Why we’re watching: With the divorce of the couple whose name is on the door, the Gates Foundation finds itself in uncharted territory. Warren Buffett’s resignation from the board, new board members, and the announcement that Melinda French Gates will depart the foundation in two years if she and Bill Gates can’t work together amicably mark a potentially significant shift for the world’s largest private philanthropy.

Leadership: Mark Suzman, CEO.
Staff: Over 1,700.
$: $6.7 billion in direct grantee support in 2021.
HQ: Seattle.
Tidbit: The rules governing the new board prohibit relatives of board members from also joining the board, with one notable exception: “a child of the marriage” of Bill and Melinda.
Follow: Stephanie Beasley and Catherine Cheney.

Analysis: It’s hard to overstate the Gates Foundation’s impact and influence on global development and global health. It’s not just the $6.7 billion it spent last year, dwarfing some government donors. It’s the foundation’s influence, forming and shaping some of the most important international organizations that work on human health, agriculture, climate change, and more. This makes the foundation’s worldview and strategy on these issues particularly important. Until now, these were shaped primarily by two people, often with some divergence between them: Bill and Melinda. But as new independent members join the board, that clear, singular vision may shift, with potentially huge implications for the issues and institutions the foundation funds. — RK.

→ Back to 22 global development organizations to watch in 2022