The Ford Family Foundation
The Ford Family Foundation is a private foundation supporting rural Oregon and Siskiyou County, CA with grants and scholarships. It is headquartered in Roseburg, OR with a scholarship office in Eugene. The site provides program descriptions, news, research and application guidance.
Source: Website · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
A nonprofit, community organization, school, college, or government agency focused on rural Oregon (and occasionally Siskiyou County, CA) with projects in education, early childhood, community building, capacity building, scholarships, or small capital/operating needs.
Good Fit
- • Located in rural Oregon or serving rural Oregon communities (Siskiyou County, CA fits occasionally).
- • Requesting small-to-medium sized grants or capacity-building support (typical median ~ $10K).
- • Project aligns with education, early childhood, youth development, child welfare, community centers, or rural economic/community development.
- • Willing to follow published online guidelines and use the foundation's online/letter contact routes.
Geography
Observed giving is heavily state-focused: about 91% of dollars stayed in Oregon in the latest year, with most activity tied to rural Oregon and some grants to Siskiyou County, CA; a few out-of-state awards appear but represent a small share.
Recipient Variety
The latest year shows an extremely large and diverse recipient pool (about 1,827 distinct recipients and nearly 1,992 grants), with low concentration across recipients (the top five received roughly 5% of dollars), indicating broad institutional variety.
New Applicants
Direct evidence supports newcomer access: the foundation publishes application guidance and contact routes, and the latest year included roughly 728 new recipients (about 40% of that year's recipients); three years of history show substantial turnover and repeat funding, so unfamiliar applicants plausibly can enter the portfolio.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
