Ford Foundation unveils its biggest funding shift since 2015 with $700 million in grants

The Ford Foundation is preparing to reshape how it distributes its money, placing greater emphasis on the institutions that support democratic government while retaining its long-standing commitments to equality and social justice. The New York-based organisation, which manages an endowment of about $18 billion, announced the change in October 2026 under president Heather Gerken, who took charge less than a year ago. The shift will affect a wide range of its funding programmes, with seven new areas of work due to be outlined during 2027. Existing grants will continue during the transition, although some of the foundation’s current activities are expected to end as its priorities change.Ford Foundation sets out 7 new priorities in major funding strategy revisionAs reported by Associated Press (AP), the planned restructuring centres on 7 areas: democratic governance, inclusive economies, reliable information, public safety, gender equality, international cooperation and racial justice. The foundation has yet to provide a detailed account of how individual programmes will operate or which organisations will receive funding under the revised approach.Gerken presented the changes to the...