Gates Foundation to Conclude Operations by 2045 After Spending Down Fortune
The Gates Foundation, established by Bill Gates and his then-wife Melinda in 2000, is set to close its operations by December 31, 2045. This decision follows an announcement in 2025 by Bill Gates that the foundation would spend the majority of his fortune over the next two decades. The foundation has grown to become one of the largest private charities globally, focusing on critical areas such as global health (including vaccines, polio eradication, malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV), sanitation and nutrition in impoverished nations, agricultural support for small farmers, and education within the United States. Its work has notably contributed to significant reductions in childhood deaths and maternal mortality worldwide. The foundation also initiated the Giving Pledge in 2010 with Warren Buffett, encouraging billionaires to commit most of their wealth to philanthropy.