Funding Priorities
What we support
We support projects and programs that are rooted in Oregon and Siskiyou County, California that make a meaningful difference in the lives of rural children.
- If you are seeking a grant of up to $20,000, please review our Good Neighbor grant opportunity.
- If you are seeking funding above $20,000, you can learn more about our large funding priorities below. We fund programs, operations, and capital projects. Applicants for these larger grants should contact our staff through the form below prior to submitting an application.
If you are seeking support for individual Oregon artists or arts institutions, please visit our Visual Arts page.
Strong Starts
Grants aligned with Strong Starts help children and families get the support they need during a child’s earliest years. These grants strengthen connections between parents or other primary caregivers and their children, with a focus on nurturing, stable attachments from the very beginning. Strong Starts also prioritizes the prevention of child abuse and neglect and supports working families through investments in childcare and related services.
Grant funding examples include:
- Parenting support programs
- Domestic violence programs and shelters serving families with children
- Child abuse prevention and intervention programs
- Supports for children in foster care
- Capital for childcare centers
Bright Futures
Grants aligned with our Bright Futures focus on ensuring that every rural child has opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive, from early education through career pathways. These grants support the educational experiences kids need to succeed, with an emphasis on early childhood education, helping children start strong in their early grades, and preparing students for the transition from high school to postsecondary education or a career. We also support youth development programs that provide meaningful learning and enrichment during out-of-school hours.
Grant funding examples include:
- Early childhood education
- Early literacy programs
- Family engagement in children’s education
- Youth development and summer learning programs
- Programs supporting students of color and other marginalized populations
- College and/or career preparation programs
Thriving Communities
Grants aligned with Thriving Communities support small towns with big ideas—communities that are building the future they want to see and strengthening the conditions that help children and families thrive. Funding in this area primarily supports capital projects that contribute to local economies, strengthen social connections, and create or enhance public gathering spaces.
Grant funding examples include:
- Community building and engagement efforts
- Community centers and convening spaces
- Community social service centers (where there are services that support children and their families)
- Libraries
- Rural health centers (Federally Qualified Health Centers)
- Rural fire halls
Examples of what we don’t fund
- Adult-only mental health or substance abuse treatment
- Housing, transportation or other basic community infrastructure like water treatment, sewage or lighting
- General K-12 workforce and professional development
- Medical facilities when connected to a larger profit-based system
- Museums without a focus on children or strong outreach programs
- Routine K-12 school curriculum development
- Debt retirement or operating deficits
- Endowments or reserve funds
- Propagandizing or influencing elections or legislation
Let’s talk
Want to learn more about The Ford Family Foundation’s grant programs? We’re here to lend a hand and answer your questions. Please feel free to connect with us through the form below, providing some details about your idea, and a member of our team will get back to you.
 If you are seeking new funding, please note that we only fund grants that serve Oregon and Siskiyou County, California.
Grants contact form
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