:''Edward E. Ford was no relation to

Henry Ford Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was an American Technological and industrial history of the United States, industrialist, business magnate, founder of the Ford Motor Company, and chief developer of the assembly line technique of ...

. For the foundation established by Henry Ford, see

Ford Foundation The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare. Created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a US$25,000 gift from Edsel Ford. By 1947, after the dea ...

.'' The Edward E. Ford Foundation (E. E. Ford Foundation) is a private organization that provides funding to independent schools, school accreditors, and education initiatives.

Origins

Edward E. Ford, a successful businessman involved in the early years of IBM, established the Foundation on December 12, 1957. Its main objective was to improve the quality of high school education with particular emphasis on private schools. When he died in 1963, Ford bequeathed about $50 million to the Foundation.

Supporting Independent Schools

The Foundation initially directed much of its efforts toward supporting Ford's high school alma mater,

Mercersburg Academy Mercersburg Academy (formerly Marshall College and Mercersburg College) is an independent selective college-preparatory boarding & day high school in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania in the United States. Founded in 1893, the school enrolls approxim ...

. This included a $1.5 million

matching grant Matching funds are funds that are set to be paid in proportion to funds available from other sources. Matching fund payments usually arise in situations of charity or Public interest, public good. The terms cost sharing, in-kind, and matching ca ...

in 1964, the highest such matching gift to any American private school at that time. As of 2023 the Foundation had contributed over $125 million in total grants to nearly 1,000 independent schools and associations. The Foundation’s mission "is to strengthen and support independent secondary schools and to challenge and inspire them to leverage their unique talents, expertise, and resources to advance teaching while encouraging collaboration with other institutions." The Foundation’s Leadership Grant Program is among the most prestigious awards available to independent schools.

Edward E. Ford

Edward E. Ford (1894–1963) was a businessman and philanthropist from Binghamton, New York. The son of IBM co-founder A. Ward Ford, Ford attended

(class of 1912),

Princeton University Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the n ...

, and

Lafayette College Lafayette College is a private liberal arts college in Easton, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter and other citizens in Easton, the college first held classes in 1832. The founders voted to name the college after General La ...

. After college Ford established and developed a manufacturing business in Binghamton, New York, which was ultimately became part of IBM. Joining IBM in 1917 as a junior salesman, Ford ascended to the role of division vice-president by 1936. Ford later ventured into independent business in

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, whic ...

and later in Florida. His businesses in St. Louis included a Chevrolet dealership. In 1949, Ford was elected an IBM director, and by 1962, Ford's holdings in IBM stock amounted to about $61 million.

Ford's Philanthropy

In the late 1950s, Ford donated $350,000 to Mercersburg Academy for its building and development programs. In 1957, he established the Edward E. Ford Foundation with the primary goal of improving the quality of high school education with particular emphasis on private schools.

Ford's Personal life

Ford's first wife Jane Bloomer died in Delray Beach, Florida in 1960. He later married Mrs. Edward (Jane) Jamison of New York City. On March 5, 1963, Ford died in his sleep at his home in

Delray Beach, Florida Delray Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population of Delray Beach as of April 1, 2020 was 66,846 according to the 2020 United States Census. Located 52 miles (83 kilometers) north of Miami, Delray Beach is in the ...

References

{{Reflist Educational institutions established in 1957 Educational institutions in the United States 1957 establishments in New York (state)