Melinda French Gates Explains Departure from Gates Foundation and Announces New Philanthropic Focus
Melinda French Gates, renowned philanthropist and co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has revealed her motivations for resigning from the foundation and detailed her future philanthropic plans. In light of the US Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision, which allowed states to set their own abortion laws, French Gates felt compelled to shift her focus to supporting reproductive rights within the United States.
In a New York Times op-ed published Tuesday, French Gates expressed her commitment to advancing reproductive freedoms domestically. “While I have long focused on improving contraceptive access overseas, in the post-Dobbs era, I now feel compelled to support reproductive rights here at home,” she wrote. She emphasized the need for financial support to bolster organizations fighting for women’s rights, which have long been outmatched by opposing forces.
French Gates announced her resignation from the Gates Foundation earlier this month, effective June 7, after receiving $12.5 billion from the foundation as part of her divorce settlement. She hinted that her future philanthropic endeavors would prioritize women and girls, and has now provided more specifics on her plans.
Through her organization, Pivotal Ventures, French Gates will donate $1 billion by 2026 to advance women’s rights globally. This includes $200 million in grants to organizations championing reproductive rights, such as The 19th, a nonprofit news outlet focused on gender policy. Emily Ramshaw, co-founder and CEO of The 19th, celebrated the support, saying it would enhance their coverage and strategic investments in a critical election year.
Additionally, French Gates will allocate $250 million to improve women’s mental and physical health and another $240 million to a group of 12 influential leaders worldwide. Each will receive $20 million to distribute to organizations they deem impactful in women’s health. This innovative approach mirrors the strategy of philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, who has been known for her rapid, large-scale donations without stringent conditions.
“I’m also experimenting with novel tactics to bring a wider range of perspectives into philanthropy,” French Gates wrote. The selected leaders include former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, maternal health advocate Allyson Felix, and Afghan women’s education activist Shabana Basij-Rasikh.
French Gates explained that her decision to leave the Gates Foundation was influenced by advice to set her own agenda before others could set it for her. She voiced frustration with the lack of focus on women’s empowerment and criticized America’s high maternal mortality rate and lack of national paid family leave.
Highlighting that only 2% of US donations go to organizations focused on women and girls, French Gates argued that investing in women’s health would significantly benefit the global economy. “Because I have been given this extraordinary opportunity, I am determined to do everything I can to seize it and to set an agenda that helps other women and girls set theirs, too,” she concluded.
