Is The Ford Foundation Finally Helping Detroit?

**Gistok** · January-16-14, 10:16 AM

OK, I, like many here have been very critical of the Ford Foundation... ever since Henry Ford II lost local control of the foundation to NYC interests.

The foundation has not done a very good job in the last few decades of focusing much attention on Detroit, unlike others such as the Kresge, Skillman and other lesser foundations.

Has the Ford Foundation finally had an Epiphany in regards to Detroit?

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2.../BIZ/301160041

**Honky Tonk** · January-16-14, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by Gistok

OK, I, like many here have been very critical of the Ford Foundation... ever since Henry Ford II lost local control of the foundation to NYC interests.

The foundation has not done a very good job in the last few decades of focusing much attention on Detroit, unlike others such as the Kresge, Skillman and other lesser foundations.

Has the Ford Foundation finally had an Epiphany in regards to Detroit?

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2.../BIZ/301160041

Detroit should think Ford first.

**Bham1982** · January-16-14, 10:57 AM

Strange post. Why would the Ford Foundation be obligated to concentrate only on Metro Detroit?

It has always been a global foundation, yet it's receiving criticism by Detroiters, even though the foundation has always contributed huge amounts to the region.

The Ford Foundation is the largest foundation in the world. It's pretty silly to think it should concentrate on one city. It has never been located in Detroit, BTW. It was in Dearborn at HQ for a few years after founding, but quickly moved to NYC, and has been there ever since.

It has always had a global outlook, and doesn't concentrate resources in any one place, or even any one country.

The weird foundation is Kresge, which claims to be global, but doesn't seem to do anything unrelated to Detroit. Very good for Detroit and the region, but not really aligning with their mission.

**Gistok** · January-16-14, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

Strange post. Why would the Ford Foundation be obligated to concentrate only on Metro Detroit?

It has always been a global foundation, yet it's receiving criticism by Detroiters, even though the foundation has always contributed huge amounts to the region.

The Ford Foundation is the largest foundation in the world. It's pretty silly to think it should concentrate on one city. It has never been located in Detroit, BTW. It was in Dearborn at HQ for a few years after founding, but quickly moved to NYC, and has been there ever since.

It has always had a global outlook, and doesn't concentrate resources in any one place, or even any one country.

The weird foundation is Kresge, which claims to be global, but doesn't seem to do anything unrelated to Detroit. Very good for Detroit and the region, but not really aligning with their mission.

Bham1982... maybe you can point out where I said the Ford Foundation should concentrate only on metro Detroit??

Had you read the article... you would have been informed that the Ford Foundation spent a lot less on the Detroit area in the last 30 years, than it did prior to that.

The Mott Foundation has spent a lot of its' money in the Flint area... the Kellogg's Foundation has spent a lot of its' money in the Battle Creek area. The Carnegie Foundation spends a lot of its' money in Pittsburgh. So why shouldn't do you think it odd that Detroit founded foundations shouldn't spend at least some decent percentage on metro Detroit?

Second... the Kresge Foundations mission... nothing odd about it...

KRESGE FOUNDATION Mission and Values

Our Mission

To promote human progress.
We advance our mission by:

creating access and opportunity in underserved communities,
improving the health of low-income people,
supporting artistic expression,
increasing college achievement,
assisting in the revitalization of Detroit, and
advancing methods for addressing global climate change.

**Bham1982** · January-16-14, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Bham1982... maybe you can point out where I said the Ford Foundation should concentrate only on metro Detroit??.

Gistok, Ford Foundation does tons of things, but most of their efforts throughout the years have been focused on anti-poverty and pro-democracy type stuff. This means that the bulk of their work is outside the U.S., and there should be no expectation that one city receive "special assistance" from Ford.

Originally Posted by Gistok

Had you read the article... you would have been informed that the Ford Foundation spent a lot less on the Detroit area in the last 30 years, than it did prior to that.

I read the article, and I still don't see the problem. Detroit doesn't align with their mission. Maybe when they were much smaller they did more stuff within the U.S., including Detroit.

Originally Posted by Gistok

The Mott Foundation has spent a lot of its' money in the Flint area... the Kellogg's Foundation has spent a lot of its' money in the Battle Creek area. The Carnegie Foundation spends a lot of its' money in Pittsburgh. So why shouldn't do you think it odd that Detroit founded foundations shouldn't spend at least some decent percentage on metro Detroit?

I don't think this is true. Carnegie isn't analagous to Kresge. Carnegie does stuff all over the place, and is not Pittsburgh-focused. In contrast, Kresge is almost entirely Detroit-focused, which is odd given their mission. I have no idea about Mott or Kellogg, but they aren't major foundations, and Kresge is quite major.

And Ford Foundation has always been based in NYC, so I'm still not getting why they should give to Detroit if we assume some special relationship based on foundation location. The Ford family got rich because people around the world bought their cars, not because people specifically in Detroit enriched them.

**Gistok** · January-16-14, 03:29 PM

The Ford Foundation was founded in Detroit in 1936, and had been very much involved in the early years in helping Henry Ford Hospital and The Henry Ford [[not called that back in the day). They spent their early years here in Detroit [[not always in NYC), and eventually after WWII moved to NYC.

The Ford was a foundation founded by the Ford family... and the family was upset because the foundation changed its' course against the family's wishes.

Here's an article from the Ford Foundation saying now that they are "Dedicated to Detroit".... it''s of this change in the Ford Foundations focus of which I speak...

http://www.fordfoundation.org/newsro...-from-ford/711

**downtownguy** · January-17-14, 02:51 PM

Lot of misinformation in this thread. I'll just pick off a few.

Ford Foundation is now the second largest foundation in the US by asset size [[$11B). Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is the largest [[$34.6B). Gates is second in the world to the Stichting INGKA Foundation in the Netherlands [[$36.0B).

Kellogg [[US Rank 7), Mott [[US Rank 26) and Kresge [[US Rank 17) are all major foundations. Michigan, partly due to the auto industry and partly due to other reasons, has a wide variety of charitable foundations, and while also relatively late to the party, the Community Foundation for SE Michigan has grown to be a major player in Michigan philanthropy, too.

The story of the Ford Foundation is complicated. When it was under Ford family control, it did give a larger proportion of money to area projects, but one could also argue these were favored charities of the Ford Family [[Henry Ford Hospital, The Henry Ford, etc.) That's one of the conundrums of creating a foundation. Yes, it offers significant benefits [[tax mostly, prestige also), but you can, and often do, lose control. This also happens with other non-profit organizations as they grow. Often the original vision of the founder is compromised. But that's the price you pay for getting favored tax status.

Detroit has still benefited greatly by Ford wealth as many family members have set up foundations of their own. Often, their gifts fly under the radar. And Detroit has scores of other foundations that support the city in many ways, including arts and culture.

Then there is the issue of mission. These foundations get far more requests for funds than they have available. Most responsible foundations have very clear limitations and guidelines established. Remember, too, the Ford Foundation was growing when Detroit was not in such a dire situation. As it grew, it expanded its geographic focus. Yet, they do recognize their roots, and when self-aggrandizing former Atty. General Mike Cox called them out, they responded. Under their new President, they are responding in a very big way. The Ford Foundation's $125 million dollar pledge toward the DIA/Pension issue is the largest pledge to that effort so far.

One other thing to consider is that some foundations focus mostly on funding for capital projects. This has been the case with the Kresge Foundation. There are only so many worthy and ready capital projects in the Detroit area at any given time, and so you see their gifts throughout the country. Kresge has a very stringent qualification process that weeds out a lot of weak requests. However, they, like many foundations, will create certain initiatives from time to time and this is how a lot of their money has supported Detroit projects in the last decade or so.

The old adage, "he who has the money makes the rules" applies here. Yet there's never enough money to go around. I've never met William Gates, Sr., who runs his son's $35 billion foundation. But I'm sure if you asked him if it's easy to give money away, he would emphatically say no.

**Gistok** · January-17-14, 06:59 PM

Thanks for the details downtownguy! I guess the Ford Foundation's biggest mistake [[Ford family wise) was to move it to NYC. From there it lost much of its' earlier local focus.

As for Attorney General Mike Cox calling out the Ford Foundation... the one silver lining in doing so is that they are now appear more sensitive or receptive to Detroit area funding requests.

**downtownguy** · January-17-14, 09:32 PM

^^There's a saying in fundraising, "People give to people." It applies when Jerry Lewis does a telethon, when Presidents Clinton and Bush ask for relief for victims of the Haiti earthquake, or when a girl scout approaches you outside of Kroger's to buy her cookies. It's no different when you're applying for a grant from a huge foundation or corporation. There are still people making the decisions whether or not to fund your cause. Personalities and relationships matter.

I don't know all the intimate details of the breakdown between the Ford Foundation and the Ford Family, but no doubt, power, money and oversized egos enter into the mix.

Foundations are much more democratic these days and their leadership reflects that. With the new guy at the Ford Foundation, there could be more opportunities for Detroit to re-associate with it. But it's still going to boil down to mission and a solid proposal. It's easy to single out a foundation [[Cox) or charity [[as Bill O'Reilly did with the Red Cross after 9/11). Most of the folks working at these organizations wish they had unlimited resources but ultimately they have to live within their own budgets, too.

All good deeds should be celebrated and that the Ford Foundation is leading this effort gives a lot of credibility to it and will certainly draw in more gifts. Fans of the DIA and those who stand to lose some part of their pension in bankruptcy should be praising with loud voices the Ford Foundation, A. Paul Schaap [[the man from Grosse Pointe who first proposed a gift of $5 million that was the impetus) as well as Joe/Jane Six Pack when they write a check for $10 to the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan Fund dedicated for this.