundation.

How much is Melinda Gates worth? ›

Do millionaires give money to family? ›

The wealthy are handing out so much money to needy family members that they've earned a new nickname: “the family bank.” Nearly half of the multimillionaires in a new study gave money to family members, with an average contribution of $313,200 over the past five years, according to Merrill Lynch and Age Wave.

Will Bill Gates kids inherit his money? ›

Bill Gates, who has a net worth of $122 billion is not planning to turn over his massive fortune to his kids, Jennifer, Rory and Phoebe. The business mogul recently explained that his children will be given every opportunity to get an education, but they will not be left to live off a hefty inheritance.

Did Bill Gates come from a wealthy family? ›

Gates was born and raised in Seattle, Washington, in a wealthy family. His father, William H. Gates Sr., was a successful lawyer. His mother, Mary Maxwell Gates, was an executive and businesswoman.

How much of Costco does Bill Gates own? ›

Bill Gates Costco Wholesale Corp

The investor sold all their shares in Q4 2012 and doesn't own any shares in Costco Wholesale anymore.

Who owns 51% of Walmart? ›

The Walton family is the largest shareholder of Walmart, holding 50% of the company's shares. The Walton family acquired such high ownership of the company because they are the descendants of Sam Walton, who founded the company. The family received a majority of the shares via inheritance and made additional purchases.

Who is richer Walmart or Amazon? ›

In 2022, Amazon closed its divide in terms of total revenue, as it generated over $513 billion in revenue, compared to over $572 billion in revenue from Walmart.

What phone does Bill Gates have? ›

The billionaire, in a ask-me-anything session on Reddit revealed that he is a Samsung loyalist. Gates currently uses Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and before this he used Galaxy Z Fold 3 as his primary phone.

What does Bill Gates advocate for? ›

We are focused on the areas of greatest need, on the ways in which we can do the most good. From poverty to health, to education, our areas of focus offer the opportunity to dramatically improve the quality of life for billions of people.

What company did Bill Gates found? ›

What food companies does Bill Gates own? ›

Gates invested in Hampton Creek Foods, a startup company working on plant protein based egg substitutes, and has praised Beyond Meat, a meat substitute company. Thiel gave a grant to Modern Meadow, a company using animal stem cells in what it calls "tissue engineering" to create meat and leather via 3D printing.

Who is richer Elon Musk or Bill Gates? ›

Elon Musk is the world's richest man: How much money he has and where Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos stand. News.

How much gold does Bill Gates own? ›

As of September 2021, Gates' net worth is estimated to be around $125 billion. If his fortune were converted to gold, he would have approximately 2,500 metric tons of the metal. That's equivalent to about two Olympic-sized swimming pools filled with gold.

Which billionaire gives the most to charity? ›

Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates, through their foundation, have given away US$38.4 billion over their lifetime, adding more than US$5 billion in 2022. Bill Gates ranked the second richest person in the U.S. with a net worth of US$102 billion. Melinda was estimated to be worth US$6.6 billion on her own.

Is the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation a good place to work? ›

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has an overall rating of 4.0 out of 5, based on over 570 reviews left anonymously by employees. 90% of employees would recommend working at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to a friend and 67% have a positive outlook for the business.

Why do billionaires donate to charity? ›

But when the very wealthy give, the donation not only reduces income taxes, but also lowers their capital gains and estate and gift taxes. If I donate $1 billion to my private foundation, I have reduced my taxable estate by $1 billion.

Who is the biggest charity donor in the world? ›

1. Bill Gates - $5 billion. Topping the list is Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who gave $5 billion to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to back the grantmaker's work in global health, development, policy and advocacy, and US education.

Who is the largest charity donor in the world? ›

Despite their 2021 divorce, Bill and Melinda continue to co-chair the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the world's largest private charitable foundation and the primary vehicle for their philanthropic giving.

What is the most profitable charity in the world? ›

Wealthiest foundations by endowment value
RankOrganisationEndowment in USD
1Novo Nordisk Foundation$120.2 billion
2Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation$50.2 billion
3Wellcome Trust$42.8 billion
4Stichting INGKA Foundation$37.3 billion
43 more rows

What charity gives the most to the poor? ›

Charity NamePercentage of funds that go directly to the cause, versus administrative or fundraising costs
Matthew 25: Ministries99.40%
Kids In Need Foundation99.40%
Brother's Brother Foundation99.40%
Direct Relief99.40%
15 more rows
Dec 28, 2017

What is the most profitable charity? ›

  • Feeding America. Domestic Needs. $4.06 B.
  • United Way Worldwide. Domestic Needs. $2.77 B.
  • St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Medical. ...
  • Salvation Army. Domestic Needs. $2.34 B.
  • Direct Relief. International Needs. $2.21 B.
  • Good 360. International Needs. $1.68 B.
  • Goodwill Industries International. Domestic Needs. ...
  • YMCA of the USA. Youth.
Dec 13, 2022

Who funds Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation? ›

The Foundation Trust holds the endowment, including the annual installments of Warren Buffett's gift, and funds the foundation. Bill and Melinda are the trustees for the Foundation Trust, and the endowment is managed, as it has been for almost three decades, by Cascade Management Company.

Is the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation a trust? ›

In October of 2006, our trustees created a two-entity structure: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (foundation) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust (trust). Both entities are tax-exempt private foundations that are structured as a charitable trust.

How many people does Bill Gate employ? ›

Since Gates and his friend Paul Allen founded Microsoft in 1975, the software firm has acquired a slew of companies, including video and calling application Skype and Nokia's device and services business. Altogether, Microsoft now has more than 114,000 full-time workers.

Which billionaires give the least to charity? ›

Conversely, some billionaires are better known for being more stingy with their fortunes:
  • No. 5: Stanley Kroenke. Kroenke is both a real estate and sports mogul. ...
  • No. 4: Andrew Beal. ...
  • No. 3: John Menard Jr. ...
  • No. 2: Lukas Walton. ...
  • No. 1: Rupert Murdoch.
Jul 29, 2022

Are there any millionaires giving away money? ›

MacKenzie Scott, the 18th richest American, according to The Forbes 400 list, has been at the vanguard, giving away $12.7 billion to more than 1,250 organizations since mid 2020.

Does Elon Musk support charities? ›

In 2001, he set up the Musk Foundation, offering grants for the "development of safe artificial intelligence to benefit humanity" among other causes, according to its website. He donated about $5.74 billion (€5.35 billion) in 2021.

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