Challenging inequality
We believe in the inherent dignity of all people. Yet around the world, billions of people are excluded from full participation in the political, economic, and cultural systems that shape their lives.
We view this fundamental inequality as the defining challenge of our time, one that limits the potential of all people, everywhere. Addressing inequality is at the center of everything we do.
What’s driving inequality
We have identified five underlying drivers of inequality—common factors that, worldwide, contribute to inequality’s many manifestations.
Entrenched cultural narratives that undermine fairness, tolerance, and inclusion
Failure to invest in and protect vital public goods such as education and natural resources
Unfair rules of the economy that magnify unequal opportunity and outcomes
Unequal access to government decision making and resources
Persistent prejudice and discrimination against women, people with disabilities and racial, ethnic, and caste minorities
What we work on
To address and respond to these drivers, we work and make grants in nine interconnected areas that together, we believe, can help challenge inequality.
Very intentionally, we do not see these program areas as silos. They are entry points that our eleven offices—considering local context and local partners—combine in creative ways to target the drivers of inequality. It is at the intersections of these areas that we believe real change is possible. And our core values, including commitment to human rights and working with those closest to the problems, infuse and inform everything we do.
How we work
How we work is as important as what we work on. Throughout our history, the foundation’s approach has been characterized by a continuous emphasis on building institutions and networks, investing in individuals and leadership, and supporting new ideas. These are our three I’s.
Ideas
We have invested in the ideas, insights, and research that have seeded pioneering movements like public broadcasting, microfinance, legal services for the poor, community development, and Internet rights—to name a few.
Individuals
We have stood behind thousands of extraordinary individuals, ranging from Martin Luther King Jr. to Nelson Mandela, James Baldwin to Gloria Steinem, Muhammad Yunus to Ai-jen Poo. Nearly 50 Nobel laureates were Ford Foundation grantees—before they won their prizes.
Institutions
We have helped launch institutions like Human Rights Watch, the Public Broadcasting Service, and South Africa’s Legal Resources Centre.