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Ford Foundation Annual Report 2003

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Ford Foundation Annual Report 2003 Communications President’s Letter 2 In pursuit of its mission around the world, the Ford Foundation’s grant-making How does the foundation decide what to support? 21 activities generate ideas as well as social change. The list is long: A few examples How is a grant selected and made? 59 are constructive ways to promote more democratic societies; new ideas for How does Ford monitor grants? 111 education reform; and innovative approaches to improving the lives of the poor. The O≤ce of Communications’central goal is to make sure the best of these The Foundation’s Mission 4 ideas are widely shared. Trustees and Officers 6 In this regard, the o≤ce serves a strategic communications role by broadening public Sta≠ 8 awareness of major foundation programs, the issues they address and the results Worldwide O≤ces 13 of this work. Ford Foundation by the Numbers 14 Communications sta≠ are a resource for journalists,giving them information about Asset Building and Community Development 23 the foundation and making available the expertise of our program sta≠. The o≤ce Grants and Projects, Fiscal Year 2003 also works with program o≤cers to develop communications plans to inform public Economic Development 25 debate and to help grantees strengthen their own communications e≠orts. Community and Resource Development 36 Programwide 57 The Ford Foundation Report (FFR), an award-winning quarterly magazine, takes a Program-Related Investments 58 journalistic approach to issues and events related to the foundation and its grantees. Each issue reaches some 50,000 readers in the U.S. and around the world. The o≤ce Peace and Social Justice 61 also produces the foundation’s annual report, a fundamental document of its public Grants and Projects, Fiscal Year 2003 The Ford Foundation is head- accountability, and works with program sta≠ to develop publications related to Human Rights 63 quartered in New York City. foundation-supported projects. Governance and Civil Society 84 The foundation’s building was Programwide 108 All of this is available on the foundation’s Web site at www.fordfound.org,along with designated a landmark by the news announcements, guidelines for grant seekers, information on the foundation’s New York Landmarks Preser- Knowledge, Creativity and Freedom 113 overseas o≤ces and listings of recent grants. The Web site is now the primary source Grants and Projects, Fiscal Year 2003 vation Commission in 1998. of information about foundation grants and averages nearly 1.5 million visitors a Education, Sexuality, Religion 115 The building’s garden is open year. Information is available in five languages in addition to English. Media, Arts and Culture 133 to the public and its meeting Programwide 146 rooms are made available To request publications or to be placed on the O≤ce of Communications’mailing to grantees. list, visit the Web site or write to: Foundationwide Actions 147 Good Neighbor Grants 149 Ford Foundation, O≤ce of Communications, Dept. A, 320 East 43rd Street, New York,N.Y.10017 U.S.A. Financial Review 153 Index 167 Photo Credits 187 Guidelines for Grant Seekers 188 GrantCraft 190 Communications inside back cover Annual report design: Design per se, New York Ford Foundation Annual Report 2003 2 FORD FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT 2003 President’s Letter Foundations are generally well regarded in the United States although few people know how they actually work or can name more than one or two of them. Many confuse foundations with well-known charities or service providers. At a time when there is increased expectation for accountability and transparency, such confusion must be cleared up by philanthropic organizations themselves. In that spirit, this year’s annual report includes brief explanatory remarks—set o≠ in green as on the opposite page—to accompany the various sections in order to give specialists and nonspecialists addi- tional information about how the Ford Foundation goes about its work. In this report and on our Web site, we seek to answer such basic questions as: What is the Ford Foundation and where does its money come from? How do we decide what to support? How are grants made and what is the process? American foundations are accountable to many audiences, for example, the U.S. Congress and the state attorneys general, which regulate us, the Internal Revenue Service, to which we report, and trustees, who oversee our work. At the same time, accountability is owed to the public. We hold our endowment funds in a private trust for the public good, so the public should be able to learn how those funds are managed and spent. I hope this report makes progress toward that goal. Susan V. Berresford President PRESIDENT’ S LETTER 3 The president is a member of the board of trustees and is responsible for implementing In addition to overseeing policy set by the board, Ford’s operations, I spend time worked to create partner- overseeing the foundation’s with people in other organi- ships with grantees that program and operations, and zations concerned with emphasize joint learning and representing the foundation public issues on which the reflection. We have made it to the public. I have worked foundation works. I try a priority to communicate at the foundation for more to understand di≠erent what we are learning to than 30 years, beginning as a perspectives on these issues broad audiences, and to build research assistant and going and to continually examine a sta≠ with diverse back- on to hold a succession of jobs what Ford is doing, how we grounds and skills. related to the foundation’s might do it better, and what U.S. and international work. we might do in the future. As our assets have grown, Since becoming president in I also spend time on a variety another priority has been April 1996, my priorities have of e≠orts to strengthen to put significant resources been to support ambitious philanthropy’s performance, behind promising ideas. programs fostering demo- legal compliance and The largest of these is the cratic values, economic transparency. International Fellowships well-being, peace, cultural Program. Over 10 years it expression and educational will enable 3,500 talented achievement. We have community leaders outside the United States—who would otherwise have no possibility of pursuing grad- uate study—to spend up to three years at any university in the world. This is a $280 million investment in local leaders from disadvantaged communities who could later emerge on the national, regional or world stage. 4 FORD FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT 2003 The Foundation’s Mission The Ford Foundation was established by Henry Ford in Since then, Ford’s grant 1936 with an initial gift of making has followed the $25,000. During its early broad goals articulated by who included members years, the foundation oper- the Gaither team. Its of the Ford family, recom- ated in Michigan under the report noted that the board mended that the foundation leadership of the Ford family. should be free to change become a national and Since its charter stated that its goals should other needs international philanthropy its resources should be used arise. The foundation’s funds dedicated to the advance- “all for the public welfare,” have come from growth ment of human welfare. the foundation made grants in the original investment to many di≠erent kinds of and later conversion of Perhaps most significant, organizations. After the these holdings to a diversi- the foundation declared its deaths of Edsel Ford in 1943 fied portfolio, now managed intention to focus on solving and Henry in 1947, their as described in the humankind’s most pressing bequests of Ford Motor Financial Review, which problems, whatever they Company stock significantly begins on page 153. might be, rather than to expanded the foundation’s work in any particular holdings and income In 1993, in response field, which was the more available for grant making. to trustee suggestions that traditional and accepted This led the Ford family to the foundation create a approach for foundations. appoint H. Rowan Gaither, a mission statement outlin- San Francisco lawyer, to ing the foundation’s goals The report set forth five lead a seven-man team of and the values that guide broad program areas: the experts to chart a new course its work, trustees and establishment of peace, for the future. The team’s sta≠ together crafted the the strengthening of democ- report, approved in 1950 by document opposite. racy, the strengthening the foundation’s trustees, of the economy, education in a democratic society, and individual behavior and human relations. MISSION STATEMENT 5 Mission Statement The Ford Foundation is a resource for innovative people and institutions worldwide. Our goals are to: Strengthen democratic values, Reduce poverty and injustice, Promote international cooperation and Advance human achievement. This has been our purpose for more than half a century. A fundamental challenge facing every society is to create political, economic and social systems that promote peace, human welfare and the sustainability of the environment on which life depends. We believe that the best way to meet this challenge is to encourage initiatives by those living and working closest to where problems are located; to promote collaboration among the nonprofit, govern- ment and business sectors; and to ensure participation by men and women from diverse communities and at all levels of society. In our experience, such activities help build common understanding, enhance excellence, enable people to improve their lives and reinforce their commitment to society. The Ford Foundation is one source of support for these activities. We work mainly by making grants or loans that build knowledge and strengthen organizations and networks.
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