Shaping Grantmaking for an Emerging Field

Metropolitan areas are complex systems with connections between the well-being of individuals and the environment. Over 4 years, the MacArthur Foundation engaged Foresight to develop a $6 million grantmaking program to identify new research, institutions, and interventions that could help inform and improve decision-making that accounts for complexity and leads to better, healthier lives for residents and reduced burden on the environment.

We advised on the initial framing and communication strategy to achieve Board approval; conducted landscape reviews on urban science and governance to identify new approaches and leading actors; and, as the exploration closed, conducted a review of key lessons learned from this timely and pivotal field-building portfolio.

Initiatives supported by this program include: