• Donated $8 billion to Melinda Gates’ foundation
• Foundation became one of the largest private charities in the U.S

Billionaire Bill Gates made a record donation of $7.88 billion to Melinda French Gates’ private foundation as part of their divorce settlement announced in 2021, according to a recent tax filing reported by a local newspaper.

The donation boosted the foundation’s assets by over 1,000%, reaching approximately $7.4 billion in 2024, up from $604 million at the end of 2023.

After separating their philanthropic efforts in May 2024, Melinda Gates’ foundation emerged as one of the most prominent private charities in the U.S., alongside figures like MacKenzie Scott, who donated $7.2 billion in 2025 alone and $26 billion since 2020 following her divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

Gates’ donation is part of a total $12.5 billion pledged by Melinda, which has now been fully disbursed, a foundation spokesperson confirmed to an American magazine.

Melinda Gates resigned in May 2024 as co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, stating that the funds would be used “for the benefit of women and families.”

Founded in 2022, the foundation focuses on accelerating social progress for women and young people.