The Manhattan Institute for Policy Research (MI) is a non-partisan public policy think tank that advocates for greater economic choice and individual responsibility in New York. MI conducts research, publishes a quarterly magazine, City Journal, and has developed initiatives on college campuses in support of free-market ideas that shape political culture. ¹

The Manhattan Institute is an associate member of the State Policy Network, a coalition of free-market state-level policy organizations. ² While MI is non-partisan, members of its board have affiliations with the Republican Party.

History

The Manhattan Institute was founded as the International Center for Economic Policy Studies in 1978 and took its present name in 1981. During the Reagan administration, the Manhattan Institute advocated the administration’s “supply-side” economic policies, with some calling MI scholar George Gilder’s book Wealth and Poverty “the Bible of the Reagan administration.” ³

The Manhattan Institute has been credited with influencing the crime-control policies of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R); the Institute is long associated with promoting right-of-center policies in cities, especially New York. ⁴

Activities

The Manhattan Institute advocates for aggressive education reform focused on preparation for college or the workforce, effective and accountable schools, and safe school environments for students and staff. ⁵ In an October 2021 paper, MI claims that most school districts would see positive fiscal effects from educational choice programs like education savings accounts (ESA). The Manhattan Institute further claims that use of ESAs will provide students who remain in public schools with more resources on a per-pupil basis. ⁶

The Manhattan Institute advocates for free market-based health care policy reforms that encourage competition, transparency, accountability, and innovation. ⁷ In a June 2021 paper, MI recommended establishing an individual insurance market outside of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which mandates state regulations. The Manhattan Institute claims that the ACA is responsible for the rise in the variation of individual market premiums between states and that allowing competition across state lines would ultimately lower health care premiums. ⁸

The Manhattan Institute advocates for tax policy based on market-based capitalism in order to advance free enterprise, fiscal discipline, economic growth, and the rule of law. ⁹ In an October 2020 paper, MI states that a wealth tax will not decrease wealth inequality, provide more tax revenue, or prevent special interests from getting government favors. The Manhattan Institute further claims that a wealth tax could potentially damage the economy while bringing in little revenue. MI proposes that a better solution for increasing revenue would be to reform the tax system to remove many of the system’s existing distortions. ¹⁰

Funding

The Manhattan Institute is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. While MI does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm donations from the Thomas W. Smith Foundation ($1.27 million in 2019), ¹¹ the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation ($625,000 in 2019), ¹² and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation ($599,631 in 2017). ¹³

People

Staff

Reihan Salam the president of the Manhattan Institute. Salam is a former policy fellow at the National Review Institute and former Bernard L. Schwarz fellow at the New America Foundation. ¹⁴

Michael Hendrix is a senior fellow and director of state and local policy at MI. Hendrix formerly worked as senior director for research and emerging issues at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. ¹⁵

Board of Trustees

Paul Singer is the chair of the board of MI and serves on the advisory board of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University. ¹⁶ Singer is a major donor to Republican candidates and conservative political committees. ¹⁷

Roger Hertog is the chairman emeritus of the board of MI and formerly sat on the boards of the American Enterprise Institute and the Washington Institute for Near-East Policy. ¹⁸

Ravenel Curry sits on the boards of the Hudson Institute and the American Enterprise Institute. ¹⁹

Harvey Golub is the former CEO and chair of American Express and currently sits on the board of the American Enterprise Institute. ²⁰

William Kristol is the editor-at-large of The Bulwark, a nominally right-leaning political commentary website that opposes most Republicans and supports certain liberal policies. Kristol formerly worked as chief of staff to former Education Secretary William Bennett during the Reagan administration and former Vice President Dan Quayle in the George H. W. Bush administration. Kristol formerly led the Project for the Republican Future. ²¹

Thomas Mcinerney is the chair of the board of Foundations in Education. ²²

Russell Pennoyer serves on the boards of the William T. Grant Foundation, the Hudson Institute, and as president of the Achelis and Bodman Foundation. ²³

Robert Rosenkranz is the founder and chair of Intelligence Squared U.S. Rosenkranz serves on the board of Policy Exchange and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. ²⁴

1.  “About.” Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, 2021. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://www.manhattan-institute.org/about.
2. “The Network: New York.” State Policy Network, 2021. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://spn.org/directory/#NY.
3. “Our Story.” Manhattan Institute, December 3, 2020. https://www.manhattan-institute.org/history.
4. Adeniji, Ade. “Why Wall Streeters Love the Manhattan Institute.” Inside Philanthropy. Inside Philanthropy, August 2, 2015. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/economic-policy-research/2015/6/1/why-wall-streeters-love-the-manhattan-institute.html.
5. “Research Topics.” Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, 2021. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://www.manhattan-institute.org/research-topics.
6. Lueken, Martin F. “Education Savings Accounts: How ESAs Can Promote Educational Freedom for New York Families and Improve State and Local Finances.” Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, October 7, 2021. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/education-savings-accounts-how-esas-can-promote-educational-freedom-new-york-families-improve.
7. “Research Topics.” Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, 2021. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://www.manhattan-institute.org/research-topics.
8. Pope, Chris. “Reforming Health Insurance: Competition Across State Lines.” Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, June 8, 2021. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://www.manhattan-institute.org/reforming-health-insurance-across-states.
9. “Research Topics.” Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, 2021. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://www.manhattan-institute.org/research-topics.
10. Schrager, Allison and Akers, Beth. “Issues 2020: What’s Wrong with a Wealth Tax.” Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, October 8, 2020. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://www.manhattan-institute.org/whats-wrong-with-a-wealth-tax.
11. Thomas W. Smith Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2019, Part XV, Line 3a.
12. Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2019, Part XV, Line 3a.
13. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2017, Part XV, Line 3a.
14. “Reihan Salam.” Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, 2021. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://www.manhattan-institute.org/expert/reihan-salam.
15. “Michael Hendrix.” Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, 2021. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://www.manhattan-institute.org/expert/michael-hendrix.
16. “Paul Singer.” The Federalist Society, 2021. Accessed November 27, 2021, https://fedsoc.org/contributors/paul-singer.
17. “Paul E. Singer.” OpenSecrets. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=paul+e+singer.
18. “About.” Hertog Foundation, 2018. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://hertogfoundation.org/about.
19. “Hudson Institute Announces the Ravenel B. Curry III Chair.” Hudson Institute, October 29, 2018. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://www.hudson.org/research/14643-hudson-institute-announces-the-ravenel-b-curry-iii-chair.
20. Harvey Golub.” Dynasty Financial Partners, 2021. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://www.dynastyfinancialpartners.com/bio?id=1008.
21. “William Kristol.” Bulwark Media, 2021. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://www.thebulwark.com/author/billkristol/.
22. “Thomas E. Mcinerney.” Foundations in Education, 2021. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://www.foundationsineducation.org/board-of-trustees/.
23. “Russell P. Pennoyer.” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/node/79623.
24. “About.” Robert Rosenkranz, 2015. Accessed November 27, 2021. http://robertrosenkranz.com/about/.