Funding search · EIN 131684331 · New York, NY

The Ford Foundation

A private foundation (files IRS Form 990-PF). Most private foundations do not take unsolicited applications; the route in is usually a program officer.

10,731
grants reported
$2.35B
total given
2022–2024
filing years
$120,000
median grant

Based on grants this organization reported to the IRS for tax years 20222024. This is what they filed, not a complete record of their giving, and recent years may be incomplete because filings lag.

What they fund

coregiftmatchingstrengtheninginstitutionaljusticerightssocial

Funder website ↗Full IRS filings ↗How this is builtReport an error

Funding pattern

What this funder pays for, at what size, and how to position adjacent work. Read from their filings, with every number checked against the record.

Where the money goes

  • General and core support for social justice advocacy organizations
  • Immigrant justice, civil rights, and racial equity movement infrastructure
  • Gender and reproductive equity, feminist funds, LGBTQI+ organizations
  • Worker power, anti-monopoly, economic mobility, and criminal justice reform
  • Public interest technology, digital rights, and investigative journalism
  • Arts and culture with an equity frame, including Detroit and regional initiatives

Typical grant

Median grant is $120,000 with the middle half between $50,000 and $250,000, so most of the 10,731 grants are modest institutional support checks. The seven-figure and eight-figure awards go almost entirely to pooled funds, funder collaboratives, and national anchor institutions such as Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Blue Meridian, ACLU, and NAACP LDF. Repeat giving is heavy: the same organizations appear across years, and several receive two separate grants in a single year.

Their words

Phrases from their own grant descriptions, worth speaking back to them.

  • GENERAL SUPPORT AND CORE SUPPORT FOR INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING
  • CORE SUPPORT
  • INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING
  • MOVEMENT
  • GLOBAL SOUTH
  • NARRATIVE

Positioning adjacent work

  • Frame the ask as core support for institutional strengthening, not a discrete project budget line.
  • Connect research to a named funded theme: worker organizing, public interest technology, gender equity, or narrative change.
  • Ask $100,000 to $250,000 for a first relationship; seven figures goes to pooled funds and anchors.
  • Emphasize movement partners and Global South collaborators rather than academic outputs alone.

Worth knowing: Money concentrates hard in New York and Washington DC, with California, Massachusetts, and Detroit next, and Detroit giving reflects long-standing Ford commitments there. A small set of intermediaries, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, New Venture Fund, NEO Philanthropy, and Proteus, absorb the largest checks and regrant them, so the practical route in is often through a collaborative Ford already funds rather than direct.

17 grants matching “lesson · $3.1M

  • $750,000

    The Royal Institute of International Affairs (Aka Chatham House) · 2024

    Core support for the global governance centre ?to address gaps in global governance through precise examination of historic successes and shortcomings and through mapping lessons to sectors where governance is still nas read all
  • $201,000

    Fundacion Acordemos Esal · 2024

    Core support for institutional strengthening and project support to establish a comprehensive repository and training on peace negotiations' lessons learned to collaborate with authorities and civil society on implement read all
  • $200,000

    International Federation of Women Lawyers · 2024

    For engagement, coordination and sharing of lessons on gbv prevention between religious, traditional and government leaders in nigeria

  • $100,000

    Deaf Women Included · 2024

    To strengthen the capacity to document survivor centered interventions in preventing gender-based violence amongst young deaf women and disseminate lived lessons to inform prevention efforts

  • $75,000

    Center for Popular Democracy · Brooklyn, NY · 2024

    For the forge to undertake the acorn oral histories project to gather and share lessons in order to strengthen the field of organizing today

  • $48,344

    Patricia Maria Tappata · New York, NY · 2024

    To document and analyze human rights lessons learned from authoritarian political processes in argentina, el salvador, and peru, including free educational activities and identifying best practices for current challenge read all
  • $100,000

    Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors · New York, NY · 2023

    Core support for the shifting systems initiative to examine when, how, and why certain solutions achieve system-level shifts, and to share the lessons and recommendations from those successes

  • $100,000

    Impact Assets · Bethesda, MD · 2023

    Core support for its socap23 partnership to convene impact investors and mission-driven entrepreneurs in order to share best practices, lessons learned and emerging trends in the field

  • $62,056

    Patricia Maria Tappata · New York, NY · 2023

    To document and analyze human rights lessons learned from authoritarian political processes in argentina, el salvador, and peru, including free educational activities and identifying best practices for current challenge read all
  • $400,000

    Guernica 37 International Justice Chambers · 2022

    For a comprehensive strategy for the protection of communities: lessons from colombia to latin america

  • $400,000

    Museum of Modern Art · New York, NY · 2022

    Core support for acquisition of isaac julien film, lessons of the hour

  • $250,000

    Asian Americans Advancing Justice · Washington, DC · 2022

    For the the asian american education project to train k-12 educators on implementing curriculum of asian americans in classrooms nationally.to promote the ready-to-use lessons in an active way to gain teacher interest t read all
  • $125,000

    Center for Popular Democracy · Brooklyn, NY · 2022

    For the forge to undertake the acorn oral histories project to gather and share lessons in order to strengthen the field of organizing today

  • $100,000

    Impact Assets · Bethesda, MD · 2022

    Core support for its socap22 partnership, to convene impact investors and mission-driven entrepreneurs in order to share best practices, lessons learned and emerging trends in the field

  • $100,000

    Institute for Integrated Transitions · 2022

    Tie-off core support to strengthen its venezuela program's capacities to promote a more open and inclusive civic space and democratic values as well as to share knowledge and lessons learned across similar conflict cont read all
  • $64,600

    Patricia Maria Tappata · 2022

    To document and analyze human rights lessons learned from authoritarian political processes in argentina, el salvador, and peru, including free educational activities and identifying best practices for current challenge read all
  • $50,000

    Center for Global Health Innovation · Atlanta, GA · 2022

    Core support to the becoming better ancestors initiative, a virtual learning series which documents the history and lessons learned from smallpox eradication and demonstrates their relevance to today's global health pro read all

Top recipients

Repeat recipients are the strongest signal of whether a funder has an open door or quietly re-funds the same organizations.

  • Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors56 grants · $69.4M
  • New Venture Fund125 grants · $62.4M
  • Blue Meridian Partners4 grants · $48.5M
  • Neo Philanthropy61 grants · $25.4M
  • Foundation for Detroit'S Future3 grants · $25.0M
  • Borealis Philanthropy24 grants · $15.1M
  • Climate and Land Use Alliance Llc8 grants · $13.3M
  • Proteus Fund40 grants · $12.6M
  • Amalgamated Charitable Foundation30 grants · $11.8M
  • Oxfam America16 grants · $11.4M

Giving over time

$769.9M
2022
$734.7M
2023
$843.5M
2024

Grant history

The 100 largest of 10,731 grants.

  • $18.7M

    Blue Meridian Partners · New York, NY · 2023

    Core support for the justice and mobility fund to accelerate economic mobility through criminal justice reforms for people with convictions and incarceration histories

  • $16.9M

    Blue Meridian Partners · New York, NY · 2022

    Core support for the justice and mobility fund to accelerate economic mobility through criminal justice reforms for people with convictions and incarceration histories

  • $15.0M

    Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors · New York, NY · 2024

    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 m read all
  • $12.7M

    Blue Meridian Partners · New York, NY · 2024

    Core support for the justice and mobility fund to accelerate economic mobility through criminal justice reforms for people with convictions and incarceration histories

  • $10.6M

    National Academy of Sciences · Washington, DC · 2022

    For the ford fellowships program for predoctoral, dissertation and postdoctoral fellowships

  • $10.0M

    Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors · New York, NY · 2022

    Core support for the reproductive health and women's rights collaborative

  • $9.8M

    Climate and Land Use Alliance Llc · San Francisco, CA · 2022

    To ensure indigenous peoples, afro-descendants, and local communities have secure land and resource rights; build resilient, well networked, and effective organizations; and contribute to global forest management, conse read all
  • $8.3M

    Foundation for Detroit'S Future · Detroit, MI · 2024

    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

  • $8.3M

    Foundation for Detroit'S Future · Detroit, MI · 2023

    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

  • $8.3M

    Foundation for Detroit'S Future · Detroit, MI · 2022

    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

  • $5.0M

    Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors · New York, NY · 2024

    Core support for the collaborative for gender and reproductive equity

  • $5.0M

    Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors · New York, NY · 2023

    Core support for the collaborative for gender and reproductive equity

  • $5.0M

    Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors · New York, NY · 2022

    Core support for the new immigration fund, a national funder collaborative to engage new donors and significantly increase funding for immigration issues and the immigrant justice movement

  • $5.0M

    Yayasan Keanekaragaman Hayati Indonesia · 2022

    For an endowment fund for civil society strengthening in indonesia as part of developing sustainable and resilient financial infrastructure in the global south

  • $3.5M

    Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors · New York, NY · 2022

    Core support for the international fund for public interest media to bridge to a new paradigm of journalism by improving the health of media ecosystems and promoting equality, social justice, and civic participation

  • $3.4M

    Henry Ford Health System · Detroit, MI · 2024

    General support

  • $3.4M

    Henry Ford Health System · Detroit, MI · 2023

    General support

  • $3.3M

    Drug Policy Alliance · New York, NY · 2024

    General support and core support for institutional strengthening

  • $3.2M

    American Civil Liberties Union Foundation · New York, NY · 2024

    General support

  • $3.0M

    Equality Fund · 2024

    General support

  • $3.0M

    The Global Fund for Women · San Francisco, CA · 2024

    Core support for the launch of the black feminist fund, an unprecedented philanthropic initiative bridging black feminist resources to black feminist organizing around the world to strengthen their sustainability and re read all
  • $3.0M

    Equality Fund · 2023

    General support

  • $3.0M

    The Global Fund for Women · San Francisco, CA · 2023

    Core support for the launch of the black feminist fund, an unprecedented philanthropic initiative bridging black feminist resources to black feminist organizing around the world to strengthen their sustainability and re read all
  • $3.0M

    Center for Popular Democracy · Brooklyn, NY · 2022

    General support and core support for institutional strengthening

  • $3.0M

    Equality Fund · 2022

    General support

  • $3.0M

    Global Fund for Women · San Francisco, CA · 2022

    Core support for the launch of the black feminist fund, an unprecedented philanthropic initiative bridging black feminist resources to black feminist organizing around the world to strengthen their sustainability and re read all
  • $3.0M

    New Venture Fund · Washington, DC · 2022

    For the administration of the public interest technology infrastructure fund, to continue cross-foundation strategic collaboration and grantmaking to strengthen the field of public interest technology

  • $3.0M

    Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors · New York, NY · 2022

    Core support for the creation of the international resource for impact and storytelling (iris), an external donor collaborative supporting a global-south moving-image storytelling network, narrative analysis and shared read all
  • $2.7M

    New Venture Fund · Washington, DC · 2022

    Core support to implement governance, management, strategies, grantmaking, and learning for the global network for social justice and digital resilience

  • $2.6M

    Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism · Oakland, CA · 2023

    Core support for the sister funds collective care program to build sustainable and scalable regional and global infrastructures that support the resilience, wellbeing, and safety of women and lbtqi+ defenders and their read all
  • $2.5M

    National Employment Law Project · New York, NY · 2022

    General support and core support for institutional strengthening

  • $2.5M

    Me Too International · Atlanta, GA · 2024

    General support and core support for institutional strengthening

  • $2.5M

    Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts · Springfield, MA · 2024

    Core support for america's cultural treasures regional initiative in massachusetts, creative futures initiative: towards a just + equitable arts field, to support local arts and cultural activities

  • $2.5M

    Ms Training Centre for Development Cooperation · 2024

    Core support for fight inequality alliance's work with national movements in over 40 countries across asia, africa, europe and latin america and the caribbean that are connected globally

  • $2.5M

    B Lab Company · Berwyn, PA · 2023

    General support and for core support for institutional strengthening

  • $2.5M

    B Lab Company · Berwyn, PA · 2022

    General support and core support for institutional strengthening

  • $2.5M

    Family Values at Work a Multi-State Consortium · Milwaukee, WI · 2022

    General support and core support for capacity building.

  • $2.5M

    Rockwood Leadership Institute · Oakland, CA · 2022

    General support and core support for organizational strengthening

  • $2.4M

    Amigos Del Museo Del Barrio · New York, NY · 2022

    General support and core support for technical assistance

  • $2.4M

    Demos a Network for Ideas and Action Ltd · New York, NY · 2022

    General support and core support for institutional strengthening

  • $2.4M

    Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation Incorporated · Winstonsalem, NC · 2024

    For the deep south/emerging social justice infrastructure strategic grantmaking program

  • $2.4M

    Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation Incorporated · Winstonsalem, NC · 2023

    For the deep south/emerging social justice infrastructure strategic grantmaking program

  • $2.3M

    Neo Philanthropy · New York, NY · 2024

    Core support for the four freedoms fund to strengthen the capacity of the immigrant justice movement to ensure all immigrants, regardless of status, have dignity, power to shape change, and agency to determine their lif read all
  • $2.3M

    Upturn · Washington, DC · 2024

    General support and core support for institutional strengthening

  • $2.3M

    Center for Reproductive Rights · New York, NY · 2022

    General support

  • $2.2M

    Center On Budget and Policy Priorities · Washington, DC · 2024

    General support and core support for institutional strengthening

  • $2.2M

    Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation Incorporated · Winstonsalem, NC · 2022

    For the deep south/emerging social justice infrastructure strategic grantmaking program

  • $2.1M

    Center On Budget and Policy Priorities · Washington, DC · 2023

    General support and core support for institutional strengthening

  • $2.1M

    Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism · Oakland, CA · 2024

    Core support for the sister funds collective care program to build sustainable and scalable regional and global infrastructures that support the resilience, wellbeing, and safety of women and lbtqi+ defenders and their read all
  • $2.1M

    New Venture Fund · Washington, DC · 2024

    For the administration of the public interest technology infrastructure fund, to continue cross-foundation strategic collaboration and grantmaking to strengthen the field of public interest technology

  • $2.1M

    International Trade Union Confederation · 2023

    To promote equal and equitable participation of women and equity seeking groups in leadership, and in economic, social, civic and cultural life

  • $2.0M

    Urgent Action Fund for Women'S Human Rights · Oakland, CA · 2022

    Core support for the sister funds collective care program to build sustainable and scalable regional and global infrastructures that support the resilience, wellbeing, and safety of women and lbtqi+ defenders and their read all
  • $2.0M

    American Civil Liberties Union Foundation · New York, NY · 2024

    General support

  • $2.0M

    Howard University · Washington, DC · 2024

    Core support for the center for journalism and democracy to help strengthen americas democracy by training and supporting generations of black journalists in the field of investigative journalism

  • $2.0M

    Oxfam America · Boston, MA · 2024

    For the climate media collaborative for economic justice and community rights to leverage strategic communications and campaigns capacity

  • $2.0M

    United States Artists · Chicago, IL · 2024

    General support

  • $2.0M

    Yayasan Solidaritas Dana Nusantara · 2024

    For a direct funding mechanism to support indigenous peoples and local communities' initiatives in protecting and managing their territories, their environment and their agrarian resources, and for endowment support

  • $2.0M

    Borealis Philanthropy · Minneapolis, MN · 2023

    Core support to the racial equity in journalism fund, a donor collaborative to assist and strengthen people of color-led and -serving media institutions, particularly around civic news coverage and core support for fund read all
  • $2.0M

    Borealis Philanthropy · Minneapolis, MN · 2023

    Core support for the racial equity in philanthropy fund to ensure funders are provided with the incentive and means to embrace racial equity in their operations and grantmaking

  • $2.0M

    Center for Popular Democracy · Brooklyn, NY · 2023

    General support and core support for institutional strengthening

  • $2.0M

    Civicus World Alliance for Citizen Participation · Washington, DC · 2023

    General support and core support for institutional strengthening

  • $2.0M

    Hopewell Fund · Washington, DC · 2023

    Core support for the administration of the civic (re)solve education fund, to center public interest technology as an approach across the fund's investment strategy

  • $2.0M

    Internationella Insamlingsstiftelsen for Land Och Skogsrattigheter · 2023

    General support and core support for institutional strengthening

  • $2.0M

    Borealis Philanthropy · Minneapolis, MN · 2022

    Core support for the racial equity in philanthropy fund to ensure funders are provided with the incentive and means to embrace racial equity in their operations and grantmaking

  • $2.0M

    Borealis Philanthropy · Minneapolis, MN · 2022

    Core support to the racial equity in journalism fund, a donor collaborative to assist and strengthen people of color-led and -serving media institutions, particularly around civic news coverage and core support for fund read all
  • $2.0M

    California Community Foundation · Los Angeles, CA · 2022

    Core support for the amerca's cultural treasures initiative (los angeles)

  • $2.0M

    Capital B News · Brooklyn, NY · 2022

    General support

  • $2.0M

    Edison Institute Inc Dba the Henry Ford · Dearborn, MI · 2022

    General support

  • $2.0M

    Enterprise Community Partners · Columbia, MD · 2022

    Core support for the cdo fund that provides support for community development organizations that engage in economic and community development, organizing, resident engagement, and social service projects that empowers d read all
  • $2.0M

    Houston Arts Alliance · Houston, TX · 2022

    Core support for the america's cultural treasures initiative (houston)

  • $2.0M

    International Center for Not-for-Profit Law · Washington, DC · 2022

    General support and core support for institutional strengthening

  • $2.0M

    International Labor Rights Forum · Washington, DC · 2022

    General support

  • $2.0M

    Naacp Legal Defense and Educational Fund · New York, NY · 2022

    General support

  • $2.0M

    National Domestic Workers Alliance · New York, NY · 2022

    Core support for caring across generations to work towards a reality where all people can live and age with dignity, and core support for institutional strengthening of caring across generations

  • $2.0M

    Neo Philanthropy · New York, NY · 2022

    Core support for the four freedoms fund to strengthen the capacity of the immigrant justice movement to ensure all immigrants, regardless of status, have dignity, power to shape change, and agency to determine their lif read all
  • $2.0M

    Oxfam America · Boston, MA · 2022

    For the climate media collaborative for economic justice and community rights to leverage strategic communications and campaigns capacity

  • $1.9M

    Neo Philanthropy · New York, NY · 2023

    Core support for the four freedoms fund to strengthen the capacity of the immigrant justice movement to ensure all immigrants, regardless of status, have dignity, power to shape change, and agency to determine their lif read all
  • $1.8M

    New Venture Fund · Washington, DC · 2024

    Core support to implement governance, management, strategies, grantmaking, and learning for the global network for social justice and digital resilience

  • $1.8M

    Movement Alliance Project · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

    General support and core support for institutional strengthening

  • $1.8M

    Center for Popular Democracy · Brooklyn, NY · 2024

    General support and core support for institutional strengthening

  • $1.8M

    Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors · New York, NY · 2024

    Core support for the pop culture collaborative, a donor collaborative and learning community transforming narratives about black and indigenous peoples, people of color, immigrants, refugees, and muslims; and core suppo read all
  • $1.8M

    International Labor Rights Forum · Washington, DC · 2023

    General support

  • $1.8M

    National Immigration Law Center · Los Angeles, CA · 2023

    General support and for core support for institutional strengthening

  • $1.8M

    Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Asian Law Caucus · San Francisco, CA · 2022

    General support for asian american advancing justice-asian law caucus and core support for institutional strengthening of the asian american justice affiliation

  • $1.8M

    Howard University · Washington, DC · 2022

    Core support for the center for journalism and democracy to help strengthen americas democracy by training and supporting generations of black journalists in the field of investigative journalism

  • $1.7M

    Center for Law and Social Policy · Washington, DC · 2024

    General support and core support for institutional strengthening

  • $1.7M

    Enterprise Community Partners · Columbia, MD · 2024

    Core support for the cdo fund for community development organizations that engage in economic and community development, organizing, resident engagement, and social service projects that empower detroiters

  • $1.7M

    Way To Rise · Washington, DC · 2024

    Core support for the valiente fund to generate and organize donors, build year-round civic engagement programs focused on people of color, women, and young people, and strengthen state social justice infrastructure

  • $1.7M

    Enterprise Community Partners · Columbia, MD · 2023

    Core support for the cdo fund for community development organizations that engage in economic and community development, organizing, resident engagement, and social service projects that empower detroiters

  • $1.7M

    Way To Rise · Washington, DC · 2023

    Core support for the valiente fund to generate and organize donors, build year-round civic engagement programs focused on people of color, women, and young people, and strengthen state social justice infrastructure

  • $1.7M

    Barack Obama Foundation · Chicago, IL · 2022

    Core support for the obama presidential center capital campaign

  • $1.7M

    American University of Beirut · 2024

    To support the regionalization of the non-governmental organizations initiative (ngoi) and the set up of an institutional strengthening and capacity building program for civil society in the mena region.

  • $1.6M

    Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors · New York, NY · 2023

    Core support for the collective future fund to create a future where all girls and women, cis, transgender, and gender non-conforming, can live, learn, and work with safety and dignity

  • $1.6M

    Groundswell Fund · Oakland, CA · 2023

    For strengthening trans and reproductive justice organizations that are led by women of color, low-income women, and transgender people to build power and create meaningful collaboration in service of gender justice in read all
  • $1.6M

    Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Asian Law Caucus · San Francisco, CA · 2023

    General support and core support for institutional strengthening of the asian american justice affiliation

  • $1.6M

    Florida Rising Together · Miami, FL · 2023

    General support and core support for institutional strengthening

  • $1.6M

    Fund for Global Human Rights · Washington, DC · 2024

    General support and core support for institutional strengthening

  • $1.6M

    Naacp Legal Defense and Educational Fund · New York, NY · 2024

    General support

  • $1.6M

    Powerswitch Action · Oakland, CA · 2024

    General support and core support for institutional strengthening

  • $1.6M

    Barack Obama Foundation · Chicago, IL · 2023

    Core support for the obama presidential center capital campaign

View all 10,731 grants →

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Source: IRS Form 990-PF, Part XV, as filed by the foundation. These are grants already paid — a record of what this funder backs, not an open call.