Frequently Asked Questions

Led by the Gates Foundation, the Goalkeepers initiative is designed to inspire and incentivize thinkers and doers toward achieving the Global Goals—focusing on priority areas where we can have the greatest impact. These Goals form an ambitious blueprint for reimagining a better future for all by 2030 and were agreed upon by all member states of the United Nations. Driven by ground-breaking data and human stories, Goalkeepers publishes an annual report, hosts events, awards Global Goalkeeper recognition, and convenes a global community of diverse, collaborative changemakers who believe progress is possible—but not inevitable.
 
Goalkeepers is a registered trademark of the Gates Foundation. The Sustainable Development Goals wheel logo is used with permission from the United Nations.

The Goalkeepers community is a global collective of collaborative and diverse changemakers. Members include both emerging and well-known leaders who live all over the world and represent an eclectic range of cultures, professions, and interests. As individuals, Goalkeepers are doers and thinkers who range from activists and policymakers to creatives, nongovernmental organization (NGO) leaders, and more, developing fresh ideas and doing innovative work to accelerate progress in their region or areas of interest. As a community, they are committed to achieving the 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development, an ambitious blueprint for reimagining a better future for all by 2030, agreed upon by all member states of the United Nations.

Although community members are based all over the world, most are from Burkina Faso, China, France, Germany, India, Nigeria, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Goalkeepers community members are nominated by a global network of partners who help identify individuals working to accelerate progress on the Global Goals.

The relationships developed by being part of the Goalkeepers community fuel members’ ambition to tackle some of the world’s toughest challenges. The Goalkeepers community also provides members with opportunities to collaborate with and learn from world-class leaders who share their passion for the Global Goals. Community members receive access to content, events, and Global Goals-related news from the Gates Foundation and from fellow community members.

The Goalkeepers Data Report is the flagship annual publication of the Gates Foundation. Each year, it tracks progress on 18 Sustainable Development Goals indicators, highlights innovations and examples of progress, and reflects Gates’ perspectives on critical priorities for accelerating progress.

In 2015, world leaders agreed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development to achieve a better world by 2030. These ambitious goals include no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, and clean water and sanitation for all.
 
Each year the Goalkeepers Data Report shares the most recent global data on the 18 progress indicators most closely related to the foundation’s work. For each, we show the available data charting global progress since 1990. For select indicators, we show projections to 2030 based upon current progress and two additional scenarios, produced by our partner, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. The data sources for facts and figures featured in the Goalkeepers Data Report, as well as methodologies used to collect the data, are listed on the Data Sources page.

Led by the Gates Foundation, Goalkeepers is an initiative co-founded with Project Everyone and dedicated to accelerating progress towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals: using powerful stories, data, and partnerships to highlight progress achieved, and bring together a new generation of leaders to address the world’s major challenges.
 
Each year, we also highlight a specific area of the Global Goals and identify the work of Champions whose work is helping to make progress.

Each year, the Global Goalkeepers Awardee and Champions are announced at our Goalkeepers event in New York City during the U.N. General Assembly.

Goalkeepers events are held year-round in cities across the globe. For dates and information on our upcoming events, visit our Event page.

Potential invitees are sourced from a series of nominating partners, including the Gates Foundation. We are particularly focused on including “next-generation” leaders, influencers and decision makers from around the world who can drive action, awareness, and accountability on the Global Goals Final selection of invitees is based on meeting at least two of these three criteria:
• Broad, demonstrable commitment to advance areas relating to the Global Goals with a strong focus on Goals 1-6
• Personal influence in their respective fields  
• Able to contribute to the advancement of the Global Goals agenda either personally or within their organization in at least one of the following ways: drive action, raise awareness, ensure accountability

If your question wasn’t answered within this FAQ and if the question isn’t related to a media inquiry please contact [email protected]
 
For all media inquiries please contact [email protected]