Disrupting systems to advance social justice
We believe inequality is at the root of nearly every injustice. To create meaningful, lasting change, we focus on nine interconnected areas.
Shifting the conversation
Dig into the newest collection of stories of change, hope and resilience from our community
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Five years of Mission Investments
Darren Walker
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Our response to the reversal of Roe v. Wade
Darren Walker
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What the evolution of gender can teach us about equality
Hilary Pennington
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How a big bet led to big impact for social justice during COVID-19
Ford Foundation
Two years on, foundations stand by issuing bonds in pandemic

Shared company ownership may be the missing path to the American dream

Philanthropic and corporate leaders join Biden-Harris Administration’s call to invest in underserved communities

Ford, Mellon and MacArthur Foundations Transfer Sole Ownership of Historic Ebony and Jet Photo Archive to Getty and NMAAHC

Building on 85 years of impact
We have supported the work of some of history’s greatest minds, helped build pivotal institutions and seeded big ideas that have fueled groundbreaking movements.
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Year:1969
Sesame Street is created to teach the world kindness
In 1969, Ford joined the Carnegie Foundation and a small team of investors to back a new idea for a unique, educational TV show for children: Sesame Street. For more than 50 years, Sesame Street has remained on the air, holding a special place in everyone’s hearts and helping generations of kids become smarter, stronger, and kinder.
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Year:2001
A new generation of leaders emerges from all corners of the globe
To help social justice leaders advance their work, we created the International Fellowships Program to provide them with the opportunity to pursue a graduate or postgraduate degree. To date, more than 4,300 changemakers from 22 countries—spanning Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East—have completed their education and have gone on to make their mark in their homeland and beyond. The fellowship set a new precedent in higher education by promoting greater equity and inclusivity.
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Year:2020
Ford creates social bond to strengthen social justice sector
COVID-19 presented the world with an unparalleled situation. As nonprofits stepped up to address its sweeping impacts, they struggled to keep their doors open. In response, we issued the first-ever social bond by a foundation to ensure organizations could not only carry on their important work but also their invaluable role in society. The bond’s proceeds enabled us to double our funding to $1 billion at a time when the world needed it most.
Find us at the Center for Social Justice
The Ford Foundation is located in New York City at the Center for Social Justice—a hub for social good and the courageous people who devote their lives to achieving it.
Ford Foundation Gallery
everything slackens in a wreck
1 June - 20 August 2022