About the Gates FoundationBill & Melinda Gates FoundationBMGF_5c9ad658-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cCommunitiesWORKING TOGETHER IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES -- We recognize that improving people’s lives often happen at the local level, where individuals take action in their own communities.Bill GatesMelinda GatesBill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery CenterAt the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center, you’ll find stories of work that is improving lives, from Seattle to South Africa.A world where every person has the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life._5c9adf4a-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cTo achieve our vision_5c9ae2e2-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cHuman LivesALL LIVES HAVE EQUAL VALUEEqualitywe are impatient optimists working to reduce inequityImpatienceOptimismPhilanthropyPHILANTHROPY BUILT ON PEOPLE AND PARTNERSHIPS -- Our grantees, staff, and partners are critical in achieving our vision of a world where every person has the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life.PeoplePartnershipChildren & YouthEnsure more children and young people survive and thrive_5c9ae4ea-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c1ChildrenYoung PeopleWE BELIEVE THE PATH OUT OF POVERTY BEGINS WHEN THE NEXT GENERATION CAN ACCESS QUALITY HEALTHCARE AND A GREAT EDUCATION. In developing countries, we focus on improving people’s health and wellbeing, helping individuals lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, we seek to ensure that all people -- especially those with the fewest resources -- can access the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life.EducationEnhance education through innovation_5c9aead0-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c1.1Pittsburgh Carmalt PreK-8Pittsburgh Carmalt PreK-8, a science and technology magnet school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, emphasizes state learning standards in its curriculum.TeachersTeachers are vital to student learning. They want to help their students succeed, but often don’t get the feedback and support they need to do so. Fair, thorough evaluations empower teachers to keep learning and growing within the profession by targeting their strengths and areas for improvement. Thousands of teachers and dozens of researchers collaborated on the Measures of Effective Teaching project -- a research study that has helped us better understand what great teaching looks like, and the types of measures that can provide a fair assessment of teaching aimed at helping every teacher be their best. The Measurement of Effective Teaching project enlisted thousands of teachers to have their classes videotaped and evaluated by experts as well as students. Teachers deserve professional development opportunities that they help shape, give them the support they need when they need it, and enable them to collaborate and share best practices. We’re working with school districts across the country to create more personalized, scalable solutions to teacher learning that can be adopted quickly and broadly. And we’re helping support new leadership opportunities for accomplished teachers without having them leave the classroom.StatesMore than 45 states have adopted the Common Core State Standards for student learning. The standards offer a roadmap of clear expectations for college readiness, deepening what students need to know at each stage of their schooling.SchoolsWe're working with our partners to help these standards become part of the fabric of schools around the country and will support ongoing efforts to ensure they are understood and implemented effectively. Classroom materials based on the Common Core State Standards can deepen students' understanding of key concepts and skills and more fully engage them in their learning. With our partners, we’re working with teachers to design materials that help students work together to tackle problems and promote facility with concepts rather than rote memorization. Teachers know their students best -- they need to be at the center of creating and refining curriculum and instructional materials that meet students' needs. With clear expectations for what to learn, the measures that gauge students’ understanding must be useful and accurate, to ensure those who graduate from high school are prepared to succeed at the college level. We're particularly focused on providing students and their teachers with more rapid, useful feedback to inform their learning all along the way. The combination of more transparent and useful data and clearer expectations for students can help educators’ flag young people's needs early and often, so their path to college and careers is a smooth one.StudentsStudents deserve learning experiences tailored to their needs and that make the most of teachers’ time with students. Ninety-five percent of 12- to 17-year-olds already go online on a regular basis. They use social networks, and create and contribute to websites. Our work is focused on taking full advantage of the kinds of tools and technologies that have transformed every other aspect of life to power up and accelerate students’ learning. We need to do things differently, not just better. We’re investing in a new generation of courseware that adapts in sophisticated ways to students’ learning needs. We’re also supporting game-based learning that generates rich data about students’ progress and challenges them with exactly what they need to learn next. Online learning tools can allow students to progress at their own pace. (Photo © AZFOTO/Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli) Blending face-to-face instruction with digital tools allows students to learn independently and at their own pace, freeing up time for teachers to give students more individualized attention and to focus on more complex tasks. Allowing students to progress to new levels of learning as soon as they demonstrate mastery of a topic rather than moving forward based on the number of hours spent in a classroom provides students with customized pathways to achievement, enabling them to be successful every step of the way.OUR GOAL: to support innovation that can improve U.S. K-12 public schools and ensure that students graduate from high school ready to succeed in college. Our Strategy: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is committed to ensuring that all students in the United States have the opportunity to receive a high-quality education. We have two programs that work in concert toward this goal. Our K-12 Education program aims to ensure that all students graduate from high school prepared to succeed in college, and our Postsecondary Success program aims to dramatically increase the number of young people who obtain a postsecondary degree or certificate with labor-market value. Areas of intersection include practical approaches and policy strategies to better align K-12 standards with expectations in college-level courses. We invest in programs with a common aim: to strengthen the connection between teacher and student. To that end, we work with educators, policymakers, parents, and communities to expand and accelerate successful programs and identify innovative new solutions that can help unlock students’ potential. Thanks to the efforts of many of our partners, school districts across the country now have clear standards and expectations for teachers and students. We support the development of fair and reliable methods of assessing teachers and measuring student progress, including giving teachers personalized feedback they can use to better tailor their teaching to students’ individual needs.NutritionImprove nutrition to reduce child deaths_5c9aee9a-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c1.2ChildrenGovernmentsWe work closely with governments, the United Nations, bilateral agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector, and we collaborate with other teams within the foundation -- from Agricultural Development to Discovery & Translational Sciences -- to broaden our collective learning and impact.United NationsBilateral AgenciesNongovernmental OrganizationsPrivate SectorHigh-Burden CountriesThe cornerstone of our strategy is our partnerships with several high-burden countries -- Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, India (with a focus on Bihar and Uttar Pradesh), and Nigeria -- to demonstrate what can be achieved by expanding the use of proven interventions and developing and introducing new solutions. In each country, we work with partners to show how these interventions can be introduced and expanded in specific contexts. We also work closely with key partners -- including Alive & Thrive, Helen Keller International, HarvestPlus, and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) -- to apply successful approaches and practices to other countries.BangladeshBurkina FasoEthiopiaIndia(with a focus on Bihar and Uttar Pradesh)NigeriaUniversitiesDespite significant research in the past few decades, knowledge about the immediate and underlying causes of unhealthy growth and development remains incomplete. We invest in research to understand the full range of causes of malnutrition, identify the right packages of interventions, and establish the best times to intervene. We work closely with leading universities -- including Cornell University; Johns Hopkins University; Oxford University; University of California, Davis; and University of Colorado -- to develop, test, and roll out new solutions and address the obstacles to effective implementation, particularly barriers to reaching women and girls and addressing social and gender norms.Cornell UniversityJohns Hopkins UniversityOxford UniversityUniversity of California, DavisUniversity of ColoradoMinistries of AgricultureDespite recent agricultural innovations, the current food system is not capable of delivering good nutrition to all. Improving nutrition and addressing dietary deficiencies requires changes across the entire food chain—from how food is produced to how it is sold and consumed. We work with national governments -- particularly ministries of agriculture and health -- to strengthen food systems by increasing collaboration between the agriculture and nutrition sectors; improving production and delivery of nutritious foods; using market-oriented approaches to ensuring the safety and affordability of nutritious foods; and empowering women to expand their control of resources in the home.Global Nutrition OrganizationsLess than 1 percent of global foreign aid is currently directed toward nutrition; national budget allocations in high-burden countries are similarly low. We work to increase domestic and donor resources for nutrition and to improve coordination to achieve long-term impact. We work with leading organizations -- including 1,000 Days, the Global Nutrition Report, Save the Children, Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN), Graça Machel Trust, and Action Against Hunger (Action Contre La Faim) -- to generate better nutrition-related evidence, policies, and advocacy efforts at the global level and in high-burden countries. By encouraging greater investment and more effective spending and donor coordination, we aim to build the political will that is needed to reduce malnutrition globally.1,000 DaysGlobal Nutrition ReportSave the ChildrenScaling Up Nutrition (SUN)Graça Machel TrustAction Against Hunger(Action Contre La Faim)OUR GOAL: To ensure that all women and children have the nutrition they need to live healthy and productive lives. Our Strategy: We invest in proven approaches to improving nutrition, such as focusing on the 1,000-day window, immediate and exclusive breastfeeding, complementary feeding, and food fortification and supplementation. We also explore new approaches, such as improving nutrition for women and adolescent girls, increasing advocacy and technical assistance, improving data systems, and strengthening food systems. A new sweet potato variety that is rich in vitamin A is now widely available in eastern and southern Africa. Our long-term goals are to prevent 1.8 million malnutrition-related deaths by 2020 and to develop and test new solutions to address the burden of malnutrition that cannot be alleviated using existing interventions.Data, Analytics & EvidenceMeasure progress against global nutrition targets._5c9af0d4-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 1.2.1Better data is needed to define the problem of malnutrition, diagnose its root causes, design interventions, and track progress. In particular, many countries lack the data they need to measure progress against global nutrition targets.Definition, Diagnosis & InterventionsDefine the problem of malnutrition, diagnose its root causes, design interventions_5c9af728-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c1.2.1.1Tools & PlatformsDevelop tools and platforms to enable collection, analysis, and use of data._5c9afaca-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c1.2.1.2We are developing new tools and platforms to enable timely collection of data and improve its analysis and use.StandardsStandardize the collection and monitoring of nutrition data._5c9afd22-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c1.2.1.3We also support global efforts to standardize the collection and monitoring of nutrition data and use evidence to develop effective policies and guidelines.Policies & GuidelinesUse evidence to develop effective policies and guidelines._5c9b0524-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c1.2.1.4Mothers & BabiesInvest in healthy mothers and babies_5c9b08c6-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c1.3MothersBabiesOUR GOAL: to ensure that women and newborns survive and remain healthy during pregnancy and childbirth and to improve health outcomes for young children. Our Strategy: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Maternal, Newborn & Child Health program works to expand coverage of high-impact interventions to ensure that women and newborns survive and stay healthy during childbirth and beyond. We invest in efforts to adapt and develop innovative tools, technologies, and treatments; improve the quality of healthcare services and practices and the interactions between health workers and families; and advocate for national and global policies that benefit maternal, newborn, and child survival and health. We work closely with governments, United Nations and bilateral agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector, and we collaborate with other programs at the foundation in areas such as discovery, integrated delivery, nutrition, family planning, childhood infectious diseases, policy and advocacy, and communications. We support research across discovery, development, and implementation sciences in many parts of the world that can lead to better ways to save the lives of women and newborns and improve their health. Our efforts to achieve impact on a broad scale are currently focused in Ethiopia, northern Nigeria, and the Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. These areas account for a significant portion of the world’s maternal and newborn deaths.Tools, Technologies & TreatmentsImprove Tools, Technologies, and Treatments_5c9b0b28-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 1.3.1To address the primary risk factors for maternal and newborn deaths, we work to adapt existing preventive and curative tools, technologies, and treatments as well as develop new ones that are more effective and affordable and will be more readily accepted by families and health workers in rural and community clinics, health centers, and hospitals. These include ways to manage postpartum hemorrhage, treat newborn infections using simplified antibiotic treatment regimens, and clean the umbilical cord.Healthcare & Health PracticesImprove Healthcare and Health Practices_5c9b1212-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 1.3.2Community-Level Healthcare ProvidersHealthcare FacilitiesWomenChildrenAdolescent GirlsTo reach adolescent girls, who are particularly at risk during pregnancy and childbirth, we work with the foundation's Family Planning and Nutrition programs on ways to deliver integrated services.We work to help community-level healthcare providers advance their knowledge and skills and expand their use of innovative tools. One key priority is improving the quality of care in primary healthcare facilities where women give birth. Health workers can also improve outcomes for women and children by disseminating good health practices such as hand washing, immunization, postpartum family planning, and exclusive breastfeeding. We seek to identify and reduce barriers to the adoption of effective interventions, disseminate information about maternal and newborn health, conduct large-scale educational campaigns, mobilize local networks to improve household and community practices and social norms, and reduce financial barriers to obtaining care.Policies & StrategiesAdvocate for Better Policies and Strategies_5c9b167c-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 1.3.3By strengthening the skills and capacities of local advocates, we promote policies and strategies that enable countries to increase the use of lifesaving health interventions, raise awareness of overlooked risk factors for newborn and maternal mortality, and expand the use of essential medicines. We also work to achieve global agreement on a set of uniform standards for health targets and measurements, which will help with planning, monitoring, and more informed decision making.PovertyTackle poverty in WA state_5c9b18a2-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c1.4Poor People in Washington StateWashington StateGates Foundation GranteesIn addition to grants disbursed by our Washington State program, the foundation occasionally makes civic grants to other organizations and projects in the region. Recent grants of this type include support for YMCA of Greater Seattle's college access programs; Technology Access Foundation, which helps students of color learn STEM skills; and Bike Works Seattle, which promotes cycling among youth and teaches them bike repair and social entrepreneurship skills.YMCA of Greater SeattleTechnology Access FoundationBike Works SeattleSeattle Art MuseumOver the years, the foundation has also supported a number of arts, cultural, and civic institutions throughout the Northwest, including the Seattle Art Museum, Tacoma Art Museum, Children's Museum of Skagit County, Seattle Symphony, and Seattle Jazzed.Tacoma Art MuseumChildren's Museum of Skagit CountySeattle SymphonySeattle JazzedOUR GOAL: to create opportunities for all children in Washington State to thrive in stable families, great schools, and strong communities. Our Strategy: The work of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation spans the globe, but we have a deep commitment to improving the lives of families and children in Washington State, where the Gates family has lived for generations and the foundation makes its permanent home. We have invested more than $1 billion to ensure a quality education for all children, reduce family homelessness, and support the most vulnerable families in our state. Our strategy is built on partnerships with the public, private, and nonprofit sectors -- including the regional and local philanthropic community -- so that together we can create pathways to opportunity for all children and families in Washington.Education PathwaysPromote successful educational outcomes for all students._5c9b1e56-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 1.4.1StudentsThe best way to break the cycle of poverty is through education. In Washington State, we focus on promoting successful educational outcomes for all students through a holistic approach, starting at birth and culminating in a college degree or certificate. We call this effort Education Pathways because we aim to support every child on the path to success. We strive to create opportunities for students to learn more effectively through sound policies, by aligning systems that support young people, and by supporting better practice by teachers, principals, and parents. We specifically focus on enhancing opportunities for low-income students and students from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds. We must enlist the support of parents, educators, local communities, advocates, schools, and regional and state agencies to enhance the educational opportunities for our children. We do this by providing grants that support additional investments, such as federal funding from Race to the Top, or advancing work in five key areas that will help more students succeed: * Improved transitions between preschool and elementary school, middle school and high school, and high school and college * Data-driven decision making in all programs that focus on student success * Quality instruction and leadership in early-learning programs and other educational institutions * Increased innovation to boost student achievement * Alignment among health, housing, and social service systems that serve students and families Examples of our Education Pathways investments are detailed below.Early LearningStrengthen early learning opportunities._5c9b2180-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c1.4.1.1We work with public, private, and community partners to strengthen early learning opportunities that help children enter school ready to learn and succeed. While children need support from stable families, healthy communities, and great teaching at every step along their educational pathway, high-quality pre-K can help them get off to a strong start. Research shows that high-quality pre-K programs consistently focus on improving the interactions between teachers and children. They also share a set of features that foster high-quality instruction, support educators and young learners, and benefit from state and local policies that create a positive enabling environment. We believe that by supporting and scaling up these elements of quality, more children will enter school prepared and will achieve ongoing academic success.Road Map ProjectKeep students on track, both in and out of school._5c9b23ba-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c1.4.1.2South SeattleSouth King CountyWe support the Road Map Project in South Seattle and South King County, a community-driven effort to keep students on track, both in and out of school. Seven school districts, five higher education institutions, local governments, and hundreds of community organizations, education leaders, teachers, and parents are involved in creating a system where every student has the opportunities they need to succeed. Community-driven priorities include parent and community engagement, using data to set targets and rigorously measure results, monitoring early-warning signs to make sure students do not fall through the cracks, support for English language learners, kindergarten readiness, 3rd grade reading, expansion of college access and raising completion rates, and improving science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills. The Community Center for Education Results leads and coordinates this effort. This strong coalition helped the Road Map school districts secure a $40 million federal Race to the Top district grant in 2012, which will be used to expand early learning opportunities, enrich science and math learning, and offer support to high schools so more students can take college-prep courses and receive college advising.Effective Teaching & School LeadershipEnsure there is a great teacher in every classroom, that every teacher gets the support they need to do their best teaching, and that there are strong instructional leaders in early learning settings and K-12 schools._5c9b298c-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c1.4.1.2Office of the Superintendent of Public InstructionWe support efforts to ensure there is a great teacher in every classroom, that every teacher gets the support they need to do their best teaching, and that there are strong instructional leaders in early learning settings and K-12 schools.EvaluationsCreate an online tool for managing the teacher and principal evaluation process._5c9b2de2-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c1.4.1.2.1TeachersPrincipalsOffice of the Superintendent of Public InstructionWashington Education AssociationEducational Service District 113This includes support for a joint project of the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Washington Education Association, and Educational Service District 113 to create an online tool for managing the state's new teacher and principal evaluation process.Leadership FrameworkDevelop a leadership framework aimed at improving student achievement._5c9b3030-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c1.4.1.2.2Association of Washington School PrincipalsWe have also supported the work of the Association of Washington School Principals to develop a leadership framework aimed at improving student achievement.RecognitionRecognize great teaching and schools._5c9b36e8-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c1.4.1.2.3KCTS TVWe recognize great teaching and schools that are helping to close the achievement gap by funding KCTS public television station's Golden Apple and Pathways of Education Excellence awards.Homelessness & Family Stability_5c9b3a6c-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 1.4.2Homeless PeopleFamiliesKing CountyIn 2000, as a first step in addressing family homelessness in our state, the foundation launched the Sound Families Initiative, an eight-year, $40 million program aimed at tripling the amount of available transitional housing -- and pairing it with support services in the state's three most populous counties: King, Pierce, and Snohomish. By its close in 2008, the initiative had spurred the creation of more than 1,400 transitional homes for families emerging from homelessness.Pierce CountySnohomish CountyBuilding ChangesFamily homelessness has persisted, however, and our job is far from done. We have chosen to invest in a new way going forward, based on the lessons learned from our experiences and on promising practices used around the nation. We are working with Building Changes, a Seattle-based nonprofit, and the governments of King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties to more efficiently deploy existing funding and services from a broad range of sources. Building Changes works to align public and private efforts to prevent and combat homelessness. It also encourages governments at all levels, service providers, and philanthropic donors to collaborate in developing and disseminating innovative approaches and to help the various systems work in mutually reinforcing ways on behalf of families.Homelessness has a profound impact on children’s health and education, as well as parents’ ability to find a job and stay employed. Homeless children have twice the rate of learning disabilities as children who are not homeless, and they have three times the rate of emotional and behavioral issues -- including anxiety, depression, and withdrawal... Meaningful reductions in family homelessness can be achieved only through a systematic, coordinated approach that provides at-risk families with the help they need, when they need it. Until recently, families who became homeless in Washington State had to contact multiple agencies for different kinds of assistance. Many languished on waiting lists for months. Those who obtained temporary housing often had to wait more than a year to get into a permanent home. All of this is slowly beginning to change. To bring about systemic improvements, we identified five principles that have helped successfully reduce family homelessness in other U.S. communities. These principles guide our investments and the work of our community partners:PreventionKeep families in their homes and prevent them from becoming homeless._5c9b3d46-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c1.4.2.1We can help keep families in their homes and prevent them from becoming homeless in the first place with services such as landlord mediation, help with overdue rent and utility bills, and emergency food, clothing, childcare, and transportation assistance.Coordinated EntryProvide a simple way to access support services._5c9b4368-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c1.4.2.2Having one simple way to access the system of support services -- or one place to go for assistance -- helps families get the help they need as quickly as possible and reduces waste and redundancy in the system.PlacementReduce the time families stay in emergency shelters with quick placements into permanent housing._5c9b46e2-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c1.4.2.3Rapid housing placement. Shelters are not homes. We work to reduce the time families stay in emergency shelters with quick placements into permanent housing, often with rent subsidies tailored to each family’s specific situation.Tailored ProgramsTailor support services to each family's needs._5c9b494e-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c1.4.2.4Flexible, coordinated support services that are tailored to each family's specific needs are essential to helping them rebuild and maintain stability and self-sufficiency.Economic OpportunityHelp people find jobs and remain in their homes._5c9b4f5c-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c1.4.2.5Housing stability depends on good-paying jobs and stable, long-term employment. By linking services with income assistance, education, and employment programs, we can help people find jobs and remain in their homes.CommunitiesStrengthen Communities_5c9b543e-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 1.4.3CommunitiesLocal Philanthropic InstitutionsCommunity FoundationsUnited WayWe believe that strong communities need the capacity to solve their own problems. We work to strengthen local philanthropic institutions, such as community foundations and United Way organizations, because these partners know their local communities better than we do. These partners use their local knowledge and strong networks to address the unique needs of their communities -- and in many cases they re-grant foundation funds to smaller nonprofits, local projects, and community­-building initiatives.Knowledge & Technical AssistanceStrengthen the channels through which nonprofits and community leaders access knowledge and technical assistance_5c9b56c8-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 1.4.4NonprofitsCommunity LeadersWe also make investments aimed at strengthening the channels through which nonprofits and community leaders access knowledge and technical assistance about organizational effectiveness and strong community partnerships. By increasing the quality and availability of nonprofit technical assistance, we are better able to understand and address the needs of vulnerable families.CollaborationsSeek ideas from students and families for community and school collaborations._5c9b5d12-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 1.4.5StudentsFamiliesWe know that the best ideas often come from our partners, who work directly with students and families, and we regularly seek their input. We seek ideas for community and school collaborations that can enhance educational success for low-income students both during and outside of school hours. Information about funding for such ideas can be found [at https://www.gatesfoundation.org/How-We-Work/General-Information/Grant-Opportunities/Pacific-Northwest-Community-Grants]Life TransformationEmpower the poorest, especially women and girls, to transform their lives_5c9b60be-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2The PoorestWomenGirlsWE BELIEVE THAT BY GIVING PEOPLE THE TOOLS TO LEAD HEALTHY, PRODUCTIVE LIVES, WE CAN HELP THEM LIFT THEMSELVES OUT OF POVERTY. Every year, millions of people find ways to transition out of poverty -- by adopting new farming technologies, investing in new business opportunities, or finding new jobs. We know women and girls have a unique power to reshape societies. When you invest in a woman’s health and empowerment, it has a ripple effect, helping families, communities, and countries achieve long-lasting benefits.Financial ToolsProvide the poor with access to financial tools_5c9b63b6-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.1OUR GOAL: To help people in the world’s poorest regions improve their lives and build sustainable futures by connecting them with digitally-based financial tools and services. Our Strategy: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Financial Services for the Poor program aims to play a catalytic role in broadening the reach of robust, open, and low-cost digital payment systems, particularly in poor and rural areas -- and expanding the range of services available on these platforms. Until the infrastructure and customer base are well established, this might involve a combination of mobile banking services that are accessible on digital devices and brick-and-mortar facilities where subscribers can convert the cash they earn into digital money (and vice-versa). Our approach has three mutually reinforcing objectives ... We are not focused on a particular product or distribution channel, but rather on finding innovative ways to expand access and encourage markets to determine which products and channels are most effective. At the same time, we are aware that interventions in this and other areas too often involve technologies that are made available to the intended users but are then not adopted. To address this demand-side challenge, we are supporting research and product design experiments to identify design features, price incentives, and marketing messages that will encourage poor people to adopt and actively use digital financial services. We are also supporting policymakers as they work to develop policies and regulations that facilitate these developments and provide oversight and accountability. We believe that the combined effect of these interventions will accelerate the rate at which people can transition out of poverty and build their financial security. Our strategy also recognizes that countries are at different stages in developing an inclusive digital financial system and that any solutions must be appropriate for the cultural and economic context.Shocks & OpportunitiesIncrease poor people's capacity to weather financial shocks and capture income-generating opportunities_5c9b6a14-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 2.1.1MetricsMeasure the impact of our grants and interventions._5c9b6dca-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.1.1.1Research and Innovation -- We collect data to measure the impact of our grants and interventions and to help key stakeholders make better decisions.InnovationsNurture innovations that could lead to longer-term improvements in delivering digital financial services._5c9b7054-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.1.1.2We also conduct research and nurture innovations that could lead to longer-term improvements in delivering digital financial services on a broad scale.ConnectionsGenerate economy-wide efficiencies by digitally connecting large numbers of poor and low-income people to one another and to financial services providers, government services, and businesses_5c9b770c-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 2.1.2Financial Services ProvidersGovernment ServicesBusinessesPaymentsExtend the reach of digital payment systems._5c9b7c34-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.1.2.1BangladeshIndiaIndonesiaPakistanNigeriaIn countries with a minimum level of connectivity in poor and rural areas, specifically in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Nigeria, we work with in-country providers to extend the reach of digital payment systems into those communities and encourage people to adopt these systems through a mobile phone, kiosk, or other digital interface. Payment systems are crucial because they enable people to collect payments from customers; buy goods; pay utility bills; pay for housing, healthcare, and education; and send money to friends, family, and business partners.Taxes & Public PaymentsEnable governments to collect taxes, pay public workers, and disburse social payments._5c9b7edc-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.1.2.2GovernmentsThey also enable governments to collect taxes, pay public workers, and disburse social payments. When these transactions are costly and inconvenient, economic activity is impeded.TransactionsReduce the amount of time and money that poor people must spend to conduct financial transactions_5c9b8580-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 2.1.3PartnershipsWork with governments, donors, financial standards-setting bodies, and the private sector to maximize our collective impact on poor people's access to financial services._5c9b89d6-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.1.3.1Poor PeopleGovernmentsDonorsFinancial Standards-Setting BodiesPrivate SectorWe work at the global level with governments, donors, financial standards-setting bodies, and the private sector to maximize our collective impact on poor people’s access to financial services.FarmingTeach farmers how to increase production sustainably_5c9b8c88-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.2FarmersSub-Saharan AfricaSouth AsiaOUR GOAL: to reduce hunger and poverty for millions of farming families in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia by increasing agricultural productivity in a sustainable way. Our Strategy: Agricultural Development is one of the largest initiatives of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. To date, we have committed more than US$2 billion to agricultural development efforts, primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Our approach is based on the following principles:ListeningListen to farmers and addressing their specific needs._5c9b9322-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 2.2.1We talk to farmers about the crops they want to grow and eat, as well as the unique challenges they face. We partner with organizations that understand and are equipped to address these challenges, and we invest in research to identify relevant and affordable solutions that farmers want and will use.Agricultural PoliciesAssess the effects of national and international agricultural policies._5c9b96ce-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.2.1.1Timely, relevant, and accurate information is crucial to farmers. Policymakers in developing countries also need good data to inform their decision making. We support data collection, research, and policy analysis to help evaluate the impact of various approaches, get accurate information to farmers, and assess the effects of national and international agricultural policies. Our research also includes measuring the progress of our grants to ensure that they are delivering the anticipated benefits to farming families.ProductivityIncrease farm productivity._5c9b9976-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 2.2.2We support a comprehensive approach to helping smallholder farmers prosper that includes access to heartier seeds, more effective tools and farm management practices, locally relevant knowledge, emerging digital technologies, and reliable markets. We also advocate for agricultural policies that support farmers in their efforts to better feed themselves and their communities.Research & DevelopmentDevelop more productive and nutritious varieties of the staple crops._5c9ba268-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.2.2.1Farming FamiliesWe support research to develop more productive and nutritious varieties of the staple crops grown and consumed by farming families. These include varieties adapted to local conditions that deliver specific benefits farmers seek, such as increased yields, better nutrition, and tolerance to drought, flood, and pests. We fund research to discover ways to better manage soil and water resources and reduce crop loss due to spoilage, weeds, pests, disease, and other threats.LivestockImprove the health and productivity of livestock._5c9ba6aa-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.2.2.2Sub-Saharan AfricaSouth AsiaWomenOur work particularly aims to increase income-generating opportunities for women, who may have little control over productive resources such as land but sometimes own and control livestock, especially poultry and goats.Livestock is a key part of farming in developing countries and is crucial to the livelihoods of more than 900 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. We support efforts to improve the health and productivity of livestock -- particularly chickens, goats, and cows -- by improving animal genetics and veterinary care. To ensure that farmers can benefit from animal health and genetics technologies, we test models for providing farmers with the knowledge and tools they need to increase their on-farm production and connect to stable markets.Access & Market SystemsGet new and appropriate tools and farming practices into the hands of farmers._5c9ba9b6-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.2.2.3FarmersFarmer OrganizationsWe also work with farmers' organizations to help farmers hone their business management skills, gain greater purchasing power and marketing leverage, and improve their crop and resource management skills. We support efforts to get new and appropriate tools and farming practices into the hands of farmers. This includes improved seeds and access to better soil, water, and livestock solutions. We look for ways to strengthen knowledge exchange through technologies such as mobile phones and radio... Additional priorities include helping farmers improve their storage and post-harvest activities, meet quality and quantity commitments, link to large-scale and reliable markets, and establish partnerships with buyers, processors, and farmers' organizations.SustainabilityFoster sustainable agricultural practices._5c9bb1ea-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 2.2.3In an era of increasingly scarce resources and growing impact of climate change, we encourage farmers to embrace and adopt sustainable practices that help them grow more with less land, water, fertilizer, and other costly inputs while preserving natural resources for future generations.ImpactAchieve greater impact with partners._5c9bb65e-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 2.2.4We are committed to communicating our strategy more effectively and sharing what we’ve learned with grantees and other partners, including governments, nongovernmental organizations, traditional and emerging donors, and the private sector. Our resources, while significant, represent only a fraction of what is needed. Collaborating effectively with others maximizes our collective impact in helping farming families.Partnerships & AdvocacyEnsure that donor and developing-country investments and policies support sustainable smallholder farmer productivity._5c9bb988-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.2.4.1Donor CountriesDeveloping CountriesSmallholder FarmersTo achieve the goal of sustainable agricultural productivity, our strategy relies on strong partnerships with donor countries, multilateral institutions, private foundations, and other organizations. While strengthening existing partnerships, we are building new partnerships with countries such as Brazil and China, which have developed their own agricultural sectors through technological and policy innovation and are increasingly important to agricultural growth in the regions where we work. Through our advocacy efforts and investments, we seek innovative solutions to agricultural policy challenges and we work to foster the political will and public support to solve them. Our overall goal is to ensure that donor and developing-country investments and policies support sustainable smallholder farmer productivity.Family PlanningHelp women make informed family-planning decisions_5c9bc11c-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.3WomenOUR GOAL: to bring access to high-quality contraceptive information, services, and supplies to an additional 120 million women and girls in the poorest countries by 2020 without coercion or discrimination, with the longer-term goal of universal access to voluntary family planning. Our Strategy: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Family Planning program is working to bring access to high-quality contraceptive information, services, and supplies to an additional 120 million women and girls in the poorest countries by 2020 without coercion or discrimination, with the longer-term goal of universal access to voluntary family planning. With our partners, we support national governments that have committed to the goals of FP2020 and are leading the development and implementation of their own country-specific plans. Foundation support includes assessing family planning needs, particularly among the poorest and most vulnerable populations; identifying access barriers and funding gaps; developing and testing interventions; sharing evidence-based practices; promoting accountability through real-time performance monitoring and data collection; and fostering coordination among governments, partners, and donors. We also work to increase funding and improve policies for family planning, create public-private partnerships to expand contraceptive access and options, develop innovative and affordable contraceptive technologies, and support further research to close knowledge gaps. We are particularly committed to exploring how our family planning efforts can meet the needs of young women and girls.ActionAccelerate Country Action_5c9bc57c-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 2.3.1IndonesiaPakistanEthiopiaKenyaDemocratic Republic of the CongoWest AfricaIn francophone West Africa, we are core members of the Ouagadougou Partnership for Family Planning, and support Senegal and Niger to implement supply and demand approaches that can inform practice across countries in that region.Ouagadougou Partnership for Family PlanningSenegalNigerWe work with countries that are committed to expanding access to high-quality, voluntary family planning to reduce maternal and newborn mortality. Our deepest engagements are in India and Nigeria. We also work with public and private partners and make selected investments in Indonesia, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.Policy & AdvocacyStrengthen Policy and Advocacy_5c9bc9d2-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 2.3.2Donor CountriesDeveloping CountriesWe work to keep family planning on the global agenda and to hold donors and developing countries accountable for their commitments to support family planning. Our work in this area includes grantmaking, direct advocacy, communications counsel and support, and engagement with leaders.Performance & AccountabilityMonitor Performance and Promote Accountability_5c9bd170-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 2.3.3To monitor changes in contraceptive use and help all FP2020 countries track annual progress toward their goals and improve program performance, we are investing in rapid surveys that will provide data on family planning use in 6- and 12-month intervals, supplementing country-wide health surveys that provide data only every 3 to 5 years. We are also leading the effort to harmonize the way various organizations track family planning resources. The new data systems will use standard metrics and provide reliable data at the national and sub-national levels. Better data and monitoring are crucial to holding donors, governments, programs, and providers accountable.Knowledge GapsClose Knowledge Gaps_5c9bd616-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 2.3.4Better service delivery is critical to expanding access to and use of contraceptives, particularly in the poorest countries with the weakest health service infrastructure. We build evidence about what works to address supply and demand barriers on a large scale and in multiple countries, promote collaboration between the public and private sectors on delivery solutions, and synthesize and communicate research findings to donors, countries, and partners.ContraceptivesInvest in New Contraceptive Methods_5c9bd9d6-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 2.3.5Some women do not access or use contraceptives for a variety of reasons, even when they want to avoid pregnancy. They may have misconceptions about their risk of becoming pregnant, or be deterred by the cost, inconvenience, or concerns about side effects. In some cases, opposition from family members or a limited range of available methods can be a key factor in non use. Continued innovation in contraceptive technology is needed to address these barriers and meet the demands of women in different circumstances and at different stages of their lives. We support the discovery, development, and distribution of new technologies that address reasons for non-use, with a focus on improving acceptance and continued use among priority user groups: women who have achieved their desired family size, women who are not using an existing methods due to side effects, and young women. These long-term investments will address contraceptive needs far beyond 2020 and will also include collaboration with the foundation’s HIV program to develop new technologies that prevent both pregnancy and HIV acquisition.College CompletionIncrease students' college completion rates_5c9be192-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.4College StudentsOUR GOAL: to ensure that all students who seek the opportunity are able to complete a high-quality, affordable postsecondary education that leads to a sustaining career. Our Strategy: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is committed to ensuring that all students have the opportunity to receive a high-quality education. We have two programs that work in concert toward this goal: College-Ready Education, which aims to ensure that all students graduate from high school prepared to succeed in college and in a career; and Postsecondary Success, whose goal is to dramatically increase the number of young people who obtain a postsecondary degree or certificate with labor-market value. Areas of intersection include practical approaches and policy strategies to better align K-12 standards -- including the Common Core State Standards -- with higher-education standards. Our Postsecondary Success strategy seeks to increase low-income students’ college completion rates through innovations that can improve the productivity and performance of U.S. universities and colleges and ensure that all students have access to a high-quality, highly personalized education. Our investments seek to accelerate efforts already under way in higher education and to support the enormous talent, creativity, and energy being applied to improving student completion rates and lowering costs while raising the quality of the U.S. postsecondary education system... Our investments aim to help U.S. higher education become more personalized, flexible, clear, and affordable. We are also working with institutions across the country that are committed to innovation and have the potential to become exemplars for other institutions that share their goals.PersonalizationTarget education to student needs and goals_5c9be624-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 2.4.1The "typical" higher education student has changed. Nearly three out of four postsecondary students today are not enrolled in a full-time, four-year degree program. They are balancing jobs, family, and other priorities as they work to finish their studies. Because students learn best when education is targeted to their needs and goals, we are exploring how to use technology to help colleges and universities educate students more effectively, measure student understanding in real time, and respond to students' needs. By integrating technology into online and hybrid courses and into student advising, colleges can support more students at a lower cost and with better learning outcomes.EffectivenessUse technology to help colleges and universities educate students more effectively._5c9be96c-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.4.1.1MeasurementUse technology to measure student understanding in real time._5c9bf272-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.4.1.2Student NeedsUse technology to students' needs._5c9bf768-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.4.1.3Courses & AdvisingIntegrating technology into online and hybrid courses and into student advising to support more students at a lower cost and with better learning outcomes._5c9bfaec-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.4.1.4FlexibilityHelp students transition easily between high school and college, between colleges, and out of college into a sustainable career._5c9c0384-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 2.4.2StudentsWe work with our partners to help students transition easily between high school and college, between colleges, and out of college into a sustainable career. These efforts include initiatives to align high school graduation and college-entry standards, improve placement testing, and develop remedial programs that help students quickly identify and close gaps in their high school education. We also support efforts to make course credits more easily transferable between colleges.StandardsAlign high school graduation and college-entry standards._5c9c07a8-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.4.2.1PlacementImprove placement testing._5c9c0aaa-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.4.2.2RemediationDevelop remedial programs that help students quickly identify and close gaps in their high school education._5c9c1194-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.4.2.3TransferabilityMake course credits more easily transferable between colleges._5c9c170c-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.4.2.4ClarityInvest in better data collection about student achievement and institutional performance._5c9c1a18-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 2.4.3We invest in better data collection about student achievement and institutional performance, which can help inform students' college choices, provide prospective employers with measures of student attainment and skills, and help institutions and policymakers improve outcomes and manage costs. Our efforts in this area include support for the development of a national, student-level information system for reporting student outcomes.College ChoicesHelp inform students' college choices._5c9c20f8-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.4.3.1StudentsCollegesStudent Attainment & SkillsProvide prospective employers with measures of student attainment and skills._5c9c25a8-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.4.3.2EmployersGraduatesOutcomes & CostsHelp institutions and policymakers improve outcomes and manage costs_5c9c28be-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c2.4.3.3Institutions of Higher EducationPolicymakersAffordabilityDeliver high-quality, personalized education to more people at the same and at lower cost._5c9c2f9e-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 2.4.4Needy StudentsPostsecondary InstitutionsWe are exploring new educational models that can deliver a high-quality, personalized education to more people at the same and at lower cost. We also support policies that focus financial aid programs on the neediest students and ensure that a postsecondary degree is affordable to everyone.PartnershipsTransform educational and business models to meet the needs of low-income and first-generation college students._5c9c33ea-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 2.4.5Educational InstitutionsLow-Income College StudentsFirst-Generation College StudentsWe are working with institutions in key segments of higher education that are transforming their educational and business models to meet the needs of low-income and first-generation college students. We support their efforts with research and evaluation tools, help them share what they are learning, and connect them with other institutions that share their goals.DiseaseCombat infectious diseases that particularly affect the poorest_5c9c36f6-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c3The Poorest AreasWE BELIEVE WE CAN SAVE LIVES BY DELIVERING THE LATEST IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TO THOSE WITH THE GREATEST NEEDS. We work with partners to provide effective vaccines, drugs, and diagnostics and to develop innovative approaches to deliver health services to those who need it most. And we invest heavily in developing new vaccines to prevent infectious diseases that impose the greatest burden.MalariaAccelerate progress to eradicate malaria_5c9c3f34-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c3.1OUR GOAL: a world free of malaria. Our Strategy: Malaria is a top priority of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Our new multi-year Malaria strategy, Accelerate to Zero, adopted in late 2013, addresses the areas in which we believe the foundation is best positioned, among a broad spectrum of partners, to develop groundbreaking approaches to reducing the burden of malaria and accelerating progress toward eradication of the disease. Our Malaria strategy is based on a core set of foundational principles that support our evolving strategic choices. * Malaria eradication is defined as removing the parasites that cause human malaria from the human population. Simply interrupting transmission is not sufficient to achieve eradication. * Eradication can be accelerated by new drug regimens and strategies that lead to complete parasitologic cure of the individual. Current artemisinin-based regimens achieve only clinical cure of the individual and do not eliminate the forms of the parasites that are responsible for continued transmission. * The majority of malaria infections occur in asymptomatic people, who are a source of continued transmission. A successful and accelerated eradication effort will target asymptomatic infections through community-based efforts. * Emerging resistance to current drugs and insecticides is an immediate threat to recent gains and an obstacle to future progress. Use of current tools and development of new tools should be guided by this evolutionary imperative. * Malaria is biologically and ecologically different throughout the world. Malaria eradication will depend on strategies developed and implemented on a local or regional level. We concentrate our resources in areas where we can identify significant leverage points, and we assume risks that are more challenging for others to take. Potentially transformative measures that could accelerate malaria eradication include single-dose treatments that are safe and well tolerated, highly sensitive diagnostic tests, and vaccines that prevent infection or block transmission. Because emerging resistance to insecticides and drugs is the most important biologic threat to the goal of eradication, we are investing in the development of new tools and strategies to prevent or delay resistance. To date, we have committed nearly US$2 billion in grants to combat malaria. In addition, we have committed more than US$1.6 billion to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which provides about 50 percent of international funding for malaria control worldwide. We also advocate for sustained and increased funding of malaria-related efforts by donor governments and endemic countries.EliminationDemonstrate an Accelerated Path to Elimination_5c9c436c-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 3.1.1We are generating evidence that malaria can be eliminated in diverse geopolitical and transmission zones, including Southern Africa and the Greater Mekong Sub-region. We believe that current tools used more effectively or in novel ways, along with strong partnerships and government commitment, can bring malaria campaigns closer to the “last mile” of elimination. This includes improving the delivery of existing vector-control tools, diagnostics, and drugs; investigating the potential of existing drugs to achieve complete cure at the individual and population levels, including the asymptomatic reservoir; and refining strategies for reaching special populations, such as pregnant women and children under age 5.InterventionsInvest in New Interventions_5c9c4696-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 3.1.2Because current tools are not sufficient to achieve global eradication, we are investing in a range of new interventions that have greater impact. We are working to develop transmission-blocking vaccines as well as a single, fixed-dose combination drug for complete cure and prevention. We invest in high-sensitivity diagnostic tools and real-time data transfer methods to better understand epidemiological patterns of infection. This can help lead to better surveillance strategies and more efficient and effective elimination campaigns. We are exploring new vector-control tools that address increasing resistance to insecticides that kill mosquitoes or prevent them from biting people. New and enhanced surveillance tools will be critical to moving from very low transmission to zero transmission and sustaining zero transmission, especially in remote areas and areas of conflict. In testing and implementing new surveillance tools and methods, we are learning from other eradication programs, such as those for smallpox and polio. We are also exploring new ways to measure progress and to document when elimination has been achieved.MobilizationMobilize Support_5c9c4e66-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 3.1.3We work to ensure that malaria has a prominent place on the global agenda and garners the political support and resources needed for eventual eradication. Our work in this area includes supporting countries in their efforts to lower the malaria burden and scale up successful interventions, providing evidence to support the use of effective new measures, and advocating for national and global policies and funding to support effective malaria programs.HIVReduce HIV infections and extend lives for people with HIV_5c9c528a-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c3.2People with HIVOUR GOAL: to accelerate the decline in HIV infection worldwide and save lives by ensuring expanded and simplified HIV treatment and improved and effective use of interventions to prevent new infections. Our Strategy: The goal of our program is to accelerate the decline in HIV infection worldwide and save lives by ensuring expanded and simplified HIV treatment and improved and effective use of interventions to prevent new infections. We focus our efforts in some of the hardest-hit countries of Sub-Saharan Africa and among key populations that are at greatest risk of infection. To date, we have committed more than US$3 billion in HIV grants to organizations around the world and more than US$1.6 billion to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Because our resources represent only a small portion of worldwide funding to combat HIV, we concentrate on areas where existing funds are insufficient, our support can have potentially catalytic impact, and we can assume risks that others may not be able to.Diagnosis & TreatmentImprove Diagnosis and Expand Treatment Coverage_5c9c55aa-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 3.2.1About half of all people living with HIV, particularly men, do not know they have the virus. We support the development and appropriate use of novel tools that can greatly increase the number of people who know their status and who seek treatment.RetentionImprove Treatment Retention_5c9c5cee-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 3.2.2HIV treatment programs are often expensive and inflexible, leading many individuals living with HIV to discontinue the treatment they need. We support partners who are working to simplify the delivery of HIV treatment and introduce models of care that are more tailored to the needs of particular populations and their circumstances. Better patient data systems are also crucial to keeping people living with HIV on effective treatment. HIV-related information is displayed in a waiting area outside a rural clinic in Kivumu, Rwanda. Viral load testing—the measuring of HIV particles in the blood—can be crucial to helping people living with HIV understand their health status and be motivated to continue treatment. We support the improved use of viral load testing, as well as the development of novel virus load-testing systems, as a means of sustaining effective treatment.Existing Prevention MeasuresExpand the Use of Existing Preventive Measures_5c9c616c-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 3.2.3Several existing measures have proven effective in preventing HIV infection. They include voluntary medical male circumcision, condoms, and drugs that reduce the risk of acquiring the virus after exposure. These measures can be effective only if they are affordable and reach high-risk populations -- and only if those populations are aware of their risk of contracting HIV. Widespread voluntary medical male circumcision could play a major role in limiting the spread of HIV, and efforts by global partners have greatly improved access to and demand for circumcision. We support circumcision-related efforts in several high-burden countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. We also support efforts to improve consistent condom use and the use of drugs that reduce the risk of contracting HIV. In addition, understanding and addressing the obstacles to accessing and using these measures among high-risk populations is central to our overall prevention strategy.New Prevention MeasuresDevelop Long-Acting Prevention Measures_5c9c65ae-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 3.2.4New, more effective prevention methods are essential to reducing HIV transmission. We support efforts to develop, evaluate, and introduce innovative approaches to protecting those at risk. These include potential long-acting prevention interventions that can provide continuous protection over a period of time.HIV VaccineDevelop an HIV Vaccine_5c9c6d10-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 3.2.5We continue to invest in efforts to develop an HIV vaccine. Although developing a highly effective vaccine remains a substantial scientific challenge, even a vaccine with partial efficacy and limited duration could help dramatically reduce the global incidence of HIV.VaccinesDeliver life-saving vaccines where they're needed most_5c9c717a-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c3.3OUR GOAL: to prevent more than 11 million deaths, 3.9 million disabilities, and 264 million illnesses by 2020 through high, equitable, and sustainable vaccine coverage and support for polio eradication. Strategy: At the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, all of our investments in vaccines and immunization contribute to the goals of the Decade of Vaccines. As one entity within the greater vaccine community -- which includes national governments, other donors, international organizations, the private sector, academia, civil society organizations, faith-based organizations, and local communities -- we are working to ensure that existing life-saving vaccines are introduced into countries where people need them most and to support the innovation needed to develop new vaccines and new delivery technologies and approaches.Country Programs & PartnershipsInvest in partners whose programs strengthen and provide support for country immunization systems_5c9c751c-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 3.3.1Gates Foundation Vaccine PartnersOur partners include civil society organizations, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and the GAVI Alliance.Civil Society OrganizationsWorld Health Organization (WHO)UNICEFGAVI AllianceOne of our most important collaborations is with the GAVI Alliance, a global public-private partnership of scientists, health experts, government leaders, businesses, and philanthropic organizations whose goal is to save children’s lives and improve health through increased access to immunization in 73 of the world’s poorest countries. GAVI provides funding to buy vaccines for, and provide technical support to, countries with the greatest needs. Since 1999, the foundation has committed US$2.5 billion to GAVI. GAVI is helping countries introduce an array of vaccines, including vaccines against pneumococcal disease and rotavirus, the main causes of pneumonia and severe diarrhea, respectively. These are among the leading causes of child deaths in developing countries. GAVI also supports pilot projects to plan for the introduction of the HPV vaccine, which helps protect against cervical cancer, a leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women in developing countries.IndiaIn addition to our commitments to GAVI, we make direct investments with partners in India, Nigeria, and Ethiopia, which together account for a significant proportion of the world’s unvaccinated and undervaccinated children and where we have strong relationships with governments and a wide range of other investments.NigeriaEthiopiaPakistanOur efforts to support polio eradication are an integral part of our country-based approach in the remaining polio-endemic countries -- Nigeria, Pakistan, and Afghanistan -- as well as in countries that have experienced polio outbreaks.AfghanistanUltimately, all of our vaccine-related work depends on strong delivery systems within countries. We therefore invest in partners whose programs strengthen and provide support for country immunization systems.Immunization SystemsStrengthen country immunization systems._5c9c7c74-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 3.3.2We work to strengthen country immunization systems by supporting the collection, analysis, and use of high-quality vaccine-related data, improving the measurement and evaluation of vaccination efforts, and developing new diagnostic tools to help health workers assess population immunity to disease.DataSupport the collection, analysis, and use of high-quality vaccine-related data._5c9c80f2-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c3.3.2.1Metrics & EvaluationImprove the measurement and evaluation of vaccination efforts._5c9c844e-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c3.3.2.2Diagnostic ToolsDevelop new diagnostic tools to help health workers assess population immunity to disease._5c9c8d18-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c3.3.2.3Health WorkersSupply Chains & LogisticsStrengthen vaccine-related supply chains and logistics._5c9c91aa-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c3.3.2.4Another priority is strengthening vaccine-related supply chains and logistics. We support the development of new ways to help countries improve the storage, transportation, and distribution of vaccines. This is particularly crucial as countries prepare to deliver a greater volume of vaccines to a greater number of people. Many vaccines are temperature-sensitive and require special storage, transport, and handling to ensure that they maintain their potency.Systems & CampaignsAdvocate for stronger, fully financed systems to deliver routine vaccines along with well-planned and well-run education campaigns._5c9c9506-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c3.3.2.5BiharOne example of how we work to strengthen immunization systems is in Bihar, India's most densely populated state. We are building on successful efforts in Bihar to increase immunization coverage and are supporting programs to test and evaluate innovations such as technologies for vaccine registration, tracking, and mapping. We are also investing in new ways to generate demand for and awareness of immunizations among healthcare providers and families.In the area of routine immunization, we advocate for stronger, fully financed systems to deliver routine vaccines along with well-planned and well-run education campaigns.Vaccine Introduction & Market DynamicsParticipate in innovative partnerships that span the continuum from vaccine discovery to development to delivery._5c9c9d12-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 3.3.3PATHFor example, we supported a major partnership between PATH, WHO, the Serum Institute of India, and African governments to develop an affordable vaccine to prevent meningitis A. MenAfriVac is the first vaccine designed specifically for use in Africa, and within a year of its introduction it led to a dramatic drop in meningitis A infections. Promising vaccines to prevent malaria and dengue are currently in late-stage development and could have a major impact in the fight against those diseases.WHOSerum Institute of IndiaAfrican GovernmentsTo get the most promising new vaccines to the people who need them, we participate in innovative partnerships that span the continuum from discovery to development to delivery.ImprovementImprove existing vaccines. _5c9ca23a-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c3.3.3.1We also invest in research and development to improve existing vaccines. Improvements include the use of new adjuvants that strengthen immune response and could reduce the amount of antigen needed per dose, thereby lowering the cost of immunizations. Other improvements reduce the number of doses required and make vaccines easier to administer. We also support research to simplify vaccine delivery through innovations such as needle-free delivery systems and heat-stabilized vaccines that don’t require refrigeration.FinancingEstablish innovative, market-based financing mechanisms to ensure that vaccines are developed at the lowest possible cost._5c9ca618-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c3.3.3.2Along with supply and demand, price is a critical element in the successful launch and sustainable use of any new vaccine. Without a clear idea of the demand for a vaccine and how it might be delivered, manufacturers have little incentive to invest in product development and manufacturing. We are addressing this challenge by working with private industry on innovative, market-based financing mechanisms to ensure that vaccines are developed at the lowest possible cost.AdvocacyEnsure that immunization remains a global health priority._5c9cae92-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 3.3.4GAVI AllianceWe are committed to supporting and strengthening the GAVI Alliance and our other partners that work to improve and expand immunization.We work at the international, national, and local levels to ensure that immunization remains a global health priority. PolioEradicate polio_5c9cb4dc-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c3.4GPEINigeriaPakistanAfghanistanOUR GOAL: to eradicate polio worldwide. Our Strategy: Polio eradication is one of our top priorities, and as a major supporter of the GPEI, we contribute technical and financial resources to accelerate targeted vaccination campaigns, community mobilization, and routine immunizations. We also partner to improve polio surveillance and outbreak response; develop safer, more effective vaccines; and galvanize financial and political support for polio eradication efforts. We have a unique ability to contribute by taking big risks and making nontraditional investments. Examples include our investments in vaccine research; our funding of geographic information system (GIS) maps to replace hand-drawn maps for campaign planning; and our establishment of emergency operations centers in Nigeria, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.Polio Vaccination CampaignsImprove the quality of polio vaccination campaigns._5c9cb8c4-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 3.4.1NigeriaAfghanistanPakistanThrough improvements in outreach, staffing, and data collection and analysis, polio vaccination campaigns can achieve the required immunization coverage to reach GPEI goals. Our priority is to improve the quality of campaigns in Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as other countries that are at risk of polio importation. As the program nears eradication, it’s more important than ever that countries keep high-quality campaigns going, even if they do not have active cases. GPEI's polio eradication strategy focuses on national and local campaigns that provide all children in the highest-risk countries with multiple doses of oral polio vaccine. Efforts include door-to-door immunization in areas where poliovirus is known or suspected, as well as in areas at risk of re-importation, with limited access to healthcare, high population density and mobility, poor sanitation, and low routine immunization coverage. We support work to understand social, cultural, political, and religious barriers to improving vaccination coverage, and we seek ways to work with local political leaders and health professionals. We also prioritize expanded staffing and training of vaccination teams, as well as greater technical assistance. We promote the use of sophisticated mapping tools to identify households in villages and help vaccination teams locate children who have not yet been reached. Such tools also help vaccination teams identify nomadic populations.Routine Immunization SystemsStrengthen routine immunization programs for polio and other preventable diseases._5c9cc1d4-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 3.4.2Currently, 20 percent of the world's children do not receive all the immunizations they need. Reaching every community requires understanding local barriers to access as well as the use of sophisticated tracking and planning tools. A coordinated immunization system can also serve as a platform for other important health interventions. We are working with our partners to strengthen routine immunization programs for polio and other preventable diseases, including diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, and measles.Surveillance & MonitoringEvaluate surveillance efforts in the highest-risk areas._5c9cc71a-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 3.4.3It is essential to pinpoint where and how the wild poliovirus is still circulating, and to verify eradication. A strong surveillance system helps us accurately target campaigns, adjust programs quickly, and swiftly address outbreaks. Polio surveillance is especially challenging because only a small percentage of infections result in clinically apparent paralytic disease. To confirm the disease, we must analyze stool specimens to see if poliovirus is present. Through our investments to evaluate surveillance efforts in the highest-risk areas, we have discovered the need for improved environmental surveillance: testing sewage water samples for evidence of poliovirus transmission in the surrounding community. Environmental SurveillanceTest sewage water samples for evidence of poliovirus transmission in the surrounding community._5c9ccb0c-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c3.4.3.1We have invested in a technology that promises more sensitive sampling with lower specimen volume, as well as more hygienic collection.Lab ToolsDevelop less expensive and more reliable lab tools._5c9cd3ae-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c3.4.3.2We also fund efforts to develop less expensive and more reliable lab tools, such as a diagnostic kit that local labs can use to rule out negative samples and send positive specimens to reference labs for confirmation.Product Development & Market AccessImprove existing tools while accelerating the development of safer vaccines, better diagnostic tools, new antiviral drugs, and other products._5c9cda2a-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 3.4.4Although current vaccines and detection tools have proven highly effective in eliminating the virus from most countries, they may not completely eradicate the disease. We are working with partners to improve existing tools while accelerating the development of safer vaccines, better diagnostic tools, new antiviral drugs, and other products.Supply, Demand & CompetitionEnsure sufficient vaccine supply and demand and promote market competition._5c9cde3a-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c3.4.4.1We also work with partners, suppliers, and governments to ensure sufficient vaccine supply and demand and to promote market competition.New VaccinesDevelop new oral polio vaccine formulations that do not pose risk of paralysis. _5c9ce736-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c3.4.4.2The oral polio vaccine, which is most commonly used in the developing world, is safe, effective, easy to administer, and inexpensive. But this vaccine consists of live, weakened viruses, which in very rare cases can cause paralysis. In settings with very low oral polio vaccine coverage, the live weakened virus in the vaccine can also mutate and begin to circulate in the population. We are supporting the development of new oral polio vaccine formulations that do not pose this risk.Injectable VaccineTransition from using the oral vaccine to the injectable inactivated polio vaccine_5c9cece0-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c3.4.4.3We are also transitioning from using the oral vaccine to the injectable inactivated polio vaccine, which does not carry the same risk. We assist in efforts to lower the cost of the injectable vaccine and implement the training, supply, delivery, and communications infrastructure to expand its use.Data-Driven Decision MakingImprove data access to inform decision-making, track progress, improve environmental surveillance, and guide the development of vaccines and diagnostic tools._5c9cf0f0-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 3.4.5Data collection and sharing are critical to eradicating polio. We work to improve data access to inform decision-making, track progress, improve environmental surveillance, and guide the development of vaccines and diagnostic tools. We are also working with partners to develop a decision framework that identifies key decision areas, the data needed to inform decisions, and the staff and partners needed to analyze the data and create models. We support a data-access platform at WHO that ensures key polio data are standardized, quality-assured, and available for analysis and decision-making.Containment PolicyDevelop a post-eradication containment policy._5c9cf9ec-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 3.4.6World Health AssemblyOnce wild poliovirus transmission has stopped globally, it will be important to ensure safe handling and containment of materials in laboratory and vaccine-production facilities. Reintroduction of the wild poliovirus would present the potentially serious consequences of re-establishing the disease. As part of the GPEI partnership, we are developing a post-eradication containment policy that will be adopted by the World Health Assembly.Transition PlanningIdentify ways the polio infrastructure can be used to support other health initiatives and immunization programs in the long term._5c9d00a4-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 3.4.7In its two decades of operation, the GPEI has trained and mobilized millions of staff and volunteers, identified and reached households and communities that had been untouched by other initiatives, and established a robust global surveillance and response system. Through polio eradication efforts, GPEI partners have learned how to overcome logistical, geographic, social, political, cultural, ethnic, gender, financial, and other barriers to working with people in the poorest and least accessible areas. The fight against polio has created new ways of addressing human health in the developing world -- through political engagement, funding, planning and management strategies, research, and more. The GPEI has developed a wide range of assets, including detailed knowledge of high-risk groups and migration patterns; effective planning and monitoring procedures; highly trained technical staff; local and regional technical advisory bodies; and commitments based on successful partnerships among global, national, religious, and local leaders. These assets have already been used to respond to other public health threats, including Ebola, meningitis in western and central Africa, H1N1 flu in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Asian subcontinent, and flooding and tsunami disasters in South Asia. We are continuing to work with the GPEI to identify ways the polio infrastructure -- including supply chains, surveillance and laboratory systems, and social mobilization networks -- can be used to support other health initiatives and immunization programs in the long term.Advocacy & CommunicationsMobilize funding and sustained global and national political momentum for polio eradication._5c9d04be-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 3.4.8GPEI PartnersWe work closely with GPEI partners to mobilize funding and sustained global and national political momentum for polio eradication. This involves promoting efforts to increase polio funding from government donors and cultivating new and nontraditional donors. We also encourage leaders of polio-affected countries to follow through on their commitments to ongoing campaigns, and we help them identify and implement sources of financing for those campaigns. We also align and mobilize other advocates, including influential community members such as religious leaders, volunteer organizations, and employers. With partners such as Rotary International, UNICEF, RESULTS, the UN Foundation, and the Global Poverty Project, we use traditional and social media to raise awareness of polio eradication and immunization activities in both donor countries and countries where polio is a threat. We support efforts to tailor communications to particular social, cultural, and political contexts to build demand for vaccination and to dispel myths about the safety and efficacy of vaccines.InspirationInspire people to take action to change the world_5c9d0ca2-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c4WE KNOW OUR RESOURCES ALONE ARE NOT ENOUGH, SO WE WORK TO CHANGE PUBLIC POLICIES, ATTITUDES, AND BEHAVIORS TO IMPROVE LIVES. We partner with governments and the public and private sectors, and foster greater public awareness of urgent global issues.FundingFund research for new policies and financial frameworks_5c9d11de-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c4.1OUR GOAL: To accelerate progress in advancing human development and alleviating extreme poverty by enabling evidence-based public policymaking at the global and national levels -- through research, ideas, and innovations. Our Strategy: The Development Policy and Finance team supports research and analysis that can lead to new policy ideas and financing innovations. We also draw on the foundation's own evidence and experiences to help our internal teams advance their work in policy and financing. Our team works with donor governments, developing country governments, multilateral development banks, and other development experts. We also make grants to research and policy institutions, including universities and think tanks. We use the foundation’s convening ability and leadership voice to support our partners' analysis and ideas and to support the launch of promising innovations. For example, we helped convene an independent commission of 25 leading economists and health experts -- led by former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers and University of Washington Professor of Global Health Dean Jamison -- to develop an investment framework for achieving major gains in global health. The Lancet Commission on Investing in Health’s report, "Global Health 2035: A World Converging within a Generation," offers a plan to reduce deaths from infectious disease and maternal and child mortality to universally low levels while yielding a huge economic return on investment, by doubling global health spending within the context of smart fiscal policies, effective interventions, and new tools.Aid PolicyImprove the effectiveness of development aid._5c9d158a-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 4.1.1Improving the effectiveness of development aid requires understanding policies and funding portfolios, analyzing what works, and contributing new ideas. We work with donors and other development partners, global advocates, think tanks, and multilateral organizations such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to modernize development aid systems, unlock more funding, and get more value from each aid dollar spent. This work includes developing and championing structures to support innovation and research.Multilateral FinanceDevelop common agendas in health and development as well as financing innovations._5c9d1d78-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 4.1.2World BankRegional Development BanksAfrican Development BankNGOsWe also provide support to think tanks and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to conduct research and develop ideas in areas such as the new geography of poverty and the need for smooth transitions from concessional to domestic and non-concessional resources, the updating of poverty numbers, and innovative multilateral financing instruments.We work closely with the World Bank and regional development banks, including the African Development Bank, on common agendas in health and development as well as financing innovations... Within the foundation, we help program teams navigate their relationships with multilateral development banks and design new partnerships to help them achieve their strategic goals.Country FinanceAnalyze country spending on health and poverty and develop data, analysis, and ideas to advance progress toward human development and equity goals._5c9d2246-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3cFocus Area 4.1.3African Development BankOur work includes a partnership with the African Development Bank to create a policy toolkit that helps African countries direct resources from new oil, mineral, and gas discoveries toward human development; supporting analysis of the equity of tax systems in Africa; and building a database to track country expenditures within the social sectors.National GovernmentsKey partners in this effort include national governments, multilateral institutions, regional and international think tanks and advocacy groups, and local NGOs.Multilateral InstitutionsRegional Think TanksInternational Think TanksAdvocacy GroupsLocal NGOsDomestic resources outweigh all other funding -- including foreign aid -- in most developing countries. We work with countries to analyze their spending on health and poverty and to develop data, analysis, and ideas to advance progress toward their human development and equity goals.ChangeInspire foundation visitors to change the lives of others_5c9d25fc-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c4.2Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery CenterThe Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center takes visitors of all ages on an interactive journey that brings to life the connections we share with others across the globe.Innovations & InventionsDiscover innovations and inventions that are helping to create a world where every person has the opportunity to live a healthy and productive life._fced95d8-f621-11e7-a6e0-27e8f6215f3cFocus Area 4.2.1DebatesImmerse yourself in debates about education, health and poverty._fced9f74-f621-11e7-a6e0-27e8f6215f3cFocus Area 4.2.2ActionTake action on a cause that you care about._fceda6ea-f621-11e7-a6e0-27e8f6215f3cFocus Area 4.2.3Programs, Events, Resources & ToursOffer programs and community events, educator resources and school tours._fcedb090-f621-11e7-a6e0-27e8f6215f3cFocus Area 4.2.4Event OrganizersEducatorsWe also offer a rich array of programs and community events, educator resources and school tours.SolutionsTranslate scientific discoveries into solutions_5c9d2f98-f5c3-11e7-9cea-568cf3215f3c4.3OUR GOAL: to identify, support, and shape scientific research that can have the most impact and to accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries into solutions that improve people's health and save lives.Our Strategy:Working closely with other global programs at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Discovery & Translational Sciences program aims to create and improve preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic interventions for infectious diseases as well as other conditions that affect mothers, infants, and children. We do this by identifying and filling gaps in scientific knowledge, creating or implementing new technology platforms that can accelerate research in support of our goals, and investing in potentially transformative ideas.All of our investments advance the goal of creating solutions that can be deployed, accepted, and sustained in the developing world. To speed the translation of scientific discovery into implementable solutions, we seek better ways to evaluate and refine potential interventions -- such as vaccine candidates -- before they enter costly and time-consuming late-stage clinical trials.We seek ideas and solutions from creative minds across the globe and from diverse fields, and we invest in discovery research through a variety of mechanisms, including our Grand Challenges grant programs. Together with our Grand Challenges partners, including government agencies and other donor institutions, we work to define areas of urgent need, foster collaboration among researchers, and build a global network of research initiatives and funders.Vaccine DiscoveryIdentify promising vaccine candidates and refine them before they enter costly and time-consuming late-stage clinical trials._fcedb540-f621-11e7-a6e0-27e8f6215f3cFocus Area 4.3.1A number of problems plague the development of vaccines against infectious diseases, including insufficient quality and diversity of preclinical candidates, slow entry into and limited throughput in early-stage test-of-concept trials in humans, and the high cost of clinical trials. It typically takes 15 to 20 years to go from target discovery to deployment of a new vaccine even when the paradigm is well established, which is not the case for diseases such as HIV, TB, and malaria, for which new approaches are required.We invest in technologies that can identify promising vaccine candidates and refine them before they enter costly and time-consuming late-stage clinical trials. We also invest in research to better understand the health factors that affect susceptibility to infectious diseases and vaccine efficacy, such as malnutrition and co-infections. Furthermore, we seek more effective models of collaboration with major vaccine manufacturers to better identify and pursue mutually beneficial opportunities.Our vaccine discovery efforts focus on developing vaccine technologies and closing knowledge gaps to facilitate the eradication of polio, testing a new strategy for developing next-generation malaria vaccines and transmission-blocking immunotherapeutics, developing a broadly effective HIV/AIDS vaccine, and enabling more rational and accelerated development of TB vaccine candidates.Susceptibility & EfficacyUnderstand the health factors that affect susceptibility to infectious diseases and vaccine efficacy, such as malnutrition and co-infections._fcedbacc-f621-11e7-a6e0-27e8f6215f3c4.3.1.1ManufacturingSeek more effective models of collaboration with major vaccine manufacturers to better identify and pursue mutually beneficial opportunities._fcedc33c-f621-11e7-a6e0-27e8f6215f3c4.3.1.2Vaccine ManufacturersPolioDevelop vaccine technologies and close knowledge gaps to facilitate the eradication of polio._fcedc83c-f621-11e7-a6e0-27e8f6215f3c4.3.1.3Malaria & ImmunotherapeuticsTest a new strategy for developing next-generation malaria vaccines and transmission-blocking immunotherapeutics._fcedcc56-f621-11e7-a6e0-27e8f6215f3c4.3.1.4HIV/AIDSDevelop a broadly effective HIV/AIDS vaccine._fcedd4e4-f621-11e7-a6e0-27e8f6215f3c4.3.1.5TBEnable more rational and accelerated development of TB vaccine candidates._fcedd98a-f621-11e7-a6e0-27e8f6215f3c4.3.1.6Drug DiscoverySpeed the identification of the best drug candidates._fcede04c-f621-11e7-a6e0-27e8f6215f3cFocus Area 4.3.2Antimicrobial drugs have been the cornerstone of infectious disease treatment, but relatively few treatment options are available for the diseases that have the greatest impact in the developing world. Drug-resistant TB and malaria are also growing problems.We work to speed the identification of the best drug candidates, and, as we do with vaccine discovery, we look for opportunities to collaborate with pharmaceutical companies because of their unique resources and expertise and to foster productive academic-industry interactions. We also seek to develop new technologies and approaches to slow the evolution and spread of drug resistance, including alternative formulations and drug-delivery technologies.We support efforts to create a new generation of more effective and less toxic drugs to treat malaria, TB, visceral leishmaniasis (black fever), human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), onchocerciasis (river blindness), and lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis), and to control severe diarrhea.CollaborationCollaborate with pharmaceutical companies because of their unique resources and expertise._fcede88a-f621-11e7-a6e0-27e8f6215f3c4.3.2.1Pharmaceutical CompaniesInteractionFoster academic-industry interactions._fceded80-f621-11e7-a6e0-27e8f6215f3c4.3.2.2AcademiaIndustryDrug ResistanceDevelop new technologies and approaches to slow the evolution and spread of drug resistance._fcedf1b8-f621-11e7-a6e0-27e8f6215f3c4.3.2.3ToxicityCreate a new generation of more effective and less toxic drugs to treat malaria, TB, visceral leishmaniasis (black fever), human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), onchocerciasis (river blindness), and lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis), and to control severe diarrhea._fcedfa50-f621-11e7-a6e0-27e8f6215f3c4.3.2.4Maternal & Child HealthDetermine how maternal, fetal, newborn, and infant health outcomes are affected by factors including nutrition, infection, and exposure to environmental toxins._fcedfef6-f621-11e7-a6e0-27e8f6215f3cFocus Area 4.3.3MothersInfantsA broad range of scientific studies are needed to identify how maternal, fetal, newborn, and infant health outcomes are affected by factors including nutrition, infection, and exposure to environmental toxins.We invest in research to discover the causes of preterm birth (PTB), which is a leading cause of infant mortality, and to develop innovative strategies for prevention. Efforts include developing biomarkers for PTB, which can be applied in early pregnancy to predict impending PTB and thereby target use of established preventive measures and treatments. We fund projects to establish metrics for, and discover the causes of, growth faltering in utero and during the first two years of life -- a window of time in which serious health problems can impair growth and affect long-term health -- and to develop new ways to prevent or reverse unhealthy growth marked by stunting and wasting. Through our Grand Challenges Explorations program and other efforts, we are seeking new approaches to measuring physical growth, brain function, and development in order to better guide and monitor healthy growth interventions.Preterm BirthDiscover the causes of preterm birth (PTB), which is a leading cause of infant mortality and develop innovative strategies for prevention._fcee032e-f621-11e7-a6e0-27e8f6215f3c4.3.3.1Growth FalteringEstablish metrics for, and discover the causes of, growth faltering in utero and during the first two years of life._fcee0cac-f621-11e7-a6e0-27e8f6215f3c4.3.3.2Stunting & WastingDevelop new ways to prevent or reverse unhealthy growth marked by stunting and wasting. _fcee117a-f621-11e7-a6e0-27e8f6215f3c4.3.3.3Healthy GrowthSeek new approaches to measuring physical growth, brain function, and development in order to better guide and monitor healthy growth interventions._fcee1634-f621-11e7-a6e0-27e8f6215f3c4.3.3.4MosquitoesControl Disease-Transmitting Mosquitoes_fcee1e72-f621-11e7-a6e0-27e8f6215f3cFocus Area 4.3.4AustraliaIndonesiaVietnamMosquitoes spread many serious diseases, including malaria and dengue fever, to millions of people annually. A primary strategy for fighting these diseases is the use of insecticides to kill disease-transmitting mosquitoes. Mosquitoes have grown increasingly resistant to available insecticides, however, and some insecticides are too toxic for widespread use. They also can require people to change their behavior -- to use bed nets, for instance -- and they need funding to maintain distribution systems.Our investments in mosquito control include nontraditional biological and genetic approaches as well as new chemical interventions aimed at depleting or incapacitating disease-transmitting mosquito populations. One biological control project for dengue fever that began through our Grand Challenges in Global Health grant program has progressed to field trials in Australia, Indonesia, and Vietnam.2018-01-10https://www.gatesfoundation.org/OwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net