The Foundation for Constitutional Government (FCG) is a nonprofit educational organization that supports the serious study of politics and political philosophy. With programs online and on campus, FCG focuses on the constitutional character of the founding of the U.S. and the U.S. government. ¹

The Foundation for Constitutional Government’s online programs include Great Thinkers, Contemporary Thinkers, and Conversations with Bill Kristol. ²

Activities

The Foundation for Constitutional Government supports Harvard University’s Program on Constitutional Government, which is associated with the Center for American Political Studies in the Department of Government. The Program on Constitutional Government uses the combined fields of political theory and American government to study the U.S. Constitution and its principles. The program seeks to give students better access to political debate that allows both sides to be heard, hosts speakers and visiting professors, and supports postdoctoral fellowships. ³

Great Thinkers is an online resource dedicated to the study of political philosophy, namely the fundamental questions of human life, especially as it relates to political life. ⁴ Great Thinkers provides biographies, essays, and multimedia content that explores the ideas of the great thinkers of political philosophy from antiquity through the 19^th century, like Plato, Aristotle, Immanuel Kant, and Friedrich Nietzsche. ⁵ Great Thinkers aims to inspire individuals to engage in more serious reading and reflection of these ideas, which it claims are the basis of free government and liberal education. ⁶

Similar to Great Thinkers, Contemporary Thinkers is an online resource dedicated to the ideas of modern scholars (after the 19^th century) in the areas of politics, philosophy, economics, and government, including Friedrich Hayek, Irving Kristol, and Harvey Mansfield. ⁷ The thinkers featured in Contemporary Thinkers include academics, journalists, critics, and novelists from both conservative and liberal backgrounds. ⁸

Conversations with Bill Kristol features full-length interviews and in-depth conversations with prominent American public figures conducted by political commentator Bill Kristol. The website provides these interviews in the form of videos, transcripts, and podcast episodes, and includes guest biographies. Guests have included Neil Rogachevsky discussing issues and controversies related to Israel, Francis Fukuyama discussing the resilience of liberal democracy, and Harvey Mansfield discussing liberal thinkers such as John Locke and understanding liberalism through ancient thinkers like Aristotle. ⁹

Funding

The Foundation for Constitutional Government is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and businesses. While FCG does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm donations from the Thomas W. Smith Foundation ($200,000 in 2017), ¹⁰ DonorsTrust ($100,000 in 2019), ¹¹ and the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation ($35,000 in 2020). ¹²

Board of Directors

Andy Zwick is the executive director of both the Foundation for Constitutional Government and the Program on Constitutional Government at Harvard University. ¹³

Bill Kristol is a founding director of Defending Democracy Together and the former editor-at-large at the Weekly Standard. Kristol formerly held senior positions in both the Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations. ¹⁴

Fred Farkouh also sits on the board. ¹⁵

1. “Home.” The Foundation for Constitutional Government, 2023. Accessed February 13, 2023. https://constitutionalgovt.org/.
2. “Home.” The Foundation for Constitutional Government, 2023. Accessed February 13, 2023. https://constitutionalgovt.org/.
3. “Home.” The Foundation for Constitutional Government, 2023. Accessed February 13, 2023. https://constitutionalgovt.org/.
4. “Introduction.” Great Thinkers, 2023. Accessed February 13, 2023. https://thegreatthinkers.org/introduction/.
5. “Thinkers.” Great Thinkers, 2023. Accessed February 13, 2023. https://thegreatthinkers.org/thinkers/.
6. “Home.” Great Thinkers, 2023. Accessed February 13, 2023. https://thegreatthinkers.org/
7. “About Us.” Contemporary Thinkers, 2023. Accessed February 13, 2023. https://contemporarythinkers.org/about-us/.
8. “Introduction.” Contemporary Thinkers, 2023. Accessed February 13, 2023. https://contemporarythinkers.org/introduction/.
9. “Home.” Conversations with Bill Kristol. Accessed February 13, 2023. https://conversationswithbillkristol.org/.
10. The Thomas W. Smith Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2017, Part XV, Line 3.
11. DonorsTrust, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2019, Schedule I, Part II.
12. The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2020, Part XV, Line 3.
13. “Board of Directors.” The Foundation for Constitutional Government Inc, 2023. Accessed February 7, 2023. https://constitutionalgovt.org/board-of-directors/.
14. “Board of Directors.” The Foundation for Constitutional Government Inc, 2023. Accessed February 7, 2023. https://constitutionalgovt.org/board-of-directors/.
15. “Board of Directors.” The Foundation for Constitutional Government Inc, 2023. Accessed February 7, 2023. https://constitutionalgovt.org/board-of-directors/.