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Our president @HeatherKGerken shares why we must urgently support the basic building blocks of our democracy, by defending the nonpartisan systems and procedures that safeguard the integrity of America's elections. Read more in The @ChronicleOfPhilanthropy at our link in bio.

We consider safeguarding the systems essential to American democracy as the urgent work of our moment.

Grantees like @VeteransforallVoters, Pillars of the Community, and @CampaignLegal Center are pursuing vital, nonpartisan work across all 50 states—from increasing civic participation to protecting the right to vote. Learn how at our link in bio.

We consider safeguarding the systems essential to American democracy as the urgent work of our moment.

Grantees like @VeteransforallVoters, Pillars of the Community, and @CampaignLegal Center are pursuing vital, nonpartisan work across all 50 states—from increasing civic participation to protecting the right to vote. Learn how at our link in bio.

We consider safeguarding the systems essential to American democracy as the urgent work of our moment.

Grantees like @VeteransforallVoters, Pillars of the Community, and @CampaignLegal Center are pursuing vital, nonpartisan work across all 50 states—from increasing civic participation to protecting the right to vote. Learn how at our link in bio.

We consider safeguarding the systems essential to American democracy as the urgent work of our moment.

Grantees like @VeteransforallVoters, Pillars of the Community, and @CampaignLegal Center are pursuing vital, nonpartisan work across all 50 states—from increasing civic participation to protecting the right to vote. Learn how at our link in bio.

We consider safeguarding the systems essential to American democracy as the urgent work of our moment.

Grantees like @VeteransforallVoters, Pillars of the Community, and @CampaignLegal Center are pursuing vital, nonpartisan work across all 50 states—from increasing civic participation to protecting the right to vote. Learn how at our link in bio.

We consider safeguarding the systems essential to American democracy as the urgent work of our moment.

Grantees like @VeteransforallVoters, Pillars of the Community, and @CampaignLegal Center are pursuing vital, nonpartisan work across all 50 states—from increasing civic participation to protecting the right to vote. Learn how at our link in bio.

As we continue to mark nine decades of challenging inequality this year, we're reflecting on our mission, and where we started.

Ford’s work has long focused on improving our communities at the local level in the United States and worldwide.

At the core of our mission is listening to and learning from our grantees to ground these efforts.

Ford has evolved since the early days, as you can see in this photo from our original office in Dearborn, Michigan, 1946. But 90 years has given us the experience to understand better how we can put those founding principles, like safeguarding democracy, into action.

Keep following #FordFoundation90 as we share stories throughout the year about our impact, history, and current work to strengthen democracy and justice.

📸: From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.

For children living in poverty, Head Start offers a way out: building students’ confidence and strengthening employment outcomes.

Founded in 1965 by U.S. President Lyndon Johnson, the idea behind Head Start was that early support, for students who are often overlooked, ultimately sets them up for success in the long-run. Ford’s early-childhood initiatives helped to inform the government’s strategy and we funded the researchers who designed the program.

Since its inception, Head Start has served over 40 million children. And the results are definitive: improved high school completion rates, higher college enrollment, and improved adult economic self-sufficiency.

This year marks 61 years of Head Start and #FordFoundation90. We are looking back at 90 years of impact for a more just future, and Head Start is a striking example of what’s possible when you invest in a child’s potential.

We are proud to partner with Humanity AI, a collaborative philanthropic initiative dedicated to a more equitable tech future. Today, we’re excited to announce Humanity AI's first round of grants: over $18 million awarded to the frontline voices shaping the next era of innovation.
From labor rights to democratic values to culture, these grantees represent the expertise needed to ensure technology serves the public good. As Lori McGlinchey, Ford's Director of Technology and Society, puts it: "This is a generational moment for philanthropy to pool resources and empower talented people working to align technology with our democratic values." Read more about the inaugural cohort at the link in bio. #TechSociety

It was a privilege to learn from Indonesian women leaders on the challenges they face in their work and the pathways for change.

Merupakan suatu kehormatan untuk belajar dari para pemimpin perempuan Indonesia mengenai tantangan yang mereka hadapi dalam kerja-kerja yangmereka lakukan dan jalur menuju perubahan.

It was a privilege to learn from Indonesian women leaders on the challenges they face in their work and the pathways for change.

Merupakan suatu kehormatan untuk belajar dari para pemimpin perempuan Indonesia mengenai tantangan yang mereka hadapi dalam kerja-kerja yangmereka lakukan dan jalur menuju perubahan.

It was a privilege to learn from Indonesian women leaders on the challenges they face in their work and the pathways for change.

Merupakan suatu kehormatan untuk belajar dari para pemimpin perempuan Indonesia mengenai tantangan yang mereka hadapi dalam kerja-kerja yangmereka lakukan dan jalur menuju perubahan.

I spent an incredible few days in Jakarta meeting with our Ford Foundation team, grantee partners, and leaders across the region. Thank you to Ford’s regional director Alex Irwan and the entire Indonesia office for your warm welcome and leadership.

Saya menjalani beberapa hari yang luar biasa di Jakarta, bertemu dengan tim kami di Jakarta, mitra penerima hibah, dan para pemimpin di negara ini. Terima kasih kepada Direktur Regional Ford, Alex Irwan, dan seluruh kantor Indonesia atas sambutan hangat dan kepemimpinan Anda.

I spent an incredible few days in Jakarta meeting with our Ford Foundation team, grantee partners, and leaders across the region. Thank you to Ford’s regional director Alex Irwan and the entire Indonesia office for your warm welcome and leadership.

Saya menjalani beberapa hari yang luar biasa di Jakarta, bertemu dengan tim kami di Jakarta, mitra penerima hibah, dan para pemimpin di negara ini. Terima kasih kepada Direktur Regional Ford, Alex Irwan, dan seluruh kantor Indonesia atas sambutan hangat dan kepemimpinan Anda.

I spent an incredible few days in Jakarta meeting with our Ford Foundation team, grantee partners, and leaders across the region. Thank you to Ford’s regional director Alex Irwan and the entire Indonesia office for your warm welcome and leadership.

Saya menjalani beberapa hari yang luar biasa di Jakarta, bertemu dengan tim kami di Jakarta, mitra penerima hibah, dan para pemimpin di negara ini. Terima kasih kepada Direktur Regional Ford, Alex Irwan, dan seluruh kantor Indonesia atas sambutan hangat dan kepemimpinan Anda.

I spent an incredible few days in Jakarta meeting with our Ford Foundation team, grantee partners, and leaders across the region. Thank you to Ford’s regional director Alex Irwan and the entire Indonesia office for your warm welcome and leadership.

Saya menjalani beberapa hari yang luar biasa di Jakarta, bertemu dengan tim kami di Jakarta, mitra penerima hibah, dan para pemimpin di negara ini. Terima kasih kepada Direktur Regional Ford, Alex Irwan, dan seluruh kantor Indonesia atas sambutan hangat dan kepemimpinan Anda.

I spent an incredible few days in Jakarta meeting with our Ford Foundation team, grantee partners, and leaders across the region. Thank you to Ford’s regional director Alex Irwan and the entire Indonesia office for your warm welcome and leadership.

Saya menjalani beberapa hari yang luar biasa di Jakarta, bertemu dengan tim kami di Jakarta, mitra penerima hibah, dan para pemimpin di negara ini. Terima kasih kepada Direktur Regional Ford, Alex Irwan, dan seluruh kantor Indonesia atas sambutan hangat dan kepemimpinan Anda.

I spent an incredible few days in Jakarta meeting with our Ford Foundation team, grantee partners, and leaders across the region. Thank you to Ford’s regional director Alex Irwan and the entire Indonesia office for your warm welcome and leadership.

Saya menjalani beberapa hari yang luar biasa di Jakarta, bertemu dengan tim kami di Jakarta, mitra penerima hibah, dan para pemimpin di negara ini. Terima kasih kepada Direktur Regional Ford, Alex Irwan, dan seluruh kantor Indonesia atas sambutan hangat dan kepemimpinan Anda.

I spent an incredible few days in Jakarta meeting with our Ford Foundation team, grantee partners, and leaders across the region. Thank you to Ford’s regional director Alex Irwan and the entire Indonesia office for your warm welcome and leadership.

Saya menjalani beberapa hari yang luar biasa di Jakarta, bertemu dengan tim kami di Jakarta, mitra penerima hibah, dan para pemimpin di negara ini. Terima kasih kepada Direktur Regional Ford, Alex Irwan, dan seluruh kantor Indonesia atas sambutan hangat dan kepemimpinan Anda.

I spent an incredible few days in Jakarta meeting with our Ford Foundation team, grantee partners, and leaders across the region. Thank you to Ford’s regional director Alex Irwan and the entire Indonesia office for your warm welcome and leadership.

Saya menjalani beberapa hari yang luar biasa di Jakarta, bertemu dengan tim kami di Jakarta, mitra penerima hibah, dan para pemimpin di negara ini. Terima kasih kepada Direktur Regional Ford, Alex Irwan, dan seluruh kantor Indonesia atas sambutan hangat dan kepemimpinan Anda.

I spent an incredible few days in Jakarta meeting with our Ford Foundation team, grantee partners, and leaders across the region. Thank you to Ford’s regional director Alex Irwan and the entire Indonesia office for your warm welcome and leadership.

Saya menjalani beberapa hari yang luar biasa di Jakarta, bertemu dengan tim kami di Jakarta, mitra penerima hibah, dan para pemimpin di negara ini. Terima kasih kepada Direktur Regional Ford, Alex Irwan, dan seluruh kantor Indonesia atas sambutan hangat dan kepemimpinan Anda.

I spent an incredible few days in Jakarta meeting with our Ford Foundation team, grantee partners, and leaders across the region. Thank you to Ford’s regional director Alex Irwan and the entire Indonesia office for your warm welcome and leadership.

Saya menjalani beberapa hari yang luar biasa di Jakarta, bertemu dengan tim kami di Jakarta, mitra penerima hibah, dan para pemimpin di negara ini. Terima kasih kepada Direktur Regional Ford, Alex Irwan, dan seluruh kantor Indonesia atas sambutan hangat dan kepemimpinan Anda.

In March 1933, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was born in Brooklyn, New York. She married and had a daughter before studying at Harvard Law School, where she was one of just 10 women in a class of over 500 men. After graduating from Columbia Law School in 1959, she taught at Rutgers Law School, where she fought to end pay discrimination against women professors.

In the late 1960s, Ginsburg began volunteering for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and in 1971, she cofounded its Women’s Rights Project, which advocated for greater equality for women across society. Ford was an early supporter of the program and provided it 11 grants over the years. Between 1971 and 1980, when Ginsburg was appointed a federal judge, the ACLU was involved in nearly two-thirds of all gender discrimination cases brought before the Supreme Court.

In 1993, President Bill Clinton nominated Ginsburg to the Supreme Court and she took her seat that year, becoming the second woman appointed to its bench.

“The demand for justice runs through the entirety of the Jewish tradition,” Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote in a The New York Times piece on “What Being Jewish Means to Me” from 1996.

Justice Ginsburg died on September 18, 2020.

During #JewishAmericanHeritageMonth and on our 90th anniversary, we’re reflecting on her legacy of work towards justice, peace, and equity. Her unwavering spirit remains an inspiration throughout time. #FordFoundation90

ChiChi Aniagolu-Okoye, our West Africa Regional Director, was honored to accept an award from Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission for Ford’s long-standing commitment to advancing human rights across the country. Our partnership with the commission has supported Nigerians to expand access to justice and deepen trust in institutions. The honor is a testament to the work of our grantees and partners, who are committed to strengthening human rights protections. Learn more at the link in bio.

ChiChi Aniagolu-Okoye, our West Africa Regional Director, was honored to accept an award from Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission for Ford’s long-standing commitment to advancing human rights across the country. Our partnership with the commission has supported Nigerians to expand access to justice and deepen trust in institutions. The honor is a testament to the work of our grantees and partners, who are committed to strengthening human rights protections. Learn more at the link in bio.

ChiChi Aniagolu-Okoye, our West Africa Regional Director, was honored to accept an award from Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission for Ford’s long-standing commitment to advancing human rights across the country. Our partnership with the commission has supported Nigerians to expand access to justice and deepen trust in institutions. The honor is a testament to the work of our grantees and partners, who are committed to strengthening human rights protections. Learn more at the link in bio.

ChiChi Aniagolu-Okoye, our West Africa Regional Director, was honored to accept an award from Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission for Ford’s long-standing commitment to advancing human rights across the country. Our partnership with the commission has supported Nigerians to expand access to justice and deepen trust in institutions. The honor is a testament to the work of our grantees and partners, who are committed to strengthening human rights protections. Learn more at the link in bio.

The Big Juicy Question is a practice developed by #FordGlobalFellows director Adria Goodson to give fellows a practical tool to create and explore the questions that matter most to them. Rather than following a fixed curriculum, fellows use their questions to shape their own learning journey across different geographies with peers who are doing the same. The result is a leadership experience that is both authentically personal and genuinely collaborative and supports the people who are taking on the world’s most pressing challenges.

In honor of #MayDay, read about the women workers uniting against gender-based violence and the deeply inequitable effects of climate change.

Our grantee Women Rising is featured in a Devex series exploring the essential leadership of women workers as drivers of inclusive and essential change. It’s an inspiring example of how women workers are shifting power and influencing policy towards #WorkersRights. Read more at the link in our bio. #InternationalWorkersDay

Davis High School in Houston had a 30% graduation rate in 1989. James Ketelsen understood that opportunity for children in urban areas was not universal: children needed motivation, care, and nurturing to achieve success.

In 1993, Project GRAD (Graduation Really Achieves Dreams) was born out of his vision to improve public school test scores and graduation rates, reduce teen pregnancy, and improve college enrollment.

With Ford’s support, this program worked: Davis' college-bound rate went from 10% in 1981 to 66% in 1994. In subsequent years, the project (now called @gradcafe1) expanded to 100,000 students in 6 cities.

We’re proud to be a part of the story supporting students to achieve their dreams! #FordFoundation90

📸: Mike Robinson/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images