Melinda Gates took $12.5 billion; here’s where she’s spending it
Melinda French Gates is directing $12.5 billion toward underfunded areas affecting women and girls, such as menopause research and childcare infrastructure. Her strategy focuses on addressing 'time poverty' caused by the disproportionate burden of unpaid care work on women.
Why it matters
This significant philanthropic shift highlights structural economic barriers that prevent women from participating fully in the workforce and decision-making roles.
Melinda French Gates resigned from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in May 2024, three years after her divorce, taking $12.5 billion with her to direct independently. Rather than spreading that money across a broad portfolio of causes, Melinda Gates decided to single at one and narrow the target to women and girls and specifically the parts of that problem that have historically gone chronically underfunded, according to a report by Startup Fortune. French Gates has consistently directed her money towards the underfunded areas such as menopause research, childcare infrastructure, domestic workers and representation of women in finance and media. Gates approach avoid popular causes which already attract a lot of funding making sure that each dollar makes maximum impact.Melinda Gates wants to tackle time povertyPhilanthropist Melinda French Gates frequently returns to on major statistic which is the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
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