At a glance
- Giving in all its forms—time, money, talent—helps people shape the world they want to live in.
- When people have the right tools, information, and inspiration, their giving can advance equity and accelerate the pace of positive change in the world.
- We work with givers and philanthropic organizations around the globe as they hone their giving to achieve more.
- We support research, innovation, collaboration, and knowledge sharing to enhance giving, strengthen the philanthropic sector, and tackle the greatest inequities in our world.
Our strategy
Philanthropy thrives in the presence of bold thinking, effective tools, and norms that nurture a culture of giving. The Philanthropic Partnerships team empowers donors to achieve more with their giving, and it invests in organizations that strengthen the philanthropic sector in the United States, China, India, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
The needs of today are enormous, but so is our ability to meet those needs creatively.
Latest updates
In the Financial Times’ annual “How to Give It” issue, Melinda French Gates highlights the catalytic power of donor collaboratives to “address root causes by changing systems” to advance gender equality and other complex societal challenges.
Generous donors to Gates Philanthropy Partners are making a huge impact on pandemic response, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and other low-resource regions that have been hard-hit by COVID-19.
Areas of focus
The beauty of philanthropy is in its diversity. From Andrew Carnegie’s gift to create the U.S. public library system to the charitable support for smallpox eradication and global giving in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, philanthropy comes in many forms and is ingrained in cultural traditions the world over.
Our team customizes our engagements across regions and levels of giving to enhance and enable generosity and to maximize its impact.
To motivate and amplify the generosity of everyday givers, we support research, experimentation, and product development so everyone can make a difference, regardless of the amount of time or resources they have to give. Sign up for the Giving By All newsletter to receive monthly updates on the work we are funding and other news from the world of giving.
For philanthropists wishing to partner with the foundation, we offer opportunities to participate in initiatives and networks that allow individuals to give together to achieve greater impact. We also administer Gates Philanthropy Partners, a public charity that enables donors to align their giving with our foundation’s priorities.
We partner with high-net-worth individuals to accelerate and inform their giving journey, most notably through our support of the Giving Pledge community.
We are helping to develop a vibrant sector of diverse, high-performing donor collaboratives that are uniquely situated to accelerate giving and direct it where it is needed most. Working alongside our partners, we are building new platforms that encourage donors to give together to maximize their impact.
We work with others in the philanthropic sector to ensure that policy and regulatory incentives for giving are preserved, established, or enhanced. We also fund partners that increase the availability and usability of data on charities and non-profits to enable more informed giving and build a stronger, smarter sector.
Why focus on philanthropic partnerships?
Philanthropy plays an important role in solving many of the world’s biggest health and development challenges. Generosity is part of what makes us human, and all cultures have strong traditions of giving and caring for their communities.
Unlike businesses or governments, philanthropists have the flexibility to explore the root causes of an issue, be bold in their vision, and fill critical gaps that can change and save lives. But at every level of wealth, individuals face an array of decisions about their giving. By sharing inspiration, learning from others, and working together, givers can accelerate the pace of positive change in the world.
We believe that when people have the right tools, information, and inspiration, they give more generously and intentionally.
Related initiatives
GPP is a public charity that enables donors to align their giving with the priorities of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The Giving Pledge is a movement of philanthropists who commit to giving the majority of their wealth to philanthropy.