Q & A with Linetta J. Gilbert, Ford Foundation

GNOF — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:12:08 +0000

Linetta J. Gilbert is a senior program officer in community philanthropy at the Ford Foundation. She designed and co-directed Ford’s Gulf Coast Transformation Initiative, which oversaw the investment of over $100 million in philanthropic resources in this region. Linetta’s career in grantmaking began at the Greater New Orleans Foundation where she worked for 10 years. Last year, Linetta received the highest awards in her profession—the Council on Foundation’s Scrivner Award for her courage in making creative grants, and the Critical Impact Award for her innovative leadership in advancing the common good.

Q: What grantmaking principles did you learn at the Greater New Orleans Foundation that remained with you at Ford?

A: I learned to listen. When I came to Ford, I spent the first year listening to people in various communities around the country and the world. By listening, you learn to acknowledge the life experiences of all kinds of people and what
their core opportunities and challenges are. Grantmakers may have the resources, but not always the answers. It begins with listening.

Q: What are your thoughts in regards to the local recovery efforts?

A: What New Orleanians have done in the past five years is equivalent to 10 to 15 years of work. You’ve had to re-create community, not just infrastructure, and no U.S. city has had to do that before. It is crucial to work toward a shared community vision, to bring together a community that works for everyone. There were many people who left New Orleans angry. It’s time to create the environment that says, “Welcome home.”

Q: What is the role that the Greater New Orleans Foundation serves?

A: New Orleans, the state, and the region have functioned with inequities for hundreds of years. Now is the time for everyone to begin looking at what we can become if we put our minds together for the good of all its people. The Foundation is poised to be the engine that enables New Orleans residents and those of the region to imagine a
different and brighter future.

Q: Everything you touch seems to last. What does an organization need most to keep it going?

A: It takes leadership. Organizations need leaders who are committed to their mission, imagine the future, and manage relationships and resources. At Ford, we invest in building individual leaders and institutional leadership within organizations as we invest in social impact.

Q: If you created a bumper sticker, what would it say?

A: Invest in People. Invest in Hope.

Q: Is it true you are leaving Ford at the end of the year?

A: Yes, I will be retiring from Ford, but not from my profession. I am considering the next leadership move to culminate my career.