On Tuesday, the Ford Foundation announced that Heather Gerken, currently the dean of Yale Law School, will assume the role of president in November. This decision follows an “extensive national and international search” to replace Darren Walker, who had previously announced his intention to step down.
Henry Ford II, who resigned from the foundation named after his grandfather in 1976, had expressed concerns about the foundation’s direction. He criticized what he perceived as a shift towards left-wing advocacy. “I’m not playing the role of the hardheaded tycoon who thinks all philanthropoids are socialists and all university professors are Communists,” he wrote. “I’m just suggesting to the trustees and the staff that the system that makes the foundation possible very probably is worth preserving.”
In recent years, Ford Foundation grants have included significant funding for organizations with progressive agendas. For instance, $300,000 was allocated to The Center for Economic Democracy in February 2024. Additionally, since October 2022, more than $800,000 has been approved for Action Lab—a training center for left-wing activists.
The foundation has also supported environmental groups such as Natural Resources Defense Council (over $9.5 million since 2011), Oil Change International ($3.4 million since 2019), Environmental Defense Fund (more than $1.5 million since 2008), Friends of the Earth (nearly $4 million since 2010), and 350.org (at least $750,000 since 2021).
Critics argue that these funds could be used more effectively by investing in nuclear power initiatives like those at Palo Verde nuclear power station. With its annual budget averaging $860 million, it is suggested that if directed towards nuclear subsidies starting from 2001 or even back to Henry Ford II’s time in 1976 when he advocated promoting capitalism—the foundation could have significantly advanced carbon-free energy solutions.
Reflecting on Henry Ford’s legacy—his contributions to industrial progress and societal development—it is noted that current spending patterns may not align with his original vision.