Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (or the
Gates Foundation, abbreviated as BMGF) is the largest
private foundation in the world, founded by
Bill and
Melinda Gates. It was launched in 2000 and is said to be the largest transparently operated private foundation in the world. The primary aims of the foundation are, globally, to enhance healthcare and reduce extreme poverty, and in America, to expand educational opportunities and access to information technology. The foundation, based in
Seattle, Washington, is controlled by its three trustees: Bill Gates, Melinda Gates and
Warren Buffett. Other principal officers include Co-Chair William H. Gates, Sr. and Chief Executive Officer
Susan Desmond-Hellmann.