--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Bill [Gates] and I believe philanthropy…" description: "\"Bill [Gates] and I believe philanthropy can only be effective if it starts things and proves whether they actually work or not. That's the place that g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/melinda-gates-3776_believe_bill-gates-and-i-believe-philanthropy-ca_3210204.png" --- # Bill \[Gates\] and I believe philanthropy can only be… ![“Bill [Gates] and I believe philanthropy can only be effective if it starts things and proves whether they actually work or not. That's the place that governments often don't want to, or can't, work.” quote by Melinda Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/melinda-gates-3776_believe_bill-gates-and-i-believe-philanthropy-ca_3210204.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/melinda-gates-3776_believe_bill-gates-and-i-believe-philanthropy-ca_3210204.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/melinda-gates-3776_believe_bill-gates-and-i-believe-philanthropy-ca_3210204.png) > “Bill \[Gates\] and I believe philanthropy can only be effective if it starts things and proves whether they actually work or not. That's the place that governments often don't want to, or can't, work.” [Melinda Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melinda-gates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective philanthropy must test ideas, launch initiatives, and evaluate results, filling gaps where governments cannot act. **In simple terms:** Test and prove charitable projects to succeed. Key Takeaway Measure impact, fill government gaps. Themes philanthropy impact government innovation Mood thoughtful optimistic Type advisory inspirational When to use this quote - grantmaking - social programs - pilot projects - policy advocacy Key Concepts social entrepreneurship evaluation public‑private partnership Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure timely evaluation? - What risks arise when governments step back? A Different Perspective Results may be hard to measure and can delay aid. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governments/) [Philanthropy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philanthropy/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [I firmly believe that philanthropy is most effective and outcome-oriented when you ensure that your pledge actually gets spent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiv-nadar/i-firmly-believe-that-philanthropy-is-most-effective-and-outcome/) [Shiv Nadar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiv-nadar/) > [I've always said that the better off you are, the more responsibility you have for helping others. Just as I think it's important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-slim/i-ve-always-said-that-the-better-off-you-are-the-more-responsibility/) [Carlos Slim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-slim/) > [And as a matter of fact, governments don't act, governments only react. The bankers make the decisions, and then governments decide how are we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/and-as-a-matter-of-fact-governments-don-t-act-governments-only-react/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [We're not going to meddle in the internal life of other peoples and other governments, because we don't want them meddling in ours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andres-manuel-lopez-obrador/we-re-not-going-to-meddle-in-the-internal-life-of-other-peoples-and/) [Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andres-manuel-lopez-obrador/) > [Governments don't control people like they used to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/governments-don-t-control-people-like-they-used-to/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I cannot be any clearer, minority governments don't work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annastacia-palaszczuk/i-cannot-be-any-clearer-minority-governments-don-t-work/) [Annastacia Palaszczuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annastacia-palaszczuk/) > [“Governments don't protect people, people protect governments." "Order is organic, it can’t just be ordered up." "The more complexity, the more unpredictability and therefore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-samuels/governments-don-t-protect-people-people-protect-governments-order-is/) Lawrence Samuels > [Governments that don't need to broaden their tax base have few incentives to respond to the needs of their people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-dresser/governments-that-don-t-need-to-broaden-their-tax-base-have-few/) [Denise Dresser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-dresser/) > [Governments don't like harmony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anubhav-sinha/governments-don-t-like-harmony/) [Anubhav Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anubhav-sinha/) > [Governments mostly don't do much. And you've also got to understand the level of incompetence out there. Nobody knows what they're doing. They just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/governments-mostly-don-t-do-much-and-you-ve-also-got-to-understand/) [Jimmy Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/) > [“governments don't produce economic growth people do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/governments-don-t-produce-economic-growth-people-do/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Governments don't want a population capable of critical thinking, they want obedient workers, people just smart enough to run the machines and just dumb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/governments-don-t-want-a-population-capable-of-critical-thinking-they/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [I truly believe that philanthropy and commerce can work together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-karan/i-truly-believe-that-philanthropy-and-commerce-can-work-together/) [Donna Karan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-karan/) > [I really love people and I believe in philanthropy and advocacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariana-debose/i-really-love-people-and-i-believe-in-philanthropy-and-advocacy/) [Ariana DeBose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariana-debose/) > [At the end of the day, philanthropy can only ever be an adjunct to what governments provide. And government coffers need to be replenished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/at-the-end-of-the-day-philanthropy-can-only-ever-be-an-adjunct-to/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) ## More by Melinda Gates > [I've travelled extensively in the last 16 years - to slums in Bangladesh, to townships in South Africa, to all kinds of places in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melinda-gates/i-ve-travelled-extensively-in-the-last-16-years-to-slums-in/) [Melinda Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melinda-gates/) > [I think it's very important that we instill in our kids that it has nothing to do with their name or their situation that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melinda-gates/i-think-it-s-very-important-that-we-instill-in-our-kids-that-it-has/) [Melinda Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melinda-gates/) > [A woman with a voice is by definition a strong woman. But the search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melinda-gates/a-woman-with-a-voice-is-by-definition-a-strong-woman-but-the-search/) [Melinda Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melinda-gates/) > [Abortion has become a very politicised issue that I think countries have to work out themselves. In a lot of countries, people can't even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melinda-gates/abortion-has-become-a-very-politicised-issue-that-i-think-countries/) [Melinda Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melinda-gates/) > [Men make different investments than women do. Women tend to invest more of their earnings than men do in their family's well-being - as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melinda-gates/men-make-different-investments-than-women-do-women-tend-to-invest/) [Melinda Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melinda-gates/) > [Contraceptives unlock one of the most dormant, but potentially powerful assets in development: women as decision-makers. When women have the power to make choices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melinda-gates/contraceptives-unlock-one-of-the-most-dormant-but-potentially/) [Melinda Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melinda-gates/) > [Poverty disproportionately affects women around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melinda-gates/poverty-disproportionately-affects-women-around-the-world/) [Melinda Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melinda-gates/) > [What great changes have not been ambitious?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melinda-gates/what-great-changes-have-not-been-ambitious/) [Melinda Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melinda-gates/) > [When girls are educated and free to pursue their passions, they contribute more to a thriving society. When women have a voice, they raise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melinda-gates/when-girls-are-educated-and-free-to-pursue-their-passions-they/) [Melinda Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melinda-gates/) > [You are indebted to life until you help some less fortunate person, just as you were helped.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melinda-gates/you-are-indebted-to-life-until-you-help-some-less-fortunate-person/) [Melinda Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melinda-gates/) > [Philanthropy is not about the money. It's about using whatever resources you have at your fingertips and applying them to improving the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melinda-gates/philanthropy-is-not-about-the-money-it-s-about-using-whatever/) [Melinda Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melinda-gates/) > [In different places you run into myths around vaccination or around family planning. In the United States, one of the myths that existed for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melinda-gates/in-different-places-you-run-into-myths-around-vaccination-or-around/) [Melinda Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melinda-gates/) > [“Anyone can be made to feel like an outsider. It’s up to the people who have the power to exclude. Often it’s on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melinda-gates/anyone-can-be-made-to-feel-like-an-outsider-it-s-up-to-the-people-who/) [Melinda Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melinda-gates/) > [Having children made us look differently at all these things that we take for granted, like taking your child to get a vaccine against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melinda-gates/having-children-made-us-look-differently-at-all-these-things-that-we/) [Melinda Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melinda-gates/) > [Now we just really need to do the work, which we're doing, to get contraceptives out to women worldwide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melinda-gates/now-we-just-really-need-to-do-the-work-which-we-re-doing-to-get/) [Melinda Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melinda-gates/) [Explore all 122 Melinda Gates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melinda-gates/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. 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And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Bill [Gates] and I believe philanthropy can only be effective if it starts things and proves whether they actually work or not. 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