Gates Foundation to spend US $200 Billion before closing in 2045

USA – The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced it will spend more than US $200 billion over the next 20 years before closing its doors in 2045.

This remarkable shift, shared by Bill Gates in a personal post, marks the beginning of the foundation’s final phase.

“We gave away over US $100 billion in our first 25 years. Now, we plan to double that by 2045,” Gates stated. While the current endowment does not cover the full amount, the rest will come from Gates’ own fortune.

A legacy of giving, inspired by a 19th-century ideal

Bill Gates said he drew inspiration from Andrew Carnegie’s 1889 essay The Gospel of Wealth, which argues that the wealthy should use their riches to benefit society during their lifetime.

The phrase “the man who dies rich dies disgraced” struck a chord with Gates.

Originally, the foundation was meant to close 20 years after Gates’ death. Now, that timeline has been fast-tracked.

“There are too many urgent problems in the world for me to hold on to resources that could make a difference today,” he explained. “So I’ve decided to give away virtually all my wealth much sooner than planned.”

What the next 20 years will focus on

As the foundation begins this 20-year giving sprint, it has outlined three core goals:

• Ending preventable deaths of mothers and newborns
• Ensuring children no longer suffer from deadly infectious diseases
• Helping millions of people escape poverty and find a sustainable path to prosperity

Beyond these priorities, the foundation will continue to invest in:

• Helping students in the U.S. achieve success
• Strengthening digital infrastructure so more people can access essential financial and social services
• Exploring how artificial intelligence can accelerate impact in health, education, and agriculture
• Advancing gender equality, with a strong focus on helping women access opportunities that benefit their families and communities

“Half the world’s smallholder farmers are women,” Gates pointed out, “and women stand to gain the most when they have access to education, health care, and financial services.”

Meeting urgent needs in a shifting world

This announcement arrives at a time when global aid budgets are shrinking, posing serious threats to the world’s most vulnerable populations.

According to foundation CEO Mark Suzman, the timing is driven by both urgency and opportunity.

From 2000 to 2025, the world has made historic gains in global health. Child mortality has dropped significantly, and deaths from infectious diseases have declined.

The Gates Foundation has played a key role in these efforts, partnering with organizations like Gavi and the Global Fund, and helping to save an estimated 82 million lives.

It has also helped develop more than 100 innovative tools, from vaccines to diagnostic kits that address urgent health needs.

Their support for polio eradication alongside Rotary International and the introduction of a new rotavirus vaccine are just a few examples of how targeted funding has changed lives.

An optimistic vision for the future

Despite ongoing global challenges, Gates remains hopeful. “Technology is moving faster than ever. Even with the setbacks we face, each new breakthrough is a chance to improve someone’s life.”

He credits the foundation’s success to its global partners and emphasizes that lasting change will only come through collaboration.

“The work of making the world better has always been a shared mission. I’m proud of what we’ve done so far, but I believe we can do even more in the next 20 years.”

“I believe we can leave the next generation better off and better prepared to fight the next set of challenges.”