Ford Foundation Hires Rockefeller Executive to Lead Arts and Education Grants

Arts organizations, educational groups, and other charities that seek grants from the Ford Foundation take note: The philanthropy has hired a new person to oversee a significant portion of its grant making.

Darren Walker, who now works at the Rockefeller Foundation, will be joining Ford as vice president of its “education, creativity, and free expression” grant making. That means he oversees three of Ford’s nine major grant-making programs, including those that support cultural institutions, reproductive health, education causes, and scholarships.

According to Ford, Mr. Walker will guide more than $150-million in grants. The Ford Foundation, with $10.5-billion in assets as of December 31, is the nation’s second largest foundation.

Mr. Walker joined Rockefeller in 2002 and led its efforts to help impoverished neighborhoods. When Judith Rodin became the foundation’s president in 2005, he was promoted and helped reshape its programs. (Read The Chronicle‘s article about his decision to join Rockefeller and an article about his role in changing its work.)

In an e-mail message to Rockefeller employees, Ms. Rodin writes that Mr. Walker will have a lasting impact on the organization.

“When Darren informed me that he had been approached about this opportunity, he said he felt now was the right time for him to take on a new career challenge after eight years here—given the strong and talented team that we have at the Rockefeller Foundation, the positive momentum that has built across the organization, and his own desire to follow a core passion,” she says. “I fully understand and support Darren’s desire to assume this role and know this was not an easy decision for him to make.”

She writes that his last day with Rockefeller is April 30.