The Gates Foundation has announced a historic $200 billion commitment over the next two decades to advance its mission of helping people lead “healthy, productive lives.”
This accelerated timeline—made possible by a revision to its charter—sets the organization on a path to close by 2045. Founded in 2000 by Bill and Melinda Gates, the foundation calls this the largest philanthropic pledge in modern history.
Bill Gates, in a newsletter, explained that the urgency of global challenges compelled him to speed up his giving. “There are too many pressing problems for me to keep holding onto resources,” he wrote. Most of the funding will come from Gates’ personal fortune, as the pledged amount surpasses the foundation’s current endowment. He intends to donate nearly all of his wealth to this cause within the next 20 years.
Originally, the foundation’s charter planned for it to sunset 20 years after Gates’ death. But after reevaluating with input from the board, he now believes the goals can be reached sooner by intensifying efforts and offering more stability to partners.
Over the next two decades, the foundation will focus on three key areas: ending preventable maternal and infant deaths, protecting children from deadly infectious diseases, and lifting millions out of poverty.
Gates expressed optimism about accelerating progress, citing rapid technological advances—especially in artificial intelligence—as powerful tools to improve lives around the world.
