Building Economic Security Over a Lifetime
Where We Work
We support activities in the United States, the Andean Region and Southern Cone, Indonesia, and on an exploratory basis in Southern Africa.
In the United States, we work at the national level and in specific states. We are developing state asset-building coalitions in California, Oklahoma, Texas, Illinois, and a regional coalition that includes Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and Louisiana.
What We Fund
Internationally, our work focuses on improving access to government social protection programs and introducing savings services into conditional cash transfer programs.
In the United States, we continue to support work that informs federal policy and helps to increase communication among state, regional, and national policy organizations.
We also fund projects that examine the adequacy of Social Security benefits and options for improving benefits for long-term, low-wage earners through a grant to the National Academy of Social Insurance. This U.S. study will be done within the context of exploring options for restoring program solvency.
Additional Selection Criteria
We do not anticipate funding large-scale research projects or demonstrations. We are not providing funding for local Individual Development Account or Children Savings Account programs, or financial education programs.
We are not soliciting proposals from other state asset-building coalitions at this time.
Status of Grant Making
The budget for fiscal year 2010 (October 2009 to September 2010) has already been committed. We are not accepting unsolicited proposals at this time.
To Apply for a Grant
Follow these steps:
- Review the Initiative(s) most relevant to your work.
- Read our Grant Application Guide, which describes our grant-making process.
- If you determine that your work aligns with our priorities, submit a Grant Inquiry. (While we welcome submissions, please keep in mind that our funds are limited in relation to the large number of worthwhile inquiries we receive. In a typical year, less than 1 percent of unsolicited inquiries result in a grant.)
Please Note:
It is important that you use our grant inquiry form—and refrain from contacting program officers directly. Given the volume of inquiries we receive, this allows us to log, track and respond quickly to your application.
Fellowships
The vast majority of foundation grants go to organizations. We provide a very limited number of fellowship opportunities for individuals through the Ford Foundation Diversity Fellowships Program, which aims to diversify the faculties of American colleges and universities.
The foundation does not have any other active fellowship opportunities at this time.
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