Throughout the Ford Foundation’s history, we have invested in the individuals, ideas, and institutions that make change happen.

We believe that to create a more equitable world, we must support emerging leaders from the communities closest to the problems—the tenacious individuals with the deepest knowledge of the issues that affect them and the boldest ideas for building a brighter future for us all.

The Ford Global Fellowship is a $50 million, 10-year investment that aims to connect and support the next generation of leaders from around the world who are advancing innovative solutions to end inequality. Our flagship international fellowship focuses on shared learning across issues, building and strengthening connections across borders, and developing a supportive, interconnected cohort across a wide variety of sectors. Our hope is that the fellowship will catalyze and amplify the impact of these fellows’ work, both individually and collectively.

Since the fellowship’s launch in 2020, our community has grown to 98 active fellows who nurture and learn from each other so they can work better, smarter, and more sustainably in the long haul. Over the course of the program, we aim to create a powerful network of 240 fellows from across the globe, covering a multitude of the world’s most pressing issues.


Meet the 2024 Fellows

These 26 emerging leaders joined our global community in 2024.

Image of three Ford Global Fellows with distinct backgrounds and facial characteristics.

Meet the 2021 Fellows

These 48 emerging leaders joined our second cohort in 2021. 

Meet the Inaugural 2020 Fellows

These 24 emerging leaders from Latin America, the United States, the Middle East, and North Africa make up the inaugural cohort of the Ford Global Fellowship.

What we’ve learned since 2020

Adria Goodson, director of the Ford Global Fellowship, shares her reflections on building the fellowship amidst a pandemic and highlights what leaders need today in the face of multiple crises.

Got questions? We have answers.

We answer frequently asked questions about the Ford Global Fellowship.