# Ford Foundation

Ford Foundation is an Endowment / Foundation based in New York, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation
- **Headquarters:** New York, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** 320 East 43rd Street, New York, NY 10017, United States
- **Founded:** 1936
- **Assets under management:** 15900 (Altss estimate)
- **Website:** fordfoundation.org
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/fordfoundation

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

The Ford Foundation was established in 1936 by Edsel Ford and Henry Ford. Its endowment originated in the automotive industry. The foundation operates as a grant-making philanthropy with a focus on reducing inequality. The endowment holds a 31.68 percent allocation to private equity. It also runs a $1 billion mission-related investments portfolio targeting social impact alongside returns. Confirmed positions include Coursera, DoorDash and Airbnb from historical 13F filings. Geographic reach covers North America, Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East through direct grants and fund commitments. The foundation employs staff across its New York headquarters and 11 regional offices. It participates in The ImPact and the Council on Foundations. November 2024: Sponsored the NGO-ISAC 2024 Conference on cybersecurity for non-governmental organizations. The foundation maintains separation between its grant-making mandate and investment activities through a distinct CIO role and board oversight. Trustees include family descendant Jason W. Ingle alongside independent members.

## Sectors

- Financial Services
- Education/Training
- Healthcare
- Renewable Energy
- Infrastructure

## Offices

- Bogota
- Lagos
- Jakarta
- New Delhi
- Nairobi
- Johannesburg
- Mexico City
- Beijing
- Bangkok
- Cairo
- Dakar

## People

- Heather Gerken — President
- Darren Walker — Former President

## Questions

### Who runs investment decisions at Ford Foundation?

Eric Doppstadt serves as Chief Investment Officer. The role oversees endowment allocation including the 31.68 percent private equity sleeve and the $1 billion mission-related investments portfolio.

### Does Ford Foundation participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?

The foundation acts as a limited partner in funds such as Ex/Ante Fund I and Fairview Foundations Emerging Managers Fund. It also holds direct equity positions disclosed in 13F filings.

### What investment stages does Ford Foundation typically target?

Strategy tags include early stage, growth, buyout, distressed debt and venture capital. The foundation executes through both fund commitments and co-investments.

### How does Ford Foundation source proprietary deal flow?

Sourcing occurs through memberships in The ImPact and Council on Foundations plus direct relationships in impact and emerging manager funds.

## Related profiles

- [Commonwealth Financial Network](https://altss.com/profile/commonwealth-financial-network)
- [Volksbank Wien](https://altss.com/profile/volksbank-wien)

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/ford-foundation

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