Staff at Open Society Foundations say morale has plummeted and they have been left in the dark as leadership imposes a series of changes, including massive layoffs and funding cuts to Europe, as it seeks to streamline its sprawling operations.
OSF has entered a new phase of the reorganization first launched in 2021 with the aim of concentrating global operations and providing bigger and more focused grants. In December, Alexander Soros, son of founder George Soros, succeeded his father as chair of the $25 billion New York-based foundation. And in June, the board approved layoffs of at least 40% of the 800 staff worldwide.
Since then, senior leaders have proposed slashing at least 80% of the roughly 180 employees in Berlin and downsizing the Brussels office. The roughly 60 jobs in the United States program will be safe until at least March 2025, after the presidential election, according to an OSF spokesperson.