The Ford Family Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The filing gives a stated geographic focus of rural Oregon, Siskiyou County and the Roseburg City limits, with themes of children and families, early years, youth and small-town economies and gathering places, so work that serves rural children in those areas is the clearest fit.
- Most grants are modest: about 8 in 10 fall between $1,300 and $95,000, the median is $10,000, and half of its grants are $10,000 or less, so a request near that level is typical, though its largest grant was $1,200,000, so that band is not a ceiling.
- Organisations should apply through the SmartSimple grant portal, contact staff through the form before applying for a larger grant, and note that Good Neighbor requests need 25% committed beforehand and a clear sustainability plan, while Technical Assistance generally suits organisations with budgets under $1 million.
- Relationships appear to matter, since in its latest filing 71% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings, so a first approach may be harder without existing local support.
- Do not apply if your work is adult-only mental health or substance abuse treatment, housing, transportation, debt retirement, or propaganda or lobbying, as these are excluded.
Overview
The Ford Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in Roseburg, OR.
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
It supports projects and programmes rooted in Oregon and Siskiyou County, California that make a meaningful difference in the lives of rural children. Strong Starts strengthens early-years support for children and families, including connections between caregivers and children, child-abuse prevention and childcare. Bright Futures supports learning and development from early childhood through career pathways, including youth development beyond school hours. Thriving Communities backs small towns seeking stronger local economies, social connections and public gathering spaces. The Foundation makes grants to organisations to strengthen social and economic supports for children and families, funding programmes, operations and capital projects. Most grants go to 501(c)(3) nonprofits, governmental agencies and tribal nations.
Themes
- Strong Starts
- Bright Futures
- Thriving Communities
Geographic Focus
Rural Oregon; Siskiyou County; Roseburg City limits. Priority: River corridor from Stewart Park Natural Area (near the duck pond) to downtown.
What They Don't Fund
- Individuals (except through programs where recipients are chosen by a grantee institution)
- Organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, ability, gender, religion or any other protected status
- Debt retirement, reserve accounts or endowments or to help defray deficits
- Efforts to carry out propaganda, proselytize, influence elections or affect legislation
- Adult-only mental health or substance abuse treatment
- Housing, transportation or other basic community infrastructure like water treatment, sewage or lighting
- General K-12 workforce and professional development
- Medical facilities when connected to a larger profit-based system
- Museums without a focus on children or strong outreach programs
- Routine K-12 school curriculum development
- Debt retirement or operating deficits
- Endowments or reserve funds
- Propagandizing or influencing elections or legislation
How to apply
Organisations submit applications through the SmartSimple grant portal.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 71% 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 2,358 grants to organisations were $10,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- For all grants, it looks for strong community buy-in and support, which local and regional donors, individuals and businesses can demonstrate through cash or in-kind donations.
- Good Neighbor requests should have 25% committed before applying; in-kind support can play a role, but the strongest requests have other funding at the table.
- Good Neighbor requests should show the community at the table where services will be provided.
- Good Neighbor requests should have a clear sustainability plan.
- Technical Assistance grants generally support organisations with an annual budget under $1 million, though exceptions are possible.
- Applicants for larger grants should contact staff through the form before submitting an application.
- Hometown Fund projects should be highly collaborative, have a viable plan and momentum, and be done in deep partnership.
- Hometown Fund projects should bring diverse partners across sectors into the vision and planning.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: <1%
- The largest single recipient received 7% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 71% of grant dollars went to organisations The Ford Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 12% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 826 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $10,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Tides Center · Protect Our Children - Tides Center - 1522$523,0002024 tax year
- Nonprofit Association of Oregon · 2024 Rural Nonprofit Capacity Building$437,0002024 tax year
- Oregon CASA Network · Strengthening Oregon's CASA Network$350,0002024 tax year
- Hearts With A Mission · Safe Families for Children Oregon Collaborative$300,0002024 tax year
- Oregon Community Foundation · Oregon Child Care Alliance$275,0002024 tax year
- Western Oregon University Development Foundation · The Rural Early Learning Facilities Improvement Project$275,0002024 tax year
- Glide Revitalization · Glide Revitalization Community Resource Center$250,0002024 tax year
- Warm Springs Community Action Team · Pavilion Campus$250,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Phillips Gerald — Director
- Toby Luther — Director
- Joseph Robertson — Director
- Eric Forrest — Director
- Carrie Thompson — Director
- Andreas Storment — Director
- Allyson Ford — Director
- Donna Wolford — Assistant Secretary
- Aden Bliss — CFOO
- Kara I Carlisle — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $59,124,528 | $43,386,275 | $1,085,195,597 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $59,489,862 | $40,322,363 | $1,125,032,912 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $56,867,219 | $37,375,285 | $1,143,428,817 | 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.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to The Ford Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (541) 957-5574
- Roseburg, OR
- tfff.org
Applying to The Ford Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (541) 957-5574
- Roseburg, OR
- tfff.org