Ford Foundation - Working with visionaries on the frontlines of social change worldwide

In 1969, Ford joined the Carnegie Foundation and a small team of investors to back a new idea for a unique, educational TV show for children: Sesame Street. For more than 50 years, Sesame Street has remained on the air, holding a special place in everyone’s hearts and helping generations of kids become smarter, stronger, and kinder.

To help social justice leaders advance their work, we created the International Fellowships Program to provide them with the opportunity to pursue a graduate or postgraduate degree. To date, more than 4,300 changemakers from 22 countries—spanning Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East—have completed their education and have gone on to make their mark in their homeland and beyond. The fellowship set a new precedent in higher education by promoting greater equity and inclusivity.

COVID-19 presented the world with an unparalleled situation. As nonprofits stepped up to address its sweeping impacts, they struggled to keep their doors open. In response, we issued the first-ever social bond by a foundation to ensure organizations could not only carry on their important work but also their invaluable role in society. The bond’s proceeds enabled us to double our funding to $1 billion at a time when the world needed it most.