Open Society, Ford Foundation, Unbound Philanthropy Support Delivering on the Dream Initiative

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Open Society, Ford Foundation, Unbound Philanthropy Support Delivering on the Dream Initiative

The Trump Administration's decision to end DACA has created a lot of anger and pushback, including from some prominent corporate leaders. But what are foundations doing to protect undocumented young people from deportation and save DACA, the fate of which is now in the hands of Congress?

DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, protects immigrants who came into the U.S. as minors and often know no other place to call home. The well-being of these young people has long concerned a range of funders. For example, a few years ago we reported on the creation of TheDream.US, a fund that provides scholarships for immigrant youth going to college. Individual donors behind the effort, who put in at least $32 million, include Donald Graham, Henry Muñoz, Carlos Gutierrez, Bill Ackman and the Pershing Square Foundation, Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, Pierre and Pam Omidyar, and Gilbert and Jacki Cisneros. 

Institutional grantmakers have also supported the Dreamers and defended the DACA program in various ways, especially in California, where the largest number of DACA recipients live. Now, in the wake of the Trump administration's announcement on DACA, a number of funders are scrambling. . .