NEW YORK – Today, the Ford Foundation announced the election of Jason W. Ingle to its Board of Trustees. Mr. Ingle is the founder and managing partner of Third Nature Investments and the great-great-grandson of Henry Ford.

Francisco G. Cigarroa, Chair of the Ford Foundation Board of Trustees, said, “We are excited to welcome Jason as our newest trustee at the Ford Foundation. His commitment, experience, and unique perspective will be highly valuable to the foundation and its mission for a more just and equitable world.” 

Mr. Ingle is a founding investor and board director of Desert Bloom Food Ventures, an investment firm dedicated to improving our food system. He is also a founding member of The ImPact, a membership network of family enterprises committed to making investments with measurable social impact. In 2012, he co-founded Closed Loop Capital, an impact-driven venture fund investing in innovative agriculture technology and food system companies. Prior to this, he founded Greener Partners, a not-for-profit organization with a mission to strengthen community health through sustainable farming, fresh food access, and discovery-based learning. 

“I’m thrilled that Jason has agreed to join the board and cannot wait to begin working with him,” said Heather Gerken, president of the Ford Foundation. “As we celebrate the Ford Foundation’s 90th anniversary, we are especially proud that Jason will not only carry forward the connection to our founding family, but will lend his innovative expertise and passion to our mission as we write the next chapter of the foundation’s story.”

Mr. Ingle currently serves on the boards of Copia, a platform that helps businesses reduce food waste; Sway Innovation, a material innovation company replacing petro-based plastics; Ford Philanthropy, the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company; and Equal Measure, an organization supporting strategy development and impact evaluation for many of the largest and most forward-thinking foundations and nonprofits in the US.

“I am immensely honored to join the Ford Foundation’s board of trustees,” said Jason W. Ingle. “What truly defines this organization is its singular dedication to fighting inequality – a mission more urgent than ever as our world grapples with profound uncertainty and rapid change. The Foundation’s greatest strength isn’t just the scale of its philanthropic capital, but its extraordinary people – their collective wisdom, deep community roots, and unparalleled networks. This human insight, built over decades and spanning the globe, is precisely what’s needed to thoughtfully integrate new philanthropic approaches and capital, ensuring we drive lasting impact across crucial issues, from climate justice to civic engagement and free expression. This is how we address the pivotal challenges facing humanity today.” 

Ford Foundation trustees are elected by the board and serve six-year terms. Trustees set broad policies relating to grantmaking, geographic focus, investments, governance, and professional standards, and they oversee independent audits. The foundation’s trustees come from around the world and have extensive experience in higher education, business and finance, technology, law, government, civil society, and the nonprofit sector.