Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation
Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation is a private independent foundation based in Redmond, Washington. Designated as a 501(c)(3) organization, it received its tax-exempt status in October 2022. The foundation operates as a major grantmaking institution focused on accelerating social progress for women and young people globally through strategic grantmaking, advocacy, and impact investing.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$7.4B
+1118.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$484.7M
+908.4% YoY
Grant Count
132
+112.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$3.7M
+373.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation reported a distributable amount of $42.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding priorities include:
- Reproductive health and rights
- Community health and healthcare access
- Maternal and perinatal health
- Mental health for young people
- Paid family and medical leave
- Women's leadership and economic empowerment
- Civic engagement and democracy building
- Youth digital wellbeing
- Racial equity and decolonizing wealth initiatives
Grantmaking
The foundation distributed over $484.6 million in 2024. Recent grants include:
Grant Range
** $10,000 to $242,500,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation has a global focus with emphasis on the United States, particularly:
- District of Columbia
- New York
- California
Grantmaking reaches organizations across 21 states, with significant activity in Pennsylvania, District of Columbia, and New York accounting for 53% of all grants.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $7.36 billion
- Total Giving: $484.6 million
- Annual Income: $17.4 billion
- Total Liabilities: $71.9 million
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $604.1 million
- Total Expenses: $119.3 million
- Total Revenue: $12.3 million
The significant asset growth from 2023 to 2024 reflects a $7.88 billion transfer from Bill Gates as part of their divorce agreement.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,358,421,363 | $604,148,822 | $625,638,407 |
| Revenue | $7,604,936,235 | $12,290,895 | $647,072,863 |
| Expenses | $881,714,209 | $119,318,149 | $17,872,184 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $486,775,680 | $48,063,904 | $8,094,900 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,670,865,539 | $12,263,094 | $617,071,497 |
| Distributable Amount | $42,708,423 | $30,192,648 | $2,337,228 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
110 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Blue Meridian Partners Inc ($17,000,000), Hopewell Fund ($14,000,000), Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Inc ($7,000,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ADVERTISING COUNCIL INC NEW YORK, NY | TO INCREASE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE | $950,000 |
| AFRICAN AMERICAN POLICY FORUM NEW YORK, NY | TO PROMOTE ACCESS TO EDUCATION | $225,000 |
| AI4ALL OAKLAND, CA | TO PROVIDE GENERAL SUPPORT | $500,000 |
| ALL RAISE SAN FRANCISCO, CA | TO PROVIDE GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,000,000 |
| ALLIANCE FOR EARLY SUCCESS WASHINGTON, DC | TO PROVIDE GENERAL SUPPORT | $300,000 |
| ALLIED MEDIA PROJECTS INC DETROIT, MI | TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF AI | $500,000 |
| AMALGAMATED CHARITABLE FOUNDATION INC WASHINGTON, DC | TO INCREASE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE | $425,000 |
| AMALGAMATED CHARITABLE FOUNDATION INC WASHINGTON, DC | TO INCREASE ACCESS TO EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES | $1,000,000 |
| AMALGAMATED CHARITABLE FOUNDATION INC WASHINGTON, DC | TO INCREASE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE | $7,000,000 |
| AMERICA ACHIEVES INC NEW YORK, NY | TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE BENEFITS OF FULL ACCESS TO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES IN THE TECH SECTOR | $500,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Melinda French Gates – Director
- John Sage – President & Treasurer
- Brooke Anderson – Vice President & Secretary
None of the leadership receives compensation for their roles.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MELINDA FRENCH GATES | DIRECTOR | 20 | — |
| JOHN SAGE | PRESIDENT & TREASURER | 5 | — |
| BROOKE ANDERSON | VICE PRESIDENT & SECRETARY | 25 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In 2025, Pivotal Philanthropies announced the awardees of the $250 Million Action for Women's Health Global Open Call in partnership with Lever for Change. The initiative awarded grants to over 80 organizations focused on women's health globally.
Pivotal and Lever for Change Announce the 80+ Awardees of the $250 Million\The foundation has supported 122 unique organizations and continues to expand its grantmaking reach across multiple focus areas and geographic regions.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary funding priorities include: • Reproductive health and rights • Community health and healthcare access • Maternal and perinatal health • Mental health for young people • Paid family and medical leave • Women's leadership and economic empowerment • Civic engagement and democracy building • Youth digital wellbeing • Racial equity and decolonizing wealth initiatives
How do I apply for a grant from Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation?
**Grant Range:** $10,000 to $242,500,000 **Grant Programs:** • General Grantmaking (invitation only) • Global Leaders Partnership ($20 million funds to 12 selected leaders) • Women in the Workplace Initiative (up to $60 million via WIN competition) • Action for Women's Health ($1-5 million per grant, $250 million total allocated) **Recent Activity:** The foundation distributed over $484.6 million in 2024. Recent grants include: • $4.7 million to New Venture Fund for the Headstream Ecosystem Ini…
Where does Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation make grants?
The foundation has a global focus with emphasis on the United States, particularly: • District of Columbia • New York • California Grantmaking reaches organizations across 21 states, with significant activity in Pennsylvania, District of Columbia, and New York accounting for 53% of all grants.
What size grants does Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation award?
In 2024, Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation awarded 132 grants totaling $484.7M — an average of about $3.7M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation reported a distributable amount of $42.7M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation's EIN?
Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 88-2918646. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2022–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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