The Ford Foundation is an international non-commercial
charitable organization. It operates as an independent, non-profit, nongovernmental
organization, under the direction of a Board of Trustees. Founded as a local charity in
1936 by bequests from members of the Ford family, the Foundation no longer has any
connection with the Ford Motor Company. The Trustees of the Foundation set policy and
delegate authority to the president and senior staff for the Foundation’s grantmaking
and operation. In addition to its New York headquarters, the Foundation has field offices
in many parts of the world. Program officers in New York and in the field offices explore
opportunities to pursue the Foundation’s goals, formulate strategies, and recommend
proposals for funding. Since its inception, the Foundation has provided over eight billion
dollars in grants and loans.
The Foundation’s Moscow office was opened in 1996.
Beginning in 1950, the Foundation sponsored a range of activities in
the countries of the former Soviet Union and those in Central Europe, particularly in the
area of educational and cultural exchange. During the period 1950-1988 the Foundation
spent some $60 million to improve Western understanding of the region, to further the
analysis of key issues in East-West relation, and to promote freedom of expression,
cultural pluralism, and respect for human rights. In 1989, the Foundation’s Board of
Trustees authorized staff to begin making grants in direct support of indigenous
institutions in the Soviet Union, Poland, Hungary (and more recently Czechoslovakia) in
order to advance the process of democratization and reform. During the period 1989-1994
the Foundation spent approximately $30 million on projects in the countries of the former
Soviet Union and Central Europe. In 1994 a decision was taken to concentrate grant-giving
on projects in Russia, and in Central Europe. To this end an office, for Russia, was
opened in Moscow in January 1996.
The activities of the Foundation in Russia focus on the following broad
areas:
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Human rights, legal reform, and legal education; |
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Independent analysis of economic and social policy; |
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Higher education in sociology, politics, economics, and
modern Russian history; |
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Regional civic initiatives: |
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support for nongovernmental organizations; |
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development of local communities and local governance. |
In each area, the Foundation is interested in working with Russian
institutions in the governmental, nongovernmental, and private sector. The reason for this
is that we seek to concentrate our efforts on the creation and support of institutional
structures or organizations which over time will become self-supporting. The Foundation
therefore welcomes projects which are conceived by and are to be executed by Russian
organizations and institutions. Grants are normally made to Russian organizations, which
are financially accountable for them. If the organizers of the project wish to include
foreign participants, this is of course permissible.
We also welcome proposals from Russian organizations to hold
conferences, seminars, and similar useful activities in areas related to the
Foundation’s program priorities. However, the Foundation rarely makes grants to
individuals or for purely academic research projects. Travel grants to conferences are
only made in exceptional circumstances. Sometimes confusion arises on this point. The
Foundation may make a grant to an institution, such as the Moscow Public Science
Foundation, which then organizes an individual grants program. However, the Ford
Foundation’s staff play no part in awarding these grants. Similarly, the Ford Foundation
may make a grant to the Russian American Human Rights Group to run a small grants
competition, but it is the RAHRG jury, independently, which makes decisions about awarding
these grants.
We repeat: our aim is to support Russian initiatives, of many different kinds, and
throughout Russia.
The Ford Foundation Moscow Office
Representative: Mary McAuley
Program Officers: Christopher Kedzie
103009 Moscow
Ul. Tverskaya 16/2
tel.: (095) 935-7051
fax: (095) 935 7052
e-mail: moscow@fordfound.org
Ford Foundation New York Office
Program Officer for Eastern Europe: Irena Gross
320 East 43rd Street
New York, NY 10017
tel.: (1 212) 573 5283
fax: (1 212) 697-4820
e-mail: i.gross@fordfound.org
About
Ford Foundation