Financials

We post our audited financial statements and 990-PFs to the site as they become available. Typically, the financial statement for each year is posted the summer of the following year, while the 990-PF is available in the fall of the following year.

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. Each entity has a distinct purpose, as explained below.

The foundation works to reduce inequities around the world. In the developing world, it focuses on improving health and alleviating extreme poverty. In the United States, the foundation supports programs related to education. In its local region, the foundation promotes strategies and programs that help low income families. The foundation is based in Seattle, Washington, with branch offices in Washington, D.C., New Delhi, India, Beijing, China and London, United Kingdom. Its Trustees are Bill and Melinda Gates, and Warren Buffett

The trust holds the donated investment assets from Bill and Melinda 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. Its trustees are Bill and Melinda Gates.

2010

Reader's Guide to the Form 990-PF (PDF, 97KB, 4 pages)
The purpose of the Reader's Guide is to demystify the key information contained in the 2010 Form 990-PF and to respond to the most frequently asked questions we receive.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
2010 Audited Financial Statements (PDF, 187KB, 12 pages)

2010 Annual Tax Return, Form 990-PF: Return of Private Foundation (PDF, 2MB, 692 pages)

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust
2010 Audited Financial Statements (PDF, 206KB, 16 pages)

2010 Annual Tax Return, Form 990-PF: Return of Private Foundation (PDF, 652KB, 124 pages)

2010 Annual Tax Return, Form 990-T: Exempt Organization Business Income Tax Return (PDF, 26KB, 26 pages)

2009

Reader's Guide to the Form 990-PF (PDF, 114KB, 5 pages)
The purpose of the Reader's Guide is to demystify the key information contained in the 2009 Form 990-PF and to respond to the most frequently asked questions we receive.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
2009 Audited Financial Statements (PDF, 113KB, 12 pages)

2009 Annual Tax Return, Form 990-PF: Return of Private Foundation (PDF, 5.6MB, 680 pages)

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust
2009 Audited Financial Statements (PDF, 131KB, 15 pages)

2009 Annual Tax Return, Form 990-PF: Return of Private Foundation (PDF, 3.4MB, 119 pages)

2009 Annual Tax Return, Form 990-T: Exempt Organization Business Income Tax Return (PDF, 1.4MB, 28 pages)

2008

Combined Financial Statement for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust

Reader's Guide to the Form 990-PF (PDF, 111KB, 5 pages)
The purpose of the Reader's Guide is to demystify the key information contained in the 2008 Form 990-PF and to respond to the most frequently asked questions we receive.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
2008 Audited Financial Statements (PDF, 91KB, 12 pages)

2008 Annual Tax Return, Form 990-PF: Return of Private Foundation (PDF, 2.5MB, 226 pages)

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust
2008 Audited Financial Statements (PDF, 106KB, 15 pages)

2008 Annual Tax Return, Form 990-PF: Return of Private Foundation (PDF, 2.9MB, 157 pages)

2008 Annual Tax Return, Form 990-T: Exempt Organization Business Income Tax Return (PDF, 1.6MB, 26 pages)

2007

Combined Financial Statement for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust

Reader's Guide to the Form 990-PF (PDF, 100KB, 5 pages)
The purpose of the Reader's Guide is to demystify the key information contained in the 2007 Form 990-PF and to respond to the most frequently asked questions we receive.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
2007 Audited Financial Statements (PDF, 69KB, 12 pages)

2007 Annual Tax Return, Form 990-PF: Return of Private Foundation (1MB, PDF)

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust
2007 Audited Financial Statements (75KB, PDF)

2007 Annual Tax Return, Form 990-PF: Return of Private Foundation (PDF, 1.1MB, 179 pages)

2007 Annual Tax Return, Form 990-T: Exempt Organization Business Income Tax Return (PDF, 3.3MB, 223 pages)

2006

Combined Financial Statement for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust

Reader's Guide to the Form 990-PF (PDF, 109KB, 4 pages)
The purpose of the Reader's Guide is to demystify the key information contained in the 2006 Form 990-PF and to respond to the most frequently asked questions we receive.

2005 Annual Tax Return, Form 990-PF: Return of Private Foundation

For ease in viewing and downloading, the 990-PF has been broken into the sections below.

Form 990-PF (PDF, 2MB, 19 pages)
Statements 1-17 (PDF, 256KB, 17 pages)
Attachments A-L (detail of paid grants) (PDF, 1MB, 365 pages)
Attachments M, N, and O (investment gains/losses) (PDF, 7.8MB, 4714 pages)
Form 990-T and Statements (PDF, 957KB, 15 pages)

2004

2004 Audited Financial Statements (PDF, 89KB, 12 pages)

2004 Annual Tax Return, Form 990-PF: Return of Private Foundation

For ease in viewing and downloading, the 990-PF has been broken into the sections below.

Form 990-PF (PDF, 1.06MB, 16 pages)
Index of Statements; Statements 1-15; Attachments A-C, and E-M (PDF, 12.6MB, 214 pages)
Attachment D (detail of paid grants) (PDF, 3.07MB, 105 pages)
Attachments N, O, and P (investment gains/losses) (PDF, 81.1MB, 2335 pages)

2003

2003 Audited Financial Statements (PDF, 2MB, 13 pages)

2003 Annual Tax Return, Form 990-PF: Return of Private Foundation

For ease in viewing and downloading, the 990-PF has been broken into the sections below.

Form 990-PF (PDF, 940KB, 15 pages)
Statements 1-16; Attachments A to K (L not used) (PDF, 11MB, 13 pages)
Attachments M to P (investment gains/losses) (PDF, 40MB, 973 pages)

2002

2002 Annual Tax Return, Form 990-PF: Return of Private Foundation

For ease in viewing and downloading, the 990-PF has been broken into the sections below.

First 12 pages & Statements 1-19 (PDF, 16MB, 22 pages)
Statement 20 (PDF, 74KB, 1 page)
Statement 20a, pages 1-98 (A-He) (PDF, 37MB, 98 pages)
Statement 20a, pages 99-188 (He-Pr) (PDF, 34MB, 90 pages)
Statement 20a, pages 189-272 (Pr-Z) (PDF, 35MB, 84 pages)
Statements 20b, 20c, and 21 (PDF, 20MB, 54 pages)
Statement 22 (PDF, 2MB, 4 pages)
Statements 23, 24, 25, and 26 (PDF, 77MB, 77 pages)

Note that Statements 27 through 31, which detail investment gains and losses, have not been included due to their size. These statements can be accessed by request at info@gatesfoundation.org.