Diverse Future Foundation (DFF)

Background

The Diverse Future Foundation grew out of the Diverse Future Program at the Arthur Page Society, a membership organization of senior-level corporate communications professionals. ^{3  4  1  5} The training and mentorship program for racial minority communications professionals promoted left-of-center diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles within the industry.  ^{6  5}

In his induction to the Page Society Hall of Fame in 2024, former General Electric chief communication officer Gary Sheffer described the program as an opportunity “for all of us to get involved in advancing DEI.” ⁶

With the support of the Ford Foundation, Page spun the program off as the independent Diverse Future Foundation in 2021.  ^{7  8}

Leadership

The president of the Diverse Future Foundation is Mark Carter, a former CNN reporter, producer, and network executive.  ⁹ He is also a former board member of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University. ¹

Finances

The Diverse Future Foundation brings in significant revenues from its training events in the form of program fees. In 2024, it reported $154,000 in program fees, accounting for slightly less than a quarter of its revenues that year. ⁷

The DFF receives funding from the Arthur Page Society, totaling $21,000 in 2022, no grants in 2023, and $7,000 in 2024. ¹⁰

The DFF has received two grants from the Ford Foundation. The first was a $75,000 grant in 2020 to support its spinoff from the Page Society, and the second was a $100,000 grant in 2025 to support its alumni program. ⁸

In 2024, it received a $250,000 grant from Arabella Advisors’ New Venture Fund, two grants totaling $210,000 from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and a $45,000 grant from the Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund. ^{11 12}