Evaluation of the Ford Foundation’s Disability Inclusion Initiative

In 2016, the Ford Foundation, responding to a challenge from disability rights activists, launched their Disability Inclusion Initiative to change how Ford operates internally and advances equality externally. The Disability Inclusion Initiative sought to address inequalities experienced by persons with disabilities through grantmaking and influence others in social justice movements and the broader world of philanthropy.

Impel evaluated Ford’s Disability Inclusion Initiative, assessing how change happened, describing Ford’s progress and generating lessons for Ford’s future approach and strategy development. Evaluation findings were framed using a framework developed by Impel that can be used by grantmaking organisations both diagnostically and as a tool for strategic planning. Work across and connecting these key elements not only strengthens an organisation, but also tackles entrenched social norms.

Evaluation findings were shared at an event hosted by the Ford Foundation, ‘Donors and disability: What evaluations can teach us’ that brought together foundations, bilateral donors and UN Trust Funds to explore how grantmaking organisations can best include disability in their grantmaking strategies and processes, and strengthen disability’s link to human rights and social justice grantmaking. More on this event is available in this blog.