Philanthopy Advice for Bill Gates

Andrew Natsios, professor of international development at Georgetown University, in Washington, and former

administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development: “Choose a few countries that have competent, honest, strong leaders who want genuine reform. Resources should then be focused on the least popular program areas: economic — particularly agriculture — and governance problems. These are the most underfunded, and yet most important, sectors in the poorest countries. An alternative approach would be to fund a green-agricultural revolution in Africa and select countries with good economic policies. In either case, Gates should do what other donors are reluctant to do or have underfunded.”

Emmett D. Carson, chief executive of the Minneapolis Foundation: “I hope he will be an active participant in organized philanthropy, working with the myriad set of organizations that are available because he has a lot to offer. He can be a legitimate standard-bearer for the field and not simply his own foundation. He would have a great voice to add and could influence philanthropy to be more unconventional in its approaches. But that can only happen if he is an active member of the club, not an outsider who is unaware of the successes and pitfalls that have occurred or unaware of the Congressional scrutiny that is in front of us.”

Frederick Hess, director of education for the American Enterprise Institute, a think tank in Washington: “If there’s one central lesson — given the scale of the Gates Foundation and the scope of Bill Gates’s ambition when it comes to international health and educational reform in the United States — it is that you can’t pick around the edges. The bottom line is to pick the things that you think are worth fighting for and then don’t shy away from controversy. But the track record of most philanthropists suggests that Gates is probably going to be reluctant to take that course.”

Maxwell King, president of the Heinz Endowments, in Pittsburgh: “He needs to be just as careful as a philanthropic investor to make sure his funds are used wisely as he has been as a business investor. You can get just as embarrassed in philanthropy as you can in business by making bad investments.”

Peter Hero, president of Community Foundation Silicon Valley, in San Jose, Calif.: “Getting involved 100 percent in philanthropy will take a balance between taking a look at what’s worked in the past and also being innovative and thinking about new ways to solve problems. Google’s a good example. It’s gone on record saying it will not only give grants to nonprofits but also consider investing in for-profits that have a triple-bottom line” [meaning they measure their success based on economic, social, and environmental returns].

Vartan Gregorian, president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York: “You have to build public-private partnerships. Foundations can demonstrate, illustrate, and support. They are kind of like an emergency fire squad; they can get to the problem first, but they can’t remove public obligation. Even if Gates discovers a drug for malaria or AIDS, you’re still going to need public money to apply it universally.”

Khalil Elouardighi, international advocacy officer for Act Up-Paris, an AIDS activist group: “First, reorient the Gates Foundation from what it has become: a prestige funder that seeks to work only with prestige partners so as to increase its own prestige. The Gates Foundation needs to be less about grant press releases, and more about global health and education outcomes. Otherwise there’s a risk it’ll turn into a billion-dollar PR job. Second, Mr. Gates should extend the purview of his foundation to the No. 1 cause of today’s global health and education disasters: lack of accountability of leaders in both developing and developed countries. If the Gates Foundation can help make leaders accountable and incentivized to perform well on health and education, Mr. Gates will truly have changed the existence of billions of people.”

Lisa H. Brooks, director of communications and donor relations for Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles: “I don’t think the nonprofit world is new to the Gateses, and they already come to it with considerable skills. With that said, I would add: Continue to be an inspiration and visionary, but at the same time set priorities. Surround yourself with good people, and give them the tools to carry out your vision. Don’t micromanage. Use your clout to inspire your peers to join in your efforts.”