Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In

The Ford Foundation, created seven decades ago by a U.S. car industry scion, notably diverged from its past today by announcing a new, $200 million grant program aimed at promoting the local integration of transportation and land use planning and a movement beyond auto-based development.

Fruitvale_Village.jpgA "transit village" in the San Francisco area, cited by the Ford Foundation as an example of projects eligible for its new grants. (Photo: Bay Area MTC)

The foundation's president, Luis Ubiñas, revealed the move in a speech to local community leaders gathered at the invitation of the White House to discuss the future of the nation's once auto-dominant cities.

Ubiñas cited several examples of existing transit and urban development projects that would be good candidates for the foundation's five-year grant program. The Bay Area's residential-commercial "transit villages," Detroit's public-private M1 light rail plan, and New Orleans' push to rebuild its Claiborne Avenue corridor topped the list.

“When we look at metro regions and see pockets of serious unemployment
but also pockets of employment opportunity, and disjointed transit systems that
fail to connect people to the services they need and the jobs they seek,
it’s clear that a different approach is needed,” Pablo J. Farías, a vice
president at the foundation, said in a statement on the grants.

The foundation was established in 1936 with an initial gift from Edsel Ford, son of the automaker Henry Ford, and managed by members of the Ford family for several decades after its founding.

(ed. note. This post was corrected from an earlier version that referred to the meeting as taking place at the White House.)

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Wednesday’s Headlines Stick With What Works

Forget robotaxis. Just make the bus come frequently and on time.

July 16, 2025

Can Colleges Do A Better Job of Fighting Car Dependency?

"How great would it be if kids graduated without the assumption that they must be completely dependent on a personal automobile?"

July 16, 2025

Commentary: The French City of Lyon Shows How to Connect Communities Without Cars

An amazing 24/7 bike-ped-transit connection can be made for pennies on the dollar.

July 15, 2025

America’s Kids Deserve Better Than a Waymo Subscription

What do America's young people lose when they have to buy independence from a corporation that rents out driverless cars?

July 15, 2025

Tuesday’s Headlines Aren’t Falling Fast Enough

Pedestrian deaths dropped by 4 percent last year, but remain well above pre-pandemic figures.

July 15, 2025

Advocates Fight To Prevent 40% Transit Service Cuts in Illinois

Public transit riders, workers, and advocates showed up in force for Saturday's Save Transit Rally at Daley Plaza, calling on state lawmakers to pass a bill to address Chicagoland's looming $771 million fiscal cliff.

July 14, 2025
See all posts