Giving Compass' Take:

• The Chronicle of Philanthropy named Bill and Melinda Gates the most generous philanthropists in America. Business Insider reviewed the various projects that showcase their generosity. 

• The Gates Foundation has projects focusing on global health, women empowerment, education, and many more.  What are the potential hardships for foundations trying to coordinate multiple large-scale projects? 

• Read about a recent donation by Bill and Melinda Gates to the DonorsChoose teacher platform. 

Bill and Melinda Gates were recently named the most generous philanthropists in the United States, based on an annual list by The Chronicle of Philanthropy.

Annual rankings by The Chronicle of Philanthropy take into account US philanthropists' total donations in the previous year. Of the $4.78 billion that Bill and Melinda Gates donated in 2017, most went to projects run by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Since its launch in 2000, their foundation has spent more than $36 billion to fund work in global health, emergency relief, education, poverty, and more.

One of the foundation's most significant partnerships is with the GAVI Alliance, a group of scientists, government leaders, businesses, and philanthropists working to improve access to vaccines in the poorest countries in the world. The Gates Foundation has committed at least $2.5 billion to the GAVI Alliance since 1999.

Melinda Gates, who helmed the foundation virtually on her own for the first six years of operation, has worked to raise awareness of "time poverty," the idea that hours of unpaid work like household chores rob women of their potential. Gates has led several other efforts to advance opportunities for women around the world, including the expansion of contraception availability around the world.

Education is at the forefront of the Gates Foundation's giving as well. The Gates Millennium Scholars Program was established in 1999 to provide financial support to students of color pursuing undergraduate degrees.

"We don't compare different people's suffering. All suffering is a terrible tragedy. We do, however, assess our ability to help prevent different kinds of suffering," Melinda Gates wrote.

Read the full article about Bill and Melinda Gates by Peter Kotecki at Business Insider