Ford offers $80 million to fight global authoritarianism

By ALEX DANIELS of The Chronicle of Philanthropy
Chronicle of Philanthropy

The Ford Foundation will commit $80 million over the next five years to work that strengthens nonprofits fighting against authoritarian regimes. Such groups are struggling in the face of governments that are restricting the right to protest, hobbling nonprofit organizations with an avalanche of bureaucratic requirements meant to stymie their effectiveness, and threatening the safety of people who work for such groups, Helena Hofbauer Balmori, director of Ford’s international civic engagement and government work and director of the new grant-making effort, announced Tuesday. The Ford commitment, called “Weaving Resilience,” will support virtual “hubs” in 12 countries: Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda.