Ford Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 13-1684331 · since 1960fordfoundation.org·International, New York·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$841M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$300 to $475k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$105k

Typical grant (median)

3,943 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

A mix of rolling and fixed deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

The foundation's work spans nine interconnected areas, and its stated themes include civic engagement, climate justice, gender, racial and ethnic justice and disability rights, so check first whether your work sits within one of them.
Most of its grants are modest: half of its 11,134 grants to organisations were $100,000 or less, with a median of $100,000, so a request of that order fits its usual pattern.
Its typical band runs from $300 to $475,000, but the largest grant was about $18,500,000, so treat that band as a guide rather than a ceiling.
Its stated focus is around the world with New York City as a priority, but its Good Neighbor Committee programme excludes organisations not based in New York City or not working primarily within the five boroughs, and organisations with budgets outside $50,000 to $5,000,000.
For film projects, the JustFilms Open Call accepts inquiries only during a designated four-week open-call period, with a stated range of $25,000 to $100,000, and 87% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, so a well-targeted first approach aligned with its themes is sensible.

Overview

Ford Foundation is a US private foundation based in New York, NY.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The Ford Foundation invests in individuals, ideas and institutions that address the underlying drivers of inequality and align with its programme work around the world. It works and makes grants across nine interconnected areas to challenge inequality. The foundation approaches this work through institution- and network-building, investment in individuals and leadership, and support for new ideas. It states a commitment to human rights and to working with those closest to the problems. Its grants go to organisations around the world whose work aligns with its programmes.

Themes

Civic engagement
Creativity and free expression
Disability rights
Gender, racial, ethnic justice
Global governance
Climate justice
Technology and society

Geographic Focus

Around the world. Priority: New York City.

What They Don't Fund

JustFilms Open Call only: student films; narrative films; short films; commissioned films where the filmmaker is not the rights holder to the project; episodic series; new media (AR, VR); podcasts; films that have already premiered or broadcast; impact or outreach campaigns
New York City Good Neighbor Committee only: organizations that are not based in New York City or do not primarily support local work within the five boroughs; organizations without 501(c)3 status and without a fiscal sponsor who does; organizations that do not work in one of the three priority thematic areas of the GNC; current grantees of other Ford Foundation programs at the time of application; organizations that are not responsive or accountable to the communities they support; organizations with annual budgets outside $50,000 to $5,000,000

How to apply

For the JustFilms Open Call, filmmakers submit inquiries during a designated four-week open-call period; projects selected to advance are invited to submit a full grant application.

Deadlines: Inquiries are accepted during the designated four-week open-call period.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 87% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 11,134 grants to organisations were $100,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

JustFilms gives priority to projects aligned with its thematic strategy, with intersectional representation, innovative storytelling, production viability and social and cultural impact.
Projects that analyse political, economic or cultural power and address gender, race or disability justice themes align with JustFilms’ stated criteria.
Successful applicants typically show a deep connection to the independent documentary film ecosystem and relevant support for past or current work.
The Good Neighbor Committee prioritises initiatives that reduce inequality, create opportunity and improve New York City communities’ quality of life and well-being.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

New York22%

District of Columbia17%

California10%

Michigan4%

Massachusetts3%

Illinois2%

6 other states: 6%

Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 36%

The largest single recipient received 3% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 87% of grant dollars went to organisations Ford Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
25% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Brazil, South Africa, United Kingdom, Indonesia).
21% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

3,943 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $105k

How much do they typically give?

Share of 3,943 grants in tax year 2024 by size

Under $1k15%

$1k–$2.5k2%

$2.5k–$5k2%

$5k–$10k2%

$10k–$25k2%

$25k–$50k3%

$50k–$100k13%

$100k–$250k34%

$250k–$500k17%

$500k–$1M7%

$1M and over4%

Median $105k (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors · Core support for the abundant futures fund (formerly, the new immigration fund), a national funder collaborative to engage new donors and significantly increase funding for immigration issues and the immigrant justice movement
$15,000,0002024 tax year
Blue Meridian Partners · Core support for the justice and mobility fund to accelerate economic mobility through criminal justice reforms for people with convictions and incarceration histories
$12,744,0002024 tax year
Foundation for Detroit's Future · For the detroit institute of arts settlement project to expedite detroit's bankruptcy settlement, assist in honoring pension commitments and preserve the institutes collection for public benefit
$8,333,3332024 tax year
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors · Core support for the collaborative for gender and reproductive equity
$5,000,0002024 tax year
Henry Ford Health System · General support
$3,400,0002024 tax year
Drug Policy Alliance · General support and core support for institutional strengthening
$3,250,0002024 tax year
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation · General support
$3,200,0002024 tax year
Equality Fund · General support
$3,000,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

George Walker — Trustee (As Of 3/2024)
Gabrielle Sulzberger — Trustee
Bryan Stevenson — Trustee
Chuck Robbins — Trustee
Laurene Powell Jobs — Trustee
Ai-Jen Poo — Trustee
Gbenga Oyebode — Trustee
Paula Moreno — Trustee
Lourdes Lopez — Trustee
Thomas L Kempner JR — Trustee
Henry Ford III — Trustee
Amy C Falls — Trustee
Catalina Devandas — Trustee
Ursula M Burns — Trustee
Francisco G Cigarroa — Trustee & Chair
Depelsha Mcgruder — VP, COO & Treasurer
Diane Headly — VP & Chief People Officer
Michele Moore — VP & Chief Communications Officer
Sarita Gupta — VP, U.S. Programs
Martin Abregu — VP, International Programs

and 4 more

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$972,621,627	$767,621,738	$16,382,743,459	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$851,842,660	$732,196,124	$16,786,755,826	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$1,043,691,402	$840,817,348	$17,482,000,476	Filing for 2024 tax year

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.