JANUARY 2026 This month, we discuss protecting democracy and upholding the rule of law, reflect on the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., recognize a leader of labor rights for domestic workers, and celebrate our foundation’s 90th anniversary

JANUARY 2026

This month, we discuss protecting democracy and upholding the rule of law, reflect on the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., recognize a leader of labor rights for domestic workers, and celebrate our foundation’s 90th anniversary.

Heather Gerken talks with J. Michael Luttig and Jeh Johnson onstage

Ford Foundation

Supporting the Fundamentals of Democracy

In a functioning democracy, everyday citizens should have the right to vote and the people who make elections work should be supported. As the Ford Foundation continues to support organizations working to uphold the rule of law and strengthen democracy, our president, Heather Gerken, is convening timely discussions about why these issues matter.

In December, Gerken joined J. Michael Luttig, former judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and Jeh Johnson, former U.S. secretary of Homeland Security, for a powerful conversation at Ford’s Center for Social Justice in New York. The two experts, who hold different political perspectives but have a shared commitment to democracy, discussed current challenges to democratic norms and legal institutions and underscored that protecting America’s constitutional foundations requires collective courage and commitment. Gerken emphasized, “Right now, I am spending almost every minute of every day talking to people who are doing the extraordinary work of protecting the rule of law and protecting our democracy, from every part of the political spectrum.”

Gerken also joined a forum at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., to discuss strategies to reject extremism, build a civic life rooted in mutual respect, and ensure that we can protect the integrity of U.S. elections by supporting the people who run them.

Make It Count: 20%

The number to know in uplifting rural communities this month

GIF of a bar graph showing 20% and Sarah Jaynes, a white woman wearing a black patterned shirt

Sarah Jaynes
Director, The Heartland Fund

“The Heartland Fund, which is supported by Ford, works with rural leaders who are improving and transforming their communities. Heartland has three program areas: Rural Democracy, Resource Rural, and the Rural Climate Partnership.

The promise of rural America lies with its people. The Rural Democracy program invests in civic engagement efforts that empower rural working people to drive the important decisions that impact their lives and communities, from securing health care to ensuring fair voting access for all people. All of the program’s grantee partners bridge across differences to make things concretely better for their rural communities. In the process, they develop leaders, many of them young and people of color, decrease polarization, and defuse disinformation. In 2024, the Resource Rural program provided $4 million in grants and capacity support to 12 local partners. These partners then supported 370 communities and helped submit 320 grant applications, resulting in $145 million of public funding to help build essential rural infrastructure like water systems, housing, and energy-efficient schools. The Rural Climate Partnership boosts efforts that help communities take control of their own energy futures—building renewables, growing climate-smart agriculture, and lifting rural economies.

About 20% of the U.S. population lives in rural areas, yet only 7% of philanthropy is focused on rural communities. These are resilient communities with resourceful people; they’re used to chipping in and working together, and they have really strong relationships. They often have a lot of assets but not the financial resources to thrive. We are working to change the narrative of what is possible in rural places so people stop thinking about them as dying and recognize them as places that are rich with people power, natural resources, beauty, and community. Philanthropic resources can have outsized leverage to make major, lasting changes here.”

Read earlier Make It Count grantee interviews.

In other news

Ford announced the appointment of Nicholas Turner as the executive vice president for programs. He will join the executive leadership team in May to steward the strategic impact of the foundation’s programmatic work across our New York headquarters and 10 regional offices. Turner comes to Ford from the Vera Institute of Justice, where, as president and director, he led the organization through a significant transformation marked by a focus on racial justice, building capacity to move innovative policy change at scale and shape public debate, and a commitment to assert itself as a field anchor and defender. Prior to Vera, Turner was a managing director at The Rockefeller Foundation, providing leadership and strategic direction on key initiatives.

After losing a limb, accessing a quality prosthesis can be life-changing, improving mobility, delivering independence and economic security, and restoring access to meaningful activities. Yet prostheses can be prohibitively expensive, adding financial stress to those already navigating a profound adjustment. Steps of Faith Foundation, a U.S.-based Ford grantee, supports uninsured and underinsured amputees in securing prostheses; this month, CEO Billy Brimblecom, Jr., discussed their mission through a blog on Ford’s website.

For 90 years, upholding the promises of democracy has been central to Ford’s work. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Ford reflected on our support of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and remained committed to furthering Dr. King’s vision of justice and dignity for all people.

“Learning Globally, Leading Locally,” a series of conversations between emerging leaders in our Ford Global Fellowship, continued this month with Ivo Cípio Aureliano of Brazil and Nkosikhona Swaartbooi of South Africa. In a wide-ranging dialogue moderated by fellowship director Adria Goodson, they discovered profound connections between their work. They explored how lasting societal change requires both outward action—legal advocacy, organizational development, resource mobilization, and cultural and policy transformation—and inward work, repairing communities’ deepest traumas and honoring ancestral wisdom.

This month, Netflix released “Defying Destiny,” a 60-episode series based on Ford trustee Paula Moreno’s book Dreaming the Impossible. Inspired by the life of María Roa, the founder of the Afro-Colombian domestic workers’ union, the show explores the leadership of a Black woman whose advocacy helped transform the rights of over one million workers. “This project affirms a core belief: Our stories must be told by us and from us,” said Moreno. “For too long, we were objects of the narrative; today, we move toward being its authors.”

Ford appointed Debra Kroszner as vice president and chief external affairs officer, managing the foundation’s external affairs function. A seasoned strategist with nearly two decades of experience in public affairs, issues management, and cross-functional initiatives, she was previously a senior administrator at Yale Law School, where she served in a dual role as chief of staff and chief communications officer. During her tenure, she played a leading role in helping the law school launch and elevate key new initiatives, such as tuition-free scholarships and an innovative leadership program.

Nonprofit literary publishers and organizations champion diverse voices and adventurous works that deepen American culture. Last fall, Ford joined the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and five other funders to launch the Literary Arts Fund, committing at least $50 million over five years to strengthen this critically underfunded sector. PBS News Hour explored the fund’s impact for readers nationwide.

Photo of Ford Foundation office in 1940s

Henry Ford Museum

This year, the Ford Foundation celebrates our 90th anniversary.

It’s a milestone that invites reflection—not just on our history, but on what it means to sustain work across generations. Over nine decades, we’ve been privileged to support efforts that have touched countless lives and become part of the civic fabric: strengthening democracy and civic participation, advancing education and opportunity, expanding rights and representation, investing in culture and creativity, and helping build institutions designed to endure.

Sometimes this impact has looked like goods that millions rely on, such as public media that expands access to knowledge, learning, and culture. Sometimes it’s been the long work of expanding legal protections or ensuring historically excluded communities are heard. And sometimes it means supporting visionary leaders at the right moment, giving writers, artists, scholars, organizers, and other changemakers the opportunity to create and contribute in ways that ripple outward. All these moments have all been powered by people: grantee partners, staff, fellows, trustees, and collaborators doing the work that turns values into practice.

Throughout this year, we’ll share highlights from Ford’s history and the collective work we’ve been honored to support. We hope you’ll join us in reflecting on our past and continuing to build toward a more just and equitable future together.