Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

To bring about the kinds of changes that will help people live healthier and more productive lives, the foundation seeks to understand the world’s inequities. Then it will be considered whether the foundation can make a meaningful difference. All of the strategies—more than two dozen across the foundation—have emerged through this process.

Within each strategy, which has an allocation of resources, the foundation collaborates with grantee and partner organizations to develop proposals that align with the strategic priorities and the organization’s focus and capabilities. An important part of this process is reaching agreement on what success will look like for the investment.
Investment proposals are reviewed at various levels, with more levels of review for grants and contracts that are more complex. A foundation executive makes the final decision about whether to fund the proposed grant or contract. Before funded activities can commence, the foundation and the partner organization sign an agreement that includes intended results, targets, milestones or reporting deliverables, and a payment schedule.

Grant opportunities are published regularly on the website.