The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a philanthropic powerhouse, has decided to halt its financial contributions to funds managed by Arabella Advisors, a move that significantly impacts the progressive dark money network.
This decision, as reported by The Washington Free Beacon, marks a substantial shift in the foundation's funding strategy.
According to The Washington Free Beacon, the Gates Foundation, the largest of its kind in the United States, opted in late June to suspend its longstanding financial support to the nonprofit funds overseen by Arabella. This decision follows an internal announcement reviewed by the New York Times.
Over the past 16 years, the foundation has either disbursed or pledged approximately $450 million to these Arabella-managed funds, establishing itself as one of the network's most significant and early supporters.
This strategic pivot occurs amidst President Donald Trump's criticism of certain Democratic nonprofits, which he accuses of misusing their tax-exempt status by functioning as partisan political entities rather than legitimate charitable organizations. Earlier this year, Bill Gates declared his intention to close his foundation by December 31, 2045, much earlier than initially planned.
Additionally, Gates has begun to "de-emphasize the type of diversity and inclusion initiatives that Mr. Trump abhors, to insulate his charity from political pressure," as reported by the Times.
In a memo dated June 24, foundation officials refrained from mentioning political motivations, instead presenting the decision as an effort to engage more directly with grant recipients and minimize dependence on intermediaries like Arabella. The foundation characterized the severance from Arabella as "a business decision," according to a statement provided to the Times.
Arabella Advisors has long been under scrutiny for its role in channeling funds from wealthy benefactors into progressive lobbying, activism, and electoral activities. The Arabella-controlled Student Experience Research Network, for instance, finances research that advocates for DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) practices in education, as highlighted by The Washington Free Beacon.
Recently, Arabella contributed $5.6 million to two left-wing nonprofits leading protests against President Trump's crime crackdown in Washington, D.C., according to a report by the New York Post.
The Gates Foundation itself has not been without controversy. It has a history of funding and collaborating with contentious foreign entities, including those linked to the Chinese Communist Party. In 2023, the foundation initiated a $50 million research partnership with Tsinghua University, an institution with "secret-level security credentials" for China's classified military research.
This university is known for training students for Beijing's nuclear weapons program and has reportedly engaged in cyberattacks on behalf of the Chinese government. Two years prior, the foundation also directed millions to China's National Health Commission and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
As the Gates Foundation re-evaluates its funding strategies, the decision to distance itself from Arabella Advisors underscores a broader trend of scrutinizing the intersection of philanthropy and politics.
This move may signal a shift towards more direct engagement with grant recipients, potentially reshaping the landscape of charitable giving in the years to come.
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