Our role is to enable transformative change—not just incremental improvements—by taking risks others can’t or won’t. That means focusing on issues where we can have the greatest impact on reducing inequities.
We believe that everyone, no matter where they are born, should have the opportunity to live a healthy and productive life.
Businesses create products that meet people’s needs. Governments deliver essential services. Scientists and technologists build tools that can solve big problems. But around the world, many people are still left behind—without access to good health care, nutritious food, safe sanitation, or fair economic opportunity.
That’s where philanthropy can play an important role.
At the Gates Foundation, we work with partners to remove barriers and expand opportunity—so everyone has a fair chance to live a healthy and productive life.
We focus on developing long-term strategies that take on critical domestic US and global issues where we believe we can have the greatest catalytic impact. We ask: Who, given the right support, could create better or more affordable solutions? We then help connect them with resources and partners.
We also bring together governments, researchers, local leaders, and community changemakers to share knowledge, collaborate, and align on shared goals. Together, we can make more progress than any one of us could alone.
Our funding is small compared to what governments spend, but we can take risks to support bold ideas and approaches that show real promise. These ideas often grow into innovations that can change lives—like postpartum hemorrhage drapes, portable devices that detect health risks during pregnancy, and waterless toilets that treat waste safely and affordably.
With our partners around the world, we work to eliminate infectious diseases, ensure the health of mothers and babies, and expand economic opportunity. Because when people have what they need to thrive, everyone benefits.
