The Ford Family Foundation: Grant Strategy
Case Overview
The Ford Family Foundation (TFFF), a private foundation located in Roseburg, Oregon, sought guidance in reassessing priorities for its responsive grant program, as well as in further developing its proactive grant program. To date, TFFF has worked collaboratively with other foundations on the Chalkboard Project (a non-partisan organization working to improve Oregon's K-12 public schools) and initiated a five-year Visual Arts program. The Foundation wanted to place particular emphasis on aligning its grantmaking with its two well-established initiatives, a college scholarships program and an institute focused on leadership development and community building in rural communities.
A leader in rural philanthropy, The Ford Family Foundation directly operates two large initiatives while also administering a traditional grants portfolio. The Foundation wanted to re-examine how it could best leverage its resources to meet its mission of creating "successful citizens and vital rural communities." In particular, the Board was interested in refining the scope of its responsive grantmaking, as well as identifying one to two key issue areas where it could proactively invest to create desired change.
The first steps in developing a revised grantmaking strategy included: internal assessments of the values and priorities of the Board, a review of the Foundation’s past grantmaking, and a study of the objectives and outcomes of the Foundation’s key initiatives. To better understand the philanthropic landscape, FSG also interviewed key stakeholders and peers, noting TFFF’s strengths and opportunities to create impact.
Stakeholders believed the Foundation played an important role in the community, particularly in rural parts of the state, and were supportive of the Foundation revisiting its grantmaking priorities. Community interviews indicated that the Foundation’s priorities were unclear, making it challenging for nonprofits and agencies to accurately assess opportunities for responsive funds.
FSG facilitated Board and staff discussions that led to the Board adopting a portfolio approach to grantmaking. The Board and staff felt strongly that this portfolio should reflect grantmaking to empower communities to address key social issues, as well as grantmaking that was focused on Foundation-identified areas. As a result of this process, The Foundation is undertaking a systematic, comprehensive approach to identify which proactive grant areas to pursue, as well as a decision to limit responsive grantmaking to five high-priority issue areas. While many of The Foundation’s practices remain the same – reflecting its core values and role in the community – its new grantmaking strategy is enabling the Foundation to build on its unique assets and expertise to chart a new course for community impact.
About The Ford Family Foundation
The Ford Family Foundation’s mission is "Successful Citizens and Vital Rural Communities." The Foundation creates impact through its scholarship programs, the Ford Institute for Community Building and through proactive and responsive grants.