Since 2007 the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has partnered with Rotary International in the fight to eradicate poliomyelitis from the globe.

Article by PDG Murray Verso, End Polio Now Coordinator

Rotary’s annual fundraising target of USD 50 million enables us to receive the maximum 2:1 match of USD100 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation each year. Both organisations are committed to this partnership until at least 2026. How did the partnership develop and why is it so successful?

In 1988, Rotary was a founding partner with the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to form the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. The Gates Foundation and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance joined later. This partnership has helped prevent more than 20 million cases of paralysis, prevented more than 1.5 million childhood deaths, and reduced the incidence of wild poliovirus by 99.9 percent, from more than 350,000 cases in more than 125 endemic countries, to twelve cases in two endemic countries in 2023.

The Gates Foundation was born in 2000 as a merger of two previous charitable endeavours. At the time, Bill Gates was the wealthiest man in the world. Bill and Melinda say they were inspired to do more by a newspaper report about how millions of children died of preventable diseases every year in poorer countries. The primary stated goals of the foundation are to enhance healthcare and reduce extreme poverty across the world, and to expand educational opportunities and access to information technology in the U.S.

Headquartered in Seattle, Washington with another eight offices spanning the globe and employing 1800 staff, it is reported to be the second largest charitable foundation in the world, holding $67 billion in assets as of 2022.

Bill and Melinda Gates divorced in 2021 but remain as co-chairs of the Foundation. Within the Foundation, the two have different interests. Bill focuses on climate change and health. Melinda is active in issues affecting women and girls.

In 2002, the Gates Foundation made its first contribution to Rotary when it honoured Rotary with its Gates Award for Global Health and donated $1 million. In 2007, it offered its first challenge to Rotary by offering to match funds raised by Rotarians up to $100 million. Bill Gates pledged an additional $255 million at Rotary’s 2009 International Assembly, and Rotary increased its fundraising goal to $200 million. Over the next 3 years, Rotary exceeded the goal by raising $228.7 million.

An announcement at the 2013 Rotary International Convention in Lisbon set the stage for a new extension of the partnership between Rotary and the Gates Foundation. The Gates Foundation agreed to match 2:1 every dollar committed by Rotary, up to $35 million per year. Because Rotary exceeded this annual fundraising goal each year, in 2017, the Gates Foundation increased the match to $100 million for every $50 million raised by Rotary.

The $150 million raised each year is spent by Rotary on polio eradication efforts such as disease surveillance, technical assistance, and operational support for immunization activities.

At the 2009, Rotary International Assembly Bill Gates said, “You have immunized billions of children. You started the fight, and you will stay in it until the end. That’s why our foundation is so excited to be your new partner. With Rotary involved, we were confident enough to make such a big investment. And we will be here to celebrate with you when the fight is over.”

The challenge remains for Rotary districts, clubs, and individuals to raise the $50 million each year to maximize the 2:1 match for at least the next 3 years.

You, or anyone else, can be a part of the fight to end polio and have your donation matched by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Visit www.endpolio.org to learn more and to donate.