About Us

The Fulfilling the Dream Fund (Dream Fund) is a funders' collaborative to support affirmative action and other efforts to promote full inclusion of people of color and women in our society, consistent with our core democratic values. The Dream Fund focuses on eliminating systemic barriers to opportunity in three areas: education, employment and contracting. The Dream Fund was established in 2004 with a $10 million pledge by the Ford Foundation. Funds raised by other donors are matched on a one-to-one basis. The Dream Fund supports efforts that:

Improve public understanding of systemic barriers to opportunity and the benefits to society of increased racial and gender diversity

Expand philanthropic support for affirmative action

Demonstrate the links between racial/gender exclusion and systemic flaws in education and employment that affect the broader public, and

Create more platforms to explore the nation's commitment to opportunity

Affirmative action is an effective legal tool for redressing inequities and lack of opportunities based on race and ethnicity or gender. The term "affirmative action" was first used in Executive Order 11246, signed by President Lyndon Johnson in 1965. It requires federal contractors to "take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to race, creed, color or national origin." In 1967, President Johnson expanded the Executive Order to include women. Today, affirmative action continues to be a vehicle to promote the full inclusion of women and people of color in education, employment and public contracting. It has led to a series of actions designed to address the lingering effects of discrimination.

FDF 2nd Annual Convening

Photo: The 2nd Annual Fulfilling the Dream Fund Convening in 2008.