Ford Philanthropy
Ford Philanthropy is the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company, founded in 1949 as the Ford Motor Company Fund and based in Michigan. It partners with communities and organizations through grantmaking, Ford Community Centers, employee volunteerism, and Ford’s mobility expertise, with work focused on expanding access to essential services, education for the future of work, entrepreneurship, and mobility.
Ford Philanthropy at a glance
In short: Ford Philanthropy gave $41.6M across 207 grants in 2025 (avg $201K), top state District of Columbia. 23% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $41,619,497
- -3.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 207
- -10.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $201,060
- +7.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $221,018,321
- +7.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (46 of 198, 2025)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (35% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Ford Philanthropy
- How to Apply
-
Ford Philanthropy does not accept unsolicited requests for funds, according to its 2025 filing, and its website says it is unable to accept unsolicited proposals or grant applications. The filing states that contributions go only to preselected charitable organizations. A 2025 opportunity offered one-time grants of up to $75,000 to eligible nonprofits serving Halewood and Knowsley, or the wider Liverpool city region when services supported beneficiaries in those areas. That opportunity is past.
- Review Cycle
- The Halewood opportunity’s deadline was September 30, 2025.
- Deadline
- The Halewood opportunity’s deadline was September 30, 2025.
- Contact
Mailing address: One American Road, Dearborn, MI 48126-2701
Phone: (630) 415-8698
Website: https://fordphilanthropy.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ford Philanthropy funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Global Giving Foundation Inc ($10.7M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $22.7M.
Organizations only. It also paid 4 individual scholarships ($110,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
1,366 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 814 grants of 1,366 (60%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Ford Philanthropy says it partners with communities in more than 30 countries and awards grants in communities around the world where Ford operates. In its 2025 filing, grant dollars were reported across recipient states as follows: District of Columbia, 35%; Michigan, 35%; Arizona, 6%; Tennessee, 4%; and California, 3%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 207 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Ford Philanthropy open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 46 of 198 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $303K; repeat grants $182K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 69% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+14%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 569% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $21.6M (2020) to $44.1M (2019). In 2025 it made 207 grants totaling $41.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Global Giving Foundation Inc Washington, DC | GLOBAL | $9,998,553 |
| Techforce Foundation Phoenix, AZ | Scholarship | $2,550,000 |
| United Way for Southeastern Michigan Detroit, MI | Essential Services | $2,000,000 |
| Governors Highway Safety Association Washington, DC | Other Services | $1,718,833 |
| Gleaners Community Food Bank Detroit, MI | Essential Services | $1,394,211 |
| Henry Ford Learning Institute Dearborn, MI | Education for the Future of Work | $1,100,000 |
| Feonix - Mobility Rising Lincoln, NE | Essential Services | $1,000,000 |
| Kellogg Community College Foundation Battle Creek, MI | Education for the Future of Work | $800,000 |
| United Way of West Tennessee Jackson, TN | Ford Community Centers | $770,000 |
| American National Red Cross Washington, DC | Disaster Response | $683,300 |
Ready to take the next step with Ford Philanthropy?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $221,018,321 | $55,885,995 | $41,200,237 | $41,619,497 | 207 | $42,399,546 | $5,885,995 | $7,450,215 |
| 2024 | $205,843,476 | $55,220,167 | $43,469,423 | $43,141,913 | 231 | $44,530,858 | $4,884,072 | $6,906,246 |
| 2023 | $195,032,102 | $53,071,640 | $42,257,602 | $38,858,157 | 214 | $40,929,286 | $3,088,023 | $6,484,466 |
| 2022 | $180,129,635 | $51,656,043 | $37,841,900 | $36,403,260 | 297 | $38,163,946 | $1,647,235 | $6,299,203 |
| 2021 | $173,752,828 | $51,364,996 | $35,775,961 | $34,551,655 | 417 | $37,072,937 | $1,364,996 | $5,938,423 |
| 2020 | $161,791,596 | $101,489,118 | $23,611,623 | $21,636,746 | 311 | — | $1,489,118 | $4,397,444 |
| 2019 | $82,315,175 | $2,192,979 | $45,397,485 | $44,058,689 | 474 | — | $2,168,114 | $4,745,103 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ford Philanthropy reported a distributable amount of $7.5M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Ford Philanthropy’s stated mission is “Partnering with communities to move people forward and upward.” Its focus areas are essential services, education for the future of work, entrepreneurship, and mobility. Its website describes work to expand access to food, healthcare, and transportation; build education pathways for careers in mobility, technology, and the trades; and connect aspiring entrepreneurs with capital, mentorship, and training.
The organization partners with nonprofits and other tax-exempt organizations whose missions align with its priorities, as well as cultural and civil rights institutions and public- and private-sector partners. Examples among its 2025 grantees illustrate the range of its support. TechForce Foundation says its mission is to champion students through education and into careers as professional technicians. Feonix – Mobility Rising describes its mission as providing mobility solutions for health and wellbeing. Henry Ford Learning Institute says it creates small schools and hands-on learning programs, while the American Red Cross says it works to prevent and alleviate human suffering in emergencies.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, Ford Philanthropy reported 207 grants totaling $41,619,497. Grant amounts ranged from $2,500 to $9,998,553, with a median grant of $50,000. Notable awards included $9,998,553 to GlobalGiving Foundation Inc. for “GLOBAL,” $2,550,000 to TechForce Foundation for scholarships, $2,000,000 to United Way for Southeastern Michigan for essential services, and $1,718,833 to Governors Highway Safety Association for other services. Other awards included $1,394,211 to Gleaners Community Food Bank for essential services and $1,100,000 to Henry Ford Learning Institute for education for the future of work.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Mary E. Culler as chair, president, and trustee; David A. Webb as treasurer and trustee; and Cristina L. Sanders as assistant secretary. Listed trustees are Nicholas F. Ford, Catherine O’Callaghan, Kevin C. Legel, Daniel T. A. Justo, Lindsey F. Buhl, Jason W. Ingle, and Christopher C. Smith.
Ford Philanthropy is led by Mary E. Culler, Chair, President & Trustee since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 12 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Mary E. Culler
Chair, President & Trustee
Chair & Trustee → Chair, President & Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David A. Webb
Treasurer & Trustee
Vice President, Treasurer & Trustee → Treasurer & Trustee, 2020
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jason W. Ingle
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lindsey F. Buhl
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nicholas F. Ford
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kevin C. Legel
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christopher C. Smith
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Catherine O'Callaghan
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Daniel Ta Justo
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elena A. Ford
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gabriella C. Bruno
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cristina L. Sanders
Assistant Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (19)
- Former: David W. McClelland (2019–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Jonathan E. Osgood (2019–2024) — Secretary
- Former: Dianne Craig (2023–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Kiersten K. Robinson (2023–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Brandon M. Warrington (2024) — Assistant Secretary
- Former: David Schoch (2019–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Marion B. Harris (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Joy Falotico (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Lani Duffy (2019–2022) — Assistant Secretary
- Former: Jon Osgood (2022) — Secretary
- Former: Mitch B. Bainwol (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Mark P. Ovenden (2019–2020) — Trustee
- Former: Bradley Gayton (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Brent T. Pfeiffer (2019) — Assistant Treasurer
- Former: James G. Vella (2019) — Chair, President & Trustee
- Former: Joanna M. Totsky (2019) — Assistant Secretary
- Former: Peter D. Fleet (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Sheila F. Hamp (2019) — Trustee
- Former: William Dirksen (2019) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Ford Philanthropy
How much does Ford Philanthropy give each year?
Ford Philanthropy gave $41.6M across 207 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $43.1M across 231 grants.
What is Ford Philanthropy's typical grant size?
Ford Philanthropy's median grant in 2025 was $50,000, and its average grant was $201,060, across 207 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ford Philanthropy that year got $303K on average.
Where does Ford Philanthropy give grants?
Ford Philanthropy's top state is District of Columbia, with 35% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Michigan (35%) and Arizona (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Detroit, MI (60 grants), Washington, DC (13 grants), Dearborn, MI (10 grants) and Chicago, IL (8 grants).
Does Ford Philanthropy give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 207 grants with a stated purpose on Ford Philanthropy's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Employee Volunteering" (42 grants), "Essential Services" (37 grants) and "Scholarship" (30 grants).
Who are Ford Philanthropy's largest grantees?
Ford Philanthropy's largest 2025 grantees include Global Giving Foundation Inc ($10,654,053 across 2 grants), Techforce Foundation ($2,550,000) and United Way for Southeastern Michigan ($2,000,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 4 individual scholarships ($110,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ford Philanthropy?
Ford Philanthropy reported $221.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $42.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $7.5M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ford Philanthropy fund?
Ford Philanthropy’s stated mission is “Partnering with communities to move people forward and upward.” Its focus areas are essential services, education for the future of work, entrepreneurship, and mobility. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ford Philanthropy?
Ford Philanthropy does not accept unsolicited requests for funds, according to its 2025 filing, and its website says it is unable to accept unsolicited proposals or grant applications. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ford Philanthropy's EIN?
Ford Philanthropy's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-1459376. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 7, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ford Philanthropy's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ford Philanthropy funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ford-philanthropy-morg_d137ae9435cb4b669ca836cc64965fa3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_381459376_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ford Philanthropy funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ford-philanthropy-morg_d137ae9435cb4b669ca836cc64965fa3},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Ford Philanthropy's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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