The Gates Foundation

The Gates Foundation is an American private foundation founded by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates. Based in Seattle, Washington, it was launched in 2000 and is reported to be the fifth-wealthiest charitable foundation in the world, holding $91 billion in assets as of December 31, 2025. The primary stated goals of the foundation are to enhance healthcare and reduce extreme poverty across the world, and to expand educational opportunities and access to information technology in the United States. Key individuals of the foundation include Warren Buffett (who resigned as a Gates Foundation trustee in 2021 and officially ended his partnership with the foundation in 2026), chief executive officer Mark Suzman, and Michael Larson.