The Ford Foundation is a private American foundation with headquarters in New York and regional offices in 10 other countries, including China.
Established in 1936 with a gift from Edsel Ford, son of Ford Motor Company founder Henry Ford, the Ford Foundation has grown to become one of the largest philanthropies in history. The foundation is led by our president, Darren Walker, and an independent board of trustees. We generate grant making resources by investing our $12.5 billion endowment, and do not accept donations. We do not carry out project work directly; the organizations that we support design and implement their own projects.
The Ford Foundation is committed to reducing inequality. We support inclusive human development, and envision a world in which all individuals, communities, and peoples share in the knowledge, wealth, and resources of society.
The Ford Foundation is dedicated to investing in innovative ideas, visionary leaders, and organizations advancing human dignity around the world. Its watershed commitment to invest $1 billion directly from its endowment into mission-related investments over the next 10 years is a further extension of that mission. By announcing this commitment, the largest of its kind from a private philanthropic organization, the foundation declared that impact investing is not just for the private sector or individual investors.
