Foundations can outlive their charitable missions – and that’s a problem

By: Thomas Adam, The Conversation

Outlets: Arkansas Advocate

Published: July 17, 2026

Words: 1,533

Last Updated: 2 days, 13 hours ago


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Bill Gates, Jensen Huang and many of today’s tech titans have two things in common with Gilded Age robber barons like John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie. After playing a role in propelling the U.S. economy to new heights, they established massive foundations. The foundations are usually designed to last for eternity. Gates is a rare exception in that he decided in 2025 to empty the coffers of his foundation by …