While I don't disagree with your major premise (that Ford isn't an astroturfer), you're overreaching here. Corporations and other funding agencies issue both targeted and blanket grants to research institutions, if not outright donations for facilities. And, faculty collaborate on projects more often than not, swapping out each other's grad students as needed. ( Ever written a grant proposal? )
You seem to think that Microsoft backs up a truck filled with money to the building and all of the professors start filling their pockets.
Well, no, but that's because they'd have to fight off the starving graduate students first. Seriously, Microsoft does do a lot of block grantwork...