Celebrating our leadership transition

This week we celebrated the retirement of Anne Kubisch and welcomed Kara Carlisle as the third president and CEO of The Ford Family Foundation.

With over two hundred guests in attendance – including family and long-time friends of Kenneth W. Ford and Hallie E. Ford, Foundation staff, grantees and partners – a celebration was held in Roseburg to honor Anne Kubisch’s legacy and to introduce Kara Carlisle to her new community.

We look forward to you meeting Kara and thank you for your partnership in ensuring that children have the family, community and educational supports they need to succeed. We are excited to enter this new era together.

Supporting families, preventing harm

May 6, 2025 | Community, Family, Health

Last month, we celebrated Child Abuse Prevention Month — a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to keep kids safe, especially in rural communities across Oregon where resources can be limited and families face unique challenges.

The backbone of rural Oregon’s economy

May 5, 2025 | Community, Economy

Launched in 2021, GRO currently supports four rural communities to build a network — a community ecosystem — that wraps around in support of local entrepreneurs. Find inspiration for ways to support small business in your community from these standout examples.

Telling her story

Feb 13, 2025 | Community

There is little chance now that Black settler Letitia Carson’s story will recede from memory. Her story is one of resilience, persistence and triumph. One of Carson’s most memorable claims to history is as an early Black homesteader in two Oregon locations.

Exploring trends on boys and men

Dec 12, 2024 | Community, Education, Our News, Scholarships

Richard Reeves, author of “Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It”, talked about declining male enrollment and other complex and concerning trends before a packed auditorium at Umpqua Community College.

Celebrating our leadership transition