Melinda French Gates has a lifetime giving of $52.6 billion (Forbes data as on February 2026). The American philanthropist and Bill Gates’ ex-wife has donated mostly to nonprofits focused on global health and development, particularly initiatives supporting women and girls. In a latest, French Gates has announced $215 million additional funding to Washington–based Pivotal Philanthropies to focus on women’s reproductive and midlife health. In an interview with Forbes, French Gates said that through her donations, she is “trying to send a signal”, daring her fellow billionaires to follow. “I’m also trying to send a signal that this is a space that really has not been focused on very much,” Gates said when asked about why now was the right moment to expand women’s health, including midlife and menopause, within your portfolio of work.
Melinda French Gates dares other billionaires to put money into women health care
Responding to a question about specific changes, pivots and strategy shifts made over the past year, Melinda French Gates said:“I put more money into the National Women’s Law Center. I put more money than I would have into the Center for Reproductive Rights. It’s gotten harder for them to do their work, because other philanthropists have also gotten afraid of doing that work”. “I’ve got to keep being bold and keep showing that, no, we can move forward and we should move forward,” she added.To this, the interviewer asked: “What is the source of that fear? Why do you think other philanthropists are scared to put money into these causes?” Melinda French Gates responded saying:“Because of the administration. They’re causing chaos and fear. Some of the spirit at the top is purposeful to push women back in society. I’m trying to demonstrate to philanthropists: These are spaces we should be moving forward in. Hopefully others will follow”.
Melinda French Gates on being ‘disappointed’ with fellow billionaires
During the Forbes interview, Melinda French Gates was asked is she is disappointed in her fellow billionaires. Gates replied: “Depends on which one you ask me about. Anybody who is a billionaire in the United States right now benefited from growing up in the United States or coming to the United States. We have, by and large, good roads. By and large, you can get some quality of an education. By and large, you can get some quality of health care. We benefit from this country”. “My belief is, to whom much is given, much is expected. We should be giving back to society. Some of these businesses that have turned into gigantic businesses, you couldn’t start those businesses in Sudan, for all the reasons you and I can name,” she stated.“I’ve never thought it’s good for billionaires to be flashy about their wealth, like we’ve seen that over time at all levels of wealth. You see it with people who have a million dollars, you see it with people who have $100,000. Flashing that around, that doesn’t do anybody any good. Fine, buy some nice things for yourself, but you don’t have to be flashy about it,” Gates said further.