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. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Dr. Susan Desmond-Hellmann and Co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.
Grantmaking Areas
We also have a small Charitable Sector Support initiative.
Locations
- Headquarters – Seattle, Washington
- East Coast Office – Washington, D.C.
- India Office – Delhi, Patna, India
- China Office – Beijing, China
- Europe and Middle East Office – London, United Kingdom
- Africa Offices - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Abuja, Nigeria; and Johannesburg, South Africa
Leadership
- Bill Gates, Co-chair and Trustee
- Melinda Gates, Co-chair and Trustee
- William H. Gates Sr., Co-chair
- Sue Desmond-Hellmann, Chief Executive Officer
- Warren Buffett, Trustee
- Allan C. Golston, President, United States Program
- Chris Elias, President, Global Development
- Rodger Voorhies, Executive Director, Global Development
- Trevor Mundel, President, Global Health
- Jim Bromley, Chief Financial Officer, Operations
- Connie Collingsworth, Chief Business Operations Officer, Operations
- Steven Rice, Chief Human Resources Officer, Operations
- Mark Suzman, Chief Strategy Officer and President, Global Policy and Advocacy
- Global Development Program Team
- Global Health Program Team
- United States Program Team
- Global Policy & Advocacy Team
- Operations Team
Foundation Facts (1)(2)
Current number of foundation employees: 1,453
Foundation Trust Endowment: $40.3 billion (3)
Total grant payments since inception (through Q4 2016): $41.3 billion
Total 2016 Direct Grantee Support: $4.6 billion
Total 2015 Direct Grantee Support: $4.2 billion
(1) As of December 31, 2016
(2) Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred million and include grants and direct charitable contracts, but not Program Related Investments
(3) Annually, the foundation receives an installment of the gift pledged by Warren Buffett. The endowment balance includes these donations, which were received as follows:
- August 24, 2006: $1.6 billion
- July 11, 2007: $1.76 billion
- July 1, 2008: $1.8 billion
- July 1, 2009: $1.25 billion
- July 1, 2010: $1.6 billion
- July 7, 2011: $1.5 billion
- July 6, 2012: $1.5 billion
- July 8, 2013: $2.0 billion
- July 14, 2014: $2.1 billion
- July 6, 2015: $2.15 billion
- July 13, 2016: $2.17 billion
Geographic Reach
The foundation supports grantees in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Internationally, we support work in more than 100 countries.
