About the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

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The MacArthur Foundation boldly invests in creative solutions to urgent challenges, sparking hope for our future.

We work on a few big bets that strive toward transformative change in areas of profound concern, including the existential threats of climate change and nuclear risk, the challenges of criminal justice reform and revitalizing local news in the U.S. and corruption in Nigeria.

In addition, we maintain enduring commitments in our hometown Chicago, where we invest in people, places, and partnerships to build a more inclusive Chicago and in journalism and media, where we invest in more just and inclusive news and narratives.

We also make awards to extraordinarily creative individuals through the MacArthur Fellows program and for solutions to critical problems of our time through 100&Change.

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We are committed to building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world.

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Our Mission

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Our History

Our People

Our Values

Values capture what is most important to an organization. MacArthur’s core values are deeply ingrained principles that embody who we are, what we stand for, and how we work.

Our values represent a core set of beliefs that guide how our organization conducts itself and builds trust-based relationships with partners and grantees. Our values guide our decisions, behaviors, and reflect how we seek to serve our communities and work together to create a more just, verdant, and peaceful world.

We live our mission through the Just Imperative, which charges us to lead with a commitment to justice.

More About Each of Our Values

MacArthur Values Diagram with five circles: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Empathy; Integrity; Learning; Creativity

Annual Essays

Thoughtful observations by the Foundation President about where we have been and aspirational visions for where we may go.

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Operational Information

We live our mission by ensuring our organizational values embody how we operate, act, and make decisions.

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Financials & Investments

We boldly invest in creative solutions to urgent challenges, sparking hope for our future.

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Our Policies

MacArthur Staff and Directors are expected to conduct themselves with the highest professional and ethical standards. Our Code of Conduct emphasizes a number of policies and procedures to comply with our organizational standards.

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Staff Diversity & Inclusion

Progress is possible when we include all voices in the work to support individuals and organizations working directly to address our most pressing social challenges.

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Working at MacArthur

In pursuit of a world that is more just, verdant, and peaceful, the Foundation strives to be an exceptional place to work. We aim to live our values, and our commitment to justice begins with our staffing and operations. We believe the work is better because of our staff’s diverse backgrounds, viewpoints, and lived experiences. We welcome your interest in the MacArthur Foundation.

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