Century Foundation

It approaches policy from a left-of-center position and communicates the results via books, articles, position papers and events. ²

Founding

The Century Foundation was established in 1906 and incorporated in 1919 by Edward Filene, founder of Filene’s department stores and Filene’s Basement, as the Cooperative League to fight the growth of conservatism. Until Filene’s death in 1937 the League granted money to left-of-center organizations that supported Filene’s left-liberal principles. ³

Concurrent with Filene’s transfer of 4,172 shares of Filene stock, the League was renamed the Twentieth Century Fund and began molding itself into a left-wing think-tank that limits grants to other organizations in favor of conducting research; publishing reports, books, and position papers; and sponsoring events designed to be of interest to government policy makers and the general public to prompt action that advances its positions. ³

In 1999 the left-of-center think tank changed its name to The Century Foundation while maintaining its operating principles that rarely makes grants to other institutions or individuals. ³

Policy Positions

The Century Foundation takes a number of policy positions in alignment with the Democratic Party and the broader left-of-center movement, including opposing photo identification, proof of citizenship, and national identification to vote;⁴ expanding labor union privileges to reduce income inequality; ^{5 6} promoting closer U.S. collaboration with the United Nations in foreign affairs; ² increasing government provision of daycare and health care;⁷⁸⁹¹⁰ reducing prison population and increasing felons’ rights; ⁴ and demanding liberal expansionist immigration policy and decreased immigration enforcement. ¹¹

In May 2023, TCF published an article calling for the birth control pill to be made available without a prescription. ¹²

In June 2024, TCF published an article which called for a one-state solution which would destroy the state of Israel. The article called for “liberation and decolonization of the entire territory from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. This notion of liberation is broad, but essential features are equality for all the inhabitants of the land—and the dismantling of the settler colonialism and the apartheid regime that exist now.” The article denounced a two-state solution, claiming it would make the situation worse for Palestinians and entrench Israeli occupation. The article claimed that a one-state solution would not result in the expulsion of Jews from what is now Israel. The article also expressed support for the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel, and denounced a focus on security for Israel as “the racist dehumanizing politics of the West, which values Israeli life over Palestinian life, and which does not see Palestinians as deserving of security.” ¹³

In July 2024, TCF released a document calling for a new Middle East policy based on demilitarization, combating climate change, and support for an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. ¹⁴

In July 2024, TCF commissioned a poll which claimed that Americans did not want to send weapons to Israel because Israel was committing war crimes in its war against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas. ¹⁵

In August 2024, TCF published an article claiming that Israel’s war in Gaza against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas had irreversibly strengthened the Iran-led “Axis of Resistance.” The article claimed that an end to the war in Gaza and that the United States restraining Israel from attacking the members of this “Axis” was the only path forward. The article also claimed that the United States defending Israel no matter had harmed American interests in the region and was a mistake. ¹⁶

In August 2024, TCF published an article calling for a federal child-care guarantee. ¹⁷

In September 2024, TCF published an article calling for more money for racial minority groups in the name of expanding manufacturing. The article also pointed out the programs of the Biden administration which did just that. The article also advocated for more money for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). ¹⁸

In October 2024, TCF hosted an event which claimed that if America banned abortion nationwide that maternal deaths would increase, while further claiming that members of the African-American community would be greatly impacted. ¹⁹

In October 2024, TCF published an article which claimed Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) had the best return on investment. TCF claimed that HBCUs spend more tuition money on educating students than in traditional universities. ²⁰

In December 2024, TCF published an article encouraging school districts to refuse to cooperate with the federal government in the expected second Trump administration crackdown on illegal immigrants. The group claimed that public school districts needed immigrant students to prevent declining enrollment which would mean budget cuts and the closure of facilities. The article claimed that school districts had the obligation to protect illegal immigrant students from enforcement actions. The article urged cities and school districts to adopt sanctuary policies which forbid cooperation with federal immigration enforcement authorities. ²¹

In January 2025, TCF published an article claiming that proposed tariffs by President Donald Trump would result in a weaker U.S. economy and that American workers and consumers would pay the costs. ²²

In February 2025, Forbes magazine reported that the TCF claimed that eliminating the U.S. Department of Education would harm college students, businesses needing a skilled workforce, unemployed and low-income people, public school students and teachers, and rural and underserved communities. The group claimed that eliminating the Department of Education would take away programs on which those groups relied. ²³

In February 2025, TCF complained that Black parents frequently had few or no racially diverse schools to send their children to. In addition, TCF claimed that students had stronger performance when they went to racially and socioeconomically diverse schools. TCF also claimed that schools which had majority Black and Latino students had fewer resources, more teacher shortages, and fewer Advanced Placement class options. ²⁴

In February 2025, a TCF senior fellow denounced the decision of the Trump administration to allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to allow public schools to search for illegal immigrants. The fellow claimed that school children were already scared of school shootings, natural disasters “amplified by climate change,” and the 2021 U.S. Capitol riot. The fellow also claimed that increased immigration enforcement activities negatively affected the academic performance of the children of immigrants, and argued that the Trump administration focused on immigration and other culture war issues because it lacked a plan on how to address education. ²⁵

In February 2025, TCF joined a letter opposing the appointment of Linda McMahon for Secretary of Education. The letter denounced McMahon for “be[ing] positioned to execute President Trump’s agenda of destruction, exclusion, and intolerance” by shutting down the Department of Education, supporting school choice programs, and supporting changes to the student loan programs which the letter claimed would make college more expensive. ²⁶

Activities and Statements

Recent tweets and re-tweets of NARAL tweets by the Century Foundation show their continued support for Obamacare and its expansion. ²⁷ Facebook posts show their support for cancellation of student debt and promotion of expanded unionization of workers. ²⁸

Next100 is a “pop up” think tank created by Century Foundation intended to be more action oriented, appeal to a more youthful demographic, and look more like a grassroots operation. Next100 advocates for a radical-left “New Deal for New Americans Act” co-sponsored by Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), expunging criminal records and return of voting rights to felons, expansion of early childhood education and child-care, a “Green New Deal” for public housing and a variety of other left-of-center positions. ²⁹

Century Foundation is closely allied with the left-of-center Center for American Progress (CAP), initially led by John Podesta, a longtime Democratic operative and former Hillary Clinton presidential campaign manager. ²

In 2026, the Century Foundation was cited in a memorandum circulated by U.S. Senators Chris Murphy, Adam Schiff, Tina Smith, and Elizabeth Warren that discussed Democratic Party messaging on economic affordability. The memorandum referenced a recent Century Foundation–published poll identifying two top economic concerns among Americans: that wages are not keeping pace with rising costs, and that wealthy individuals and large corporations are infrequently held accountable when violating laws intended to protect consumers and workers. The findings were used in the document to support arguments for a stronger focus on economic accountability and affordability in Democratic policy messaging. ³⁰

Leadership

Mark Zuckerman, former deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council under President Barack Obama and former Democratic staff director of the U.S. House Education and Workforce Committee, is president of Century Foundation. ³¹ In August 2024, the Century Foundation announced that Zuckerman would step down as president around March 2025. ³²

Lisa A. Sahulka is the chief operating officer of the Century Foundation. Previously, she was the chief operating officer at the Southern Poverty Law Center. ³³

Patricia Kozu, formerly managing director of the left-of-center National Employment Law Project (NLEP) and the F.B. Heron Foundation, is Century Foundation’s former Chief Operating Officer. ³⁴

Stefan Redding Lallinger is the executive director of Next100 and a senior fellow. He worked with the New York City Department of Education. ³⁵

Emma Vadehra is the former executive director of Next100, a “pop up” project of the Century Foundation, and serves as a non-resident senior fellow at the left-of-center Center for American Progress (CAP). ^{36 37}

Bradley Abelow, chairman of Century Foundation’s trustees, is a consultant working to advise clients about the politics of climate change. ^{38 39}

Teresa Younger is a trustee and is the president and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women. ⁴⁰

Melissa Harris-Perry is a trustee and is a former MSNBC host. ⁴¹

Damon A. Silvers is a trustee of CF and is the director of policy and special counsel for the AFL-CIO. ^{42 43}

Former U.S Senator and Governor of Nebraska Bob Kerrey (D) is a former trustee. Jonathan Alter, a columnist for the Daily Beast and an analyst for NBC News and MSNBC, is also a trustee. ⁴⁴

Emily McGrath is a senior fellow and director of workforce policy. She previously coordinated policy campaigns for the Environmental Defense Fund. ⁴⁵

Jeanne Lambrew is the director of health care reform and a senior fellow. She was previously the commissioner of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. ⁴⁶

Jamila Taylor, the former director of health care reform and senior fellow, previously served as senior fellow and director of women’s health and rights at the left-of-center Center for American Progress (CAP). ⁴⁷

Former Biden administration Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su was hired beginning in April 2025 as a senior fellow focusing on labor issues. ⁴⁸

Former Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure was hired as a senior fellow focusing on healthcare issues in February 2025. ⁴⁹

Former administrator of Health Resources and Services Administration Carole Johnson was hired as a senior fellow focusing on healthcare in January 2025. ⁵⁰

Former Director of Unemployment Insurance Modernization at the U.S. Department of Labor Andrew Stettner was hired in January 2025 as the group’s director of economy and jobs. ⁵¹

Donors

Donors to the Century Foundation, with their contributions from 2015 through 2018, include:

In addition, the Rockefeller Family Fund is a donor to the Century Foundation as of October 2024. ⁵²

Finances

According to the Century Foundation’s 2023 tax return, the group had $10,190,622 in revenue, $11,634,049 in expenses, and $55,880,947 in net assets. ⁵³

Revenues total $4,249,189 in 2018 including $2,311,620 in grants and contributions received. Expenses were $6,469,126 including $2,800,071in salaries and wages and $1,647,005 in other expenses. ⁵⁴ Direct charitable activities of $6,048,205 were reported and direct project expense of $1,647,005. ⁵⁵

Assets at the close of fiscal 2018 were $58,476,843. ⁵⁶