Gates Foundation narrows priorities as aid cuts reshape global health funding

The Gates Foundation will concentrate at least 70% of its funding on preventing maternal and child deaths and on controlling key infectious diseases, and plans to hold spending near $9 billion a year for the next five years despite cuts to overseas aid.

Facing reductions in global foreign aid, the Gates Foundation says it will not change course but will narrow its work to a few core goals. CEO Mark Suzman announced the foundation will concentrate much of its funding on preventing maternal and child deaths and on controlling key infectious diseases. The foundation plans to hold annual spending at about $9 billion for the next five years and later increase disbursements to meet the commitment to spend most of Bill Gates' fortune by 2045. Some programs will be wound down while other work, including partnerships using AI for health and education, will continue in modified forms. Key points: - The foundation will allocate at least 70% of its funding over the next 20 years to ending preventable maternal and child deaths and to controlling key infectious diseases. - CEO Mark Suzman said the foundation will not add new priorities and will narrow its work around three core goals. - The foundation plans to maintain roughly $9 billion in annual spending for five years, cap operating expenses at 14%, and anticipates workforce reductions by 2030. - Programs to be wound down include a digital financial services effort in parts of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia and a U.S. economic mobility program; some economic mobility work will continue through AI partnerships. Summary: The narrowed priorities are intended to protect core global health efforts amid lower donor budgets and renewed advocacy for global health funding. The foundation will pursue technology partnerships and hold steady funding levels for the near term. Undetermined at this time.