Gates Report Details $2.5-Billion in Grants, Admits Communication Problems
August 4, 2011 | Read Time: 1 minute
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation handed out $2.5-billion last year but must still solve problems in its interactions with grant recipients, The Seattle Times writes, citing the foundation’s annual report released Wednesday.
In a letter accompanying the report, Jeff Raikes, the foundation’s chief executive, said the world’s largest charity has “some work to do to build more productive grantee relationships.”
Mr. Raikes said a foundation team has spent nearly a year working on solutions to issues raised in a 2009 survey of Gates grantees by the Center for Effective Philanthropy, in which groups complained about the level and quality of communication with foundation staff members.
He said feedback from fund recipients would become an element of foundation employees’ performance reviews.
The report also details the foundation’s $2.5-billion in 2010 on 26 causes, down from $3-billion the previous year. The foundation said the difference results from extending some payouts into this year to give its staff greater flexibility with funds.
