Mission:
To strengthen democratic values, reduce poverty and injustice, promote international cooperation, and advance human achievement.

Background:
Established in 1936 with a gift of $25,000 from Edsel Ford, the Ford Foundation was originally based in Michigan and focused on utilizing its resources "for scientific, educational, and charitable purposes, all for the public welfare." A 1953 report prepared by the Gaither Study Committee recommended that the foundation become a national and international philanthropy dedicated to the advancement of human welfare and, in a break from the usual practice at the time, urged it not to work in any one particular field. Under the leadership of Henry Ford II, the foundation moved its headquarters to New York City in 1953 and today has ten regional offices around the world and programs in more than fifty countries.

Outstanding Web Features:
The Ford Foundation Web site, which was re-launched in June, offers an interactive timeline of the foundation's history and impact; an interactive graphic and map of the foundation's grantmaking in each of its geographic focus areas; a grants database that is searchable by grantee, initiative name, approach, and more; a searchable library of foundation publications and multimedia items; and a section focused on the foundation's approach to assessment and learning.