Ford Gives The Ark $500K, Largest Gift in Venue's History

To mark the 50th anniversary of the The Ark, Ford Motor is making a $500,000 donation, the largest gift in the history of the Ann Arbor, Mich. folk and roots music venue.

Ford's gift, to be paid over 20 years, puts the nonprofit Ark's anniversary capital campaign more than 70 percent of the way to its $2.5 million goal, which executive director Marianne James said "will position The Ark for the future of the next 50 years."