Bill Gates contributed an unprecedented $8 billion to Melinda French Gates’ foundation as a component of their divorce agreement

Melinda French Gates’ Pivotal Philanthropies Rises Among America’s Largest Foundations

Melinda French Gates has rapidly elevated her Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation into one of the nation’s most significant private philanthropic organizations, a transformation fueled in part by her divorce from Bill Gates.

Following their widely publicized separation in 2021, Bill Gates committed to transferring $7.88 billion to French Gates’ foundation—a sum ranking among the largest charitable gifts ever made—according to tax documents cited by New York Times’ DealBook.

This extraordinary contribution caused Pivotal Philanthropies’ assets to surge by over 1,000%, reaching approximately $7.4 billion in 2024, as reported in recent tax filings. By comparison, the foundation held $604 million at the close of 2023.

With this dramatic growth, Pivotal Philanthropies has joined the ranks of major philanthropic institutions, just over a year after Melinda and Bill Gates began operating their charitable initiatives independently in May 2024. Other prominent figures in this space include Mackenzie Scott, who gave $7.2 billion to various causes in 2025 alone and has donated $26 billion since 2020, following her divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

The substantial gift from Bill Gates is part of a previously pledged $12.5 billion that French Gates announced would be distributed as a result of her agreement with Bill. According to a spokesperson for Pivotal Philanthropies, these funds have now been fully transferred, with Gates’ donation comprising a significant portion, as confirmed to Fortune.

After stepping down as co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (now the Gates Foundation) in May 2024, French Gates stated that the $12.5 billion would be dedicated to supporting “women and families.” With a personal fortune of $17.7 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, French Gates previously told Fortune that billionaires like herself “have a responsibility to give back to society.”

The destination of the remaining $4.6 billion is not publicly known. According to DealBook, these funds may have been allocated to French Gates’ LLC, Pivotal, which is not required to file tax returns.

Pivotal Philanthropies’ Structure and Mission

Established in 2022, the Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation is committed to “accelerating social progress for women and young people.” It operates alongside other entities, including the Pivotal Initiatives Fund, which focuses on policy and advocacy, and Pivotal Ventures, which invests directly and forges partnerships, as outlined on Pivotal’s official website. While Pivotal Philanthropies, as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, must adhere to strict regulations regarding minimum distributions, self-dealing, and transparency, Pivotal Ventures, structured as an LLC, enjoys greater operational flexibility and privacy.

Pivotal Philanthropies’ Impact: Supporting Women in Tech

One notable recipient of Pivotal Philanthropies’ support is Rewriting the Code, a nonprofit based in Durham that empowers young women pursuing or advancing careers in technology. Founded by Sue Harnett, the organization, now celebrating its tenth anniversary, received a $5 million grant from Pivotal Philanthropies in 2025.

With this financial backing, Harnett expanded her team from a single employee in 2019 to 26 staff members by this year. Looking ahead to 2026, the organization plans to focus on equipping computer science students and women at the start of their tech careers with the skills needed to thrive in an AI-driven world.

Harnett emphasized that Pivotal’s funding has been crucial for sustaining and expanding these initiatives, ensuring that programs remain accessible at no cost to the women who benefit from them.

“It’s been a game-changer,” Harnett shared with Fortune. “This support has enabled us to reach thousands more women and build a diverse team with the expertise necessary to serve our members as effectively as possible.”

This article was originally published on Fortune.com.