Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

ALSO SEE:

Gift Makes Gates Fund No. 1 in U.S.

History: Established this month by the founder of the Microsoft Corporation and his wife as a way to consolidate their giving. The new foundation assumes the activities and assets of the William H. Gates Foundation, which began operations in 1994, and the Gates Learning Foundation, which was started under another name in 1997.

Purpose and areas of support: To insure that people in all countries and of all income levels have access to advances in education, health care, and technology. Also, to support a wide array of charitable causes in the Pacific Northwest.

Assets: $17.1-billion.

Grants and operating programs: The foundation has approved grants worth over $225-million so far this year, including $183.3-million for global-health efforts, $20.3-million for education and library programs, and $21.8-million for organizations in the Pacific Northwest.

Key officials: William H. Gates III and Melinda French Gates, co-founders; William H. Gates, Jr., and Patty Stonesifer, co-chairs.

Application procedures: Brief letters of inquiry should be mailed to the foundation and should include: the project’s goals, details on how those goals will be achieved, the amount of money being requested, and background information on the organization and its past projects. No additional materials, such as videos or brochures, should be included with the letter.

Address: P.O. Box 23350, Seattle 98122.

World-Wide Web site: http://www.gatesfoundation.org