Microsoft Co-Founder Accelerates Philanthropic Giving Amid Concerns Over Global Aid Cuts

SEATTLE — Bill Gates, the billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder, announced on Thursday that the Gates Foundation, one of the world’s largest charitable organizations, will cease operations by December 31, 2045, significantly earlier than previously planned. In a blog post, Gates revealed plans to donate “virtually all” of his estimated $108 billion fortune over the next 20 years, committing over $200 billion to tackle global health, poverty, and education challenges before the foundation’s closure. The decision marks a historic shift for the foundation, which has donated over $100 billion since its founding in 2000.

The Gates Foundation, originally established by Bill and Melinda French Gates, had been set to continue for decades after their deaths. However, Gates, now 69, said he reconsidered this timeline to address urgent global needs more rapidly. “There are too many urgent problems to solve for me to hold onto resources that could be used to help people,” he wrote, emphasizing the need to act now to save lives and reduce inequities. The foundation’s endowment, valued at $77.2 billion as of December 2024, will be combined with Gates’ personal wealth to fund this accelerated giving.

A Legacy of Impact and a New Urgency

Since its inception, the Gates Foundation has been a powerhouse in global philanthropy, focusing on reducing preventable child deaths, eradicating diseases like malaria and polio, and improving education in the U.S. Its catalytic role in initiatives like Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has contributed to halving childhood deaths from preventable causes between 2000 and 2020, according to UN figures. Gates highlighted these achievements, noting that the foundation’s work has been “way more impactful than I expected.”

The decision to close by 2045 comes amid concerns about global aid reductions, particularly under the Trump administration’s recent cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Gates sharply criticized these cuts, accusing Elon Musk, a key figure in the administration’s efficiency efforts, of contributing to the “deaths of the world’s poorest children” by slashing aid that supports life-saving food and medicine. In interviews with The Guardian and Financial Times, Gates warned that such cuts could lead to a million additional childhood deaths annually from diseases like measles and HIV.

Reactions: Praise and Skepticism

The announcement has sparked varied reactions. On X, some users praised Gates’ commitment to philanthropy. @LauraGalanWells wrote, “I want billionaires to be Bill Gates,” applauding his 25-year track record of giving. Others, like @O4SI5, called the $200 billion pledge a “game-changer for philanthropy.” However, conservative voices expressed skepticism. @hatemetax suggested the closure signals the failure of Gates’ “globalist plans” and speculated about connections to unrelated controversies, though without evidence. These sentiments reflect ongoing debates about the foundation’s influence, with critics historically questioning the role of private wealth in shaping global health policy.

Melinda French Gates, who resigned from the foundation in 2024 to focus on her own philanthropy through Pivotal Ventures, commented on the closure in written responses to the Associated Press. She noted that the couple had always intended to spend down their resources, but the 2045 timeline was Bill’s decision with the board of trustees. She expressed hope that the foundation’s legacy would endure through lasting improvements in health and equity.

Looking Ahead

Over the next two decades, the Gates Foundation will maintain its $9 billion annual budget, focusing on three core goals: ending preventable maternal and child deaths, eradicating infectious diseases, and lifting millions out of poverty. CEO Mark Suzman emphasized the need to prioritize high-impact programs, acknowledging internal uncertainties about which initiatives will continue. Gates hopes this accelerated giving will inspire other billionaires to act, citing the Giving Pledge, co-founded with Warren Buffett and Melinda French Gates, which has attracted over 240 wealthy donors.

As the foundation prepares to wind down, its final years promise to be its most ambitious. Gates expressed optimism about the potential to “leave the next generation better off” but cautioned that global commitment to the world’s poorest remains uncertain. For now, the Gates Foundation’s accelerated mission underscores a defining moment in modern philanthropy, with the world watching how its final $200 billion will shape the future.