Ford Foundation

The foundation operates an endowment-based philanthropic model rather than a commercial revenue model. Its capital base is invested in a diversified portfolio, and it uses the financial returns to fund grants, fellowships, special initiatives and impact investments aligned with its mission of reducing inequality and strengthening civil society. It also issues bonds in capital markets when needed to expand its grantmaking capacity.

Value is created by converting financial returns into long-term, flexible funding and institutional support for social-justice organisations, leaders and networks worldwide. Initiatives such as multi-year general operating grants, leadership fellowships and capacity-building programmes aim to increase the resilience, scale and effectiveness of grantee organisations. Mission-related investments and programme-related investments further channel capital into impact projects while recycling some capital back into the endowment over time.

Ford Foundation is a large US-based private philanthropic foundation funded by an endowment. It stewards assets of roughly $16 billion and distributes around $500 million annually in grants and programme-related investments that support social justice, civil society resilience, leadership development and efforts to address inequality globally and in the United States.

The organisation does not sell products or services commercially; instead it allocates investment returns from its endowment into grants, fellowships, initiatives and impact investments such as mission-related investments (MRIs) and programme-related investments (PRIs). Its direct “customers” are grantees and fellows—civil society organisations, social-change leaders and community initiatives—who receive funding and capacity support rather than paying fees.