The Ford Foundation announced it will embed multiyear flexible funding and institutional strengthening as default baseline practices across its entire global portfolio, part of its broader Innovation Agenda. The move follows the release of How We Meet This Moment, a report outlining the foundation's new strategic direction.

According to the foundation, the shift guarantees hundreds of millions of dollars in predictable, flexible capital for organizations navigating increasingly complex conditions worldwide.

Built on a Decade of Grantmaking Data

The change builds on insights from Ford's Building Institutions and Networks (BUILD) initiative. The foundation said a decade of grantmaking data shows that civil society partners deliver their strongest work when funders offer multiyear flexible support, invest in institutional health, and trust leaders with the independence to carry out their missions.

Ford is integrating these principles into everyday grantmaking across all areas of work through its Office of Innovation, which the foundation said will play a crucial part in strategy development over the course of 2027.

Key Operational Commitments

  • A floor of 50% multiyear general support: At least half of Ford's total annual program grantmaking budget will be anchored in multiyear general operating support ranging from three to five years, giving grantee partners stability alongside operational flexibility.
  • A 5% commitment to institutional strengthening: Starting in 2028, Ford will commit 5% of its annual program budget to dedicated capacity funding, which the foundation described as an eightfold increase. Rather than a one-size-fits-all requirement, these resources will be available to grantees based on their specific organizational needs, regardless of grant size, type, or term.
  • Support for the broader ecosystem: The investment extends beyond Ford's own portfolio by backing independent capacity-building networks and technical assistance providers that deliver services such as legal support, digital security, and financial health directly to organizations across the wider civil society ecosystem.
  • Appointing a director of grantmaking excellence: Ford is promoting Luc Athayde-Rizzaro to director of grantmaking excellence starting in January 2027. Currently serving as grantmaking excellence officer, Athayde-Rizzaro has been a key architect of Ford's learning and grantmaking practice.

Leadership Remarks

"Over the last decade, we learned a simple truth: Organizations do their best work when funders get out of the way, provide flexible funding over multiple years, and help them build institutional strength,“ said Noorain Khan, chief innovation officer at the Ford Foundation. ”True innovation is about taking what we know works and making it our global baseline. Luc is an exceptional leader whose vision and deep expertise have already helped transform our internal approaches, and I am thrilled to see him take the helm as we embed these standards foundation-wide."
“As we chart our path forward, fortifying democracy's preconditions requires changing what we fund and how we fund,” said Heather Gerken, president of the Ford Foundation. "Grantmaking excellence starts with listening to our partners and giving them the long-term stability and autonomy to lead. I am deeply grateful to Noorain and Luc for their exceptional leadership as we implement this practice across the entire foundation. We hope the philanthropic sector will join us in making flexible, multiyear support a standard practice."

About the Foundation

The Ford Foundation describes itself as an independent organization working to address inequality and build a future grounded in justice. For 90 years, it has supported visionaries on the frontlines of social change worldwide, guided by its mission to strengthen democratic values, reduce poverty and injustice, promote international cooperation, and advance human achievement. With an endowment of $18 billion, the foundation has headquarters in New York and 10 regional offices across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.