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Gates Foundation Sets Record $9 Billion 2026 Budget, Caps Costs and Plans Up to 500 Job Cuts

Leaders cite cost discipline to support a regional shift during a planned 2045 sunset.

Overview

  • Directors approved an operating-cost cap of $1.25 billion for 2026, equal to about 14% of the budget.
  • Up to 500 of approximately 2,375 positions are slated for reduction by 2030, with changes phased in and reviewed annually as a maximum target.
  • The foundation created a new Africa and India Offices Division, moving much of its HIV and tuberculosis work from Seattle to teams based in Africa.
  • Program funding will rise for women’s health, vaccine development, polio eradication, AI initiatives, and U.S. education.
  • Leaders frame the overhaul as a response to shrinking government aid and a recent uptick in child deaths, with accelerated focus on maternal and child health, infectious disease prevention, and poverty reduction.