Heather Gerken is the new President of the Ford Foundation. She joins The Art of Association podcast to discuss her leadership journey and her vision for how the Ford Foundation and other philanthropic organizations can promote democracy and the rule of law. Addressing critiques of large philanthropic organizations for being overly political, Heather emphasizes that philanthropies must be allowed to be independent in their giving decisions and guided by their mission-driven “North Star,” while also remaining open and responsive to criticism. Drawing on her years of experience in election law, Heather stresses that philanthropy must remain nonpartisan, adhering to not only the letter but also the spirit of the law’s ban on electioneering. She and Daniel close by discussing the importance of ideological and viewpoint diversity—and how engaging with people who see things differently strengthens one’s own judgment and helps one become a more effective leader in civil society.

Chapters

(01:46): Heather’s work as a legal scholar on federalism, democracy, and elections

(05:14): Leading Yale Law School at a charged moment in time

(07:51): What drew Heather to her role as President of the Ford Foundation

(09:23): Drawing on early guiding principles and the historical legacy of the Ford Foundation

(14:00): Responding to critiques of the Ford Foundation—and philanthropy more broadly

(19:51): Supporting liberal democracy, elections, and the rule of law on a nonpartisan basis

(23:21): Engaging across the ideological spectrum and cultivating viewpoint diversity

Additional Resources

• Heather Gerken, The Democracy Index: Why Our Election System is Failing and How to Fix It (Princeton University Press, 2009)
• MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Elections Performance Index
• Report of the Trustees of the Ford Foundation, September 27, 1950
• Heather Gerken, Why the Ford Foundation Has Committed $60 Million in New Funding to Protect Elections, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, April 14, 2026
• Heather Gerken, A New Progressive Federalism, Democracy: A Journal of Ideas, Spring 2012
• David Schleicher, From Here All-The-Way-Down, or How to Write a Festschrift Piece, Tulsa Law Review, Spring 2013