Issued by Ford Foundation President Heather Gerken, How We Meet This Moment, captures and conveys our strategy for the years to come. It echoes the iconic 1950 report of H. Rowan Gaither, who chartered the foundation’s second founding.
Starting January 2027, a renewed mission statement will guide us:
The Ford Foundation protects and strengthens the democratic values, fundamental freedoms, and inclusive economies that empower people to shape their own futures.
This mission emerges from our unwavering commitment to people pushed to the margins and denied equal justice, equal rights, and equal opportunity—to women, to people of color and people with disabilities, to LGBTQ+ and rural communities.
Our belief in human rights, in the inherent human dignity of all, is coded into our very DNA—as is our conviction about the power of representation and agency, which flows from this core belief. Everyone deserves a voice in shaping the rules and tools with which to build better lives and stronger communities.
Ford Foundation Charts New Course to Support Preconditions for Thriving Democracies
The Ford Foundation unveiled a new strategic plan to protect and strengthen democratic values, fundamental freedoms, and inclusive economies worldwide.
The Transition Underway: How We’re Reorganizing to Meet the Moment
Discover how the Ford Foundation is reorganizing grantmaking teams during a transition year to implement its new strategic vision.
The Ford Foundation, one of the world’s largest grantmakers, will throw more weight behind democracy
The Ford Foundation, one of the world’s largest private grantmakers, will overhaul its spending to counter what new leadership views as the mutually reinforcing rise of both autocracy and inequality.
How We Meet This Moment: Frequently Asked Questions
Explore frequently asked questions about the Ford Foundation’s next chapter.