The philanthropic work of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has led to an abundance of news headlines. We hear about their generous donations, grants, and support for education, but what is the foundation really about and what do they do?
Based on the belief that all lives have equal value, the foundation seeks to tackle even the most difficult of social problems. Holding this no-fear attitude, it is admirable that they strive for change in areas that seem almost impossible to make a dent in. Their awareness that not all projects can succeed leads them to turn failure into gold, learning from their mistakes to alter the way they approach future endeavors. The work of the foundation is shaped by the importance they place on optimism, collaboration, rigor and innovation. Building on such values has allowed them to make progress in overcoming problems such as hunger, poverty, and improving health, and education.
The foundation funds programs for global development, global health, the United States, and also funds non-programs grants. The ultimate goal of the Global Development Program is to help people overcome hunger and poverty. Undertaking such problems involves supporting agricultural development, offering poor people access to financial services, and improving sanitation and access to clean water to help reduce the spread of disease. The fact that the foundation targets change in areas in developing countries that are most likely spread and effect the greatest number of people is a reflection of their drive to make the largest impact.
The Global Health Program supports the development of new vaccines, medicines, and new strategies for making them accessible to people. They target diseases that are substantial contributors to the sustaining of poverty such as HIV/AIDs, malaria, pneumonia, and tuberculosis.
The focus of the United States Program is to make sure that everyone is given educational opportunity. The program helps fund early learning programs, scholarships for higher education, and public access to computers and the Internet.
One crucial aspect of this foundation is that they initiate projects and follow up by measuring progress, analyzing what is working/not working and adjust their tactics accordingly. It is especially noteworthy that they communicate what they’ve learned with others, a reflection of the value they place on collaboration. Working with others allows for the development of more innovative ideas that can lead to the greatest progress.
It is my hope that the information in this post promotes greater acknowledgement and understanding of the philanthropic work this foundation pursues and the values in which their efforts are based.
Philanthropy Fix 