Darren Walker talks to the Chronicle of Philanthropy about the culture he’s building.

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Published in The Chronicle of Philanthropy

New leader steers Ford Foundation back toward familiar ground

By Alex Daniels

Pointing the way forward for a sprawling, venerable philanthropic institution like the Ford Foundation is a dizzying experience, says Darren Walker, the man who is setting its course. There is no clear, simple formula to determine how a philanthropy giant with billions in assets and offices across the globe should make its bets, says Mr. Walker.

“The world is topsy-turvy, and you really can’t tell if you’re standing on quicksand or on concrete,” he says.

Mr. Walker, who became president of the foundation a year ago, plans to present his priorities to the foundation’s directors in October. He says he will restart grants to peace and global-security efforts, and increase the amount of money the foundation contributes to programs that deal with urban issues, both in the United States and internationally.

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More Information

Read Darren’s reflections on his first year and all his blog posts.