With almost $11 billion in assets, according to the Foundation Center, the Ford Foundation is dedicated to “working with visionary leaders and organizations to change social structures and institutions.” Established in 1936 by Edsel Ford, son of Ford Motor Company founder Henry Ford, the foundation has initiatives in North and Latin America, Africa, and Asia. It also awards grants to organizations and individuals working in three main areas. The first of these is economic opportunity and assets; the second is democracy, rights, and justice; and the third is education, creativity, and free expression. The New York City-based foundation makes around 1,400 grants annually.
