Democracy and Rule of Law
Overview
Every significant institution, community, and leap of progress we have made as a society rests on a single, foundational premise: the rule of law. It is the simple, but necessary, idea that if we all play by the same rules, we can all have equal opportunity in return. The rule of law is a shared responsibility, one reaffirmed and protected by the everyday people who hold communities together and leaders accountable, organize and demonstrate the freedom to speak, and vote to ensure everyone is free to choose their destiny with dignity.
For 90 years, the Ford Foundation has worked to make sure our legal and democratic systems are transparent and accessible. From seeding the first public interest legal clinics to establishing foundational civil rights institutions, we’ve spent decades working to ensure people can understand, access, and even shape the laws that govern their lives. Strengthening democracy is part of Ford’s core mission.
The Challenge
Today, democracy is under threat. Trust is fading, and the rules we rely on to maintain our societal bonds are being ignored or bypassed. If these systems fail, everything else becomes unstable, from our schools to our economy and our safety. This is the challenge of our moment: to strengthen democracy, the critical utility upon which all other progress is built.
The fight to advance the “ideals and principles of democracy” is not the celebrated work of our past but a call to action and the urgent work of our moment.
Together, as a society, we can work to strengthen the scaffolding of democracy and hold fast to our values for the next century. The Ford Foundation is doing its part by supporting organizations and leaders across the ideological spectrum who safeguard the essential building blocks of democracy. These include the local officials who ensure every vote is counted safely and securely, to advocates ensuring our legal systems treat everyone equally, no matter who they are, to local leaders fighting for a 21st century economy that can work for everyone.
Democracy isn’t just an abstract ideal. It’s what makes the aspiration for freedom, justice, accountability, community, and opportunity real. Protecting and defending it is the urgent work of this moment.
We invite you to learn more.
Why the Ford Foundation Has Committed $60M in New Funding to Protect Elections
Ford’s new leader, Heather Gerken, a constitutional law scholar, outlines a grant-making strategy designed to battle polarization’s gale-force winds.
The Urgent Work of Our Moment: The Rule of Law & Democracy
Ford Foundation President Heather Gerken joins J. Michael Luttig, former judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and Jeh Johnson, former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, for a conversation on the importance of strengthening democracy, protecting elections, and upholding the rule of law.
A Message from the President
The fight to advance the ideals and principles of democracy is not merely the celebrated work of our past. It is the urgent work of our moment.
“Making the system work for everyone means having a menu of options. There will never be a one-size-fits-all, silver bullet voting solution.”
Michelle Bishop
Disability Rights Are Voting Rights
At the Ford Foundation, we see our work for democracy and our work for disability rights as inextricably intertwined. We fund a mix of grassroots, policy, and advocacy organizations that support nonpartisan voter accessibility efforts in communities that have historically been marginalized or underrepresented across the country.
Defenders of Democracy: Leaders in the Field
Promote the Vote Fund: Ensuring Every Voice Is Heard in Michigan
Learn how Promote the Vote Fund is strengthening voting rights and accessible, fair elections in Michigan through year-round voter education
The Infrastructure of Trust: How Local Civic Hubs Are Rebuilding Democracy Across Rural America
Trust for Civic Life invests in civic hubs–locally led organizations that allow communities to come together– to rebuild trust and strengthen democracy across the U.S. Heartland.
Weaving a Stronger Civil Society in the Global South
Ford’s Weaving Resilience initiative supports civil society organizations throughout the Global South, with a focus on supporting local solutions and connecting them globally.
Centering Disability Rights and Justice With Marlene Sallo and Hilary Pennington
Marlene Sallo of the National Disability Rights Network and Hilary Pennington of the Ford Foundation talk about the systems that support and fail the disability community and how disability justice is essential to building a multiracial democracy.
Military Veterans in Journalism
Military veterans who work in newsrooms can help build more interconnected communities.
The Center of Study for Democracy (CESPAD)
A citizen initiative in Honduras provides communities with tools to defend their territories and navigate socioenvironmental conflicts.
The Legal Defense Fund
A historic legal organization works to protect voting rights and safeguard America’s multiracial democracy.
Raising the Bar: The Social Justice Leaders Making History at the Supreme Court
A U.S. Supreme Court decision can have enormous impacts on people across the country. In 2023, several of our grantees had front-row seats to this change, as they were involved in cases that went before the Court. They tell us about their experiences.
Stories from the Heartland
Made in the Heartland: 90 Years of Partnership and Progress
Born in Detroit, Ford Foundation remains dedicated to the American Heartland. Through stewardship, civic architecture, and democratic wealth-building, Ford empowers local leaders to drive regional growth. By strengthening institutions and expanding ownership, the Foundation ensures a resilient, inclusive future.
Mississippi Engaged: Strengthening Democracy and Building Civic Engagement in Communities
Mississippi Engaged, a nonpartisan coalition, combats restrictive voting laws through year-round organizing, community education, and advocacy for reforms like early voting. Their strategy emphasizes localized engagement to dismantle barriers and ensure every voice is heard.
Featured Conversations
Toward a Better Politics: Heather Gerken joins conversation on democracy at The National Cathedral
Heather Gerken joins a forum at the Washington National Cathedral on confronting political violence in America, where she discussed how to reject extremism and build a civic life rooted in mutual respect.
ICYMI: Ford Foundation’s Heather Gerken and Knight Foundation’s Maribel Pérez Wadsworth Discuss Philanthropy’s Role In Safeguarding Democracy at Knight Media Forum 2026
At a moment when the First Amendment is under threat, Knight Foundation President and CEO Maribel Pérez Wadsworth sat down with Heather Gerken, president of the Ford Foundation, for a timely conversation on the state of democracy, civic engagement and the role of philanthropy in this critical moment.
News and Press
Ford Foundation Adds $60 Million in New Funding to Strengthen Democracy
Ford Foundation announced additional grants to nonpartisan, nonprofit organizations protecting and advancing democracy and the rule of law in the United States.
Ford Foundation’s New Leader Vows to Protect Elections and the Rule of Law
Heather K. Gerken, a voting rights scholar and former dean of Yale Law School, plans to intensify its emphasis on democracy as it girds for attacks.
The Next Generation’s Declaration of Economic Independence
Roy Swan argues investing in local leaders and worker-centered businesses offer a path to “Patriotic Capitalism”, addressing the current economic system’s failure to allow Americans to build wealth while staying rooted in their communities.
Foundations Commit $36.5 Million in Emergency Funding to Protect Public Media in Vulnerable Communities
Knight Foundation, Pivotal, the MacArthur Foundation, Ford Foundation, the Schmidt Family Foundation and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation join forces to support local public radio and television stations after loss of federal funding
Unlocking Broadband in the Heartland: A Harvest of American Opportunity
Discover how high-speed broadband is transforming rural America. This piece explores how broadband access ensures geographical location does not determine economic potential, ultimately creating a more inclusive and resilient American economy.