In 1936, Edsel Ford used $25,000 to found the Ford Foundation, to be used for all public welfare. After the passing of Edsel and his brother Henry Ford, their bequests made Ford the world’s largest foundation. The list of initiatives seeded and supported by the Ford Foundation is exhaustive and includes The Grand Bargain, a move to resolve the city of Detroit’s bankruptcy in 2014. Darren Walker, who has served as CEO at Ford since 2013, brokered this $125 million investment. Under his leadership, literally billions of dollars have been invested in causes that range from gender justice to climate change, including disability rights and creative expression.
Ford Foundation President Darren Walker attends a reception at the Charles H. Wright Museum in Detroit, in June 2015.
(Steve Perez/Detroit News via AP, File)
Darren Walker is a mighty force for resourcing change and upholding the mission of the Ford Foundation, which is focused on reducing poverty, strengthening democratic values, promoting international cooperation, and advancing human achievement. Under Walker’s leadership, arts and creativity has been heavily supported in various and unique ways. Many Pacific Northwest projects are among those supported through Walker’s help.
Walker announced his (2026) planned retirement from Ford earlier this year and was recently elected President of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
In a July 2024 interview with the Associated Press upon the announcement of his intended retirement, Walker stated, “I am taking my shoes with me and the next leader will bring their shoes, because those will be the right shoes for the next 12 years.”
Wherever your shoes take you, Darren, we wish you well. We thank you for all of your years of advocacy and support for our communities.
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