This note, written by CEO Mark Suzman, was shared with Gates Foundation e-mail subscribers.
This morning, Bill shared a historic announcement about the future of the Gates Foundation: Over the next 20 years, the Gates Foundation will commit $200 billion to addressing the world’s greatest inequities—roughly double what we spent in our first 25 years. And on December 31st, 2045, the foundation will complete its work.
To hear more about this announcement from us, I invite you to join our 25th Anniversary event livestream starting at 12 p.m. ET.
We’re proud to say that this decision represents the largest philanthropic commitment in history—and that it reflects our intention to meet the challenges of our time and leave a sustainable legacy for others to carry forward.
Low- and middle-income countries are grappling with some of the toughest headwinds in generations—from the lingering effects of the pandemic and other shocks to persistent inflation and insurmountable debt. To make matters worse, in the past year, the world’s richest countries have announced plans to cut tens of billions in aid funding for the world’s poorest people. The consequences will almost certainly be devastating. At the same time, there are so many opportunities to make a difference right now—the innovation pipeline is filled with breakthroughs that have the potential to save and improve millions of lives.
We know that no private philanthropy can make up for public retreat. But what we can do is marshal every resource at our disposal to solve today’s most pressing challenges. We’re placing our bet on human ingenuity—on the scientists, health workers, educators, farmers, advocates, and more whose tireless work has already delivered some of the most dramatic gains in human history. They haven’t given up, and neither will we.
While our timeline is changing, our mission is not.
We remain committed to creating a world where everyone has the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life. And in the years ahead, we will continue to collaborate closely with our partners to make that vision a reality.
Because for all the challenges we face, we still believe the next 20 years have the potential to be even more transformative than the last 25. With strong investments and partnerships, we could live to see a world where no mother or child dies of preventable causes. Where deadly diseases like polio, malaria, and tuberculosis are controlled or even eradicated. Where every person has a path to prosperity, no matter where they were born.
And while we are announcing a new sunset date, it’s really the start of a new chapter for the Gates Foundation—one that will be defined by urgency, by partnership, and by the belief that progress is possible.
Thank you for joining us on this journey.
With gratitude,
Mark
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