The Prosperity for US Foundation is an advocacy organization that claims to promote “American prosperity” through the creation of state-level amendments that would focus on specific policy areas including private property rights while limiting government spending. ¹

Background

Founded in 2024 by Florida businessman David Biddulph, the Prosperity for US Foundation has previously endorsed state constitutional amendments it claims would offer protections of property rights, limit government spending, and cap property taxes. ² As of April 2025, it has created local coalitions in several states including Florida, Texas, Arizona, Missouri, and Colorado. ¹

Financials

The Prosperity for US Foundation was established in late 2024 and its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status is currently pending approval. ¹  At this time, it is unclear who is funding the Prosperity for US Foundation, though it lists its affiliated organizations as the American Legislative Exchange Council, the American Business Defense Council, American Thinker, the Family Business Coalition, and Main Street Economics. ³

Leadership

Bob Carlstrom is the executive director of the Prosperity for US Foundation. Carlstrom is chair emeritus of Second Genesis and president of Association of Mature American Citizens Action. Carlstrom is a former president of the Carlstrom Group and formerly worked as a senior executive at the Office of Management and Budget. ⁴

Board of Directors

David Biddulph is the founder and chair of the board of the Prosperity for US Foundation, a co-founder of the Balanced Budget Amendment Task Force, and the founder of the Tax Cap Committee. ⁵

Barry Poulson is an emeritus professor of economics at the University of Colorado. Poulson is an adjunct scholar at the Heritage Foundation, a senior fellow at the Independence Institute, and an advisor to the task force on tax and fiscal policy at the American Legislative Exchange Council. Poulson is a former president of the North American Economics and Finance Association and a former vice chair of the State Treasurer’s Advisory Group on Constitutional Amendments in Colorado. ⁶

William Owens is a retired U.S. Navy Admiral who served as vice chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and is a former chair of the board of CenturyLink Telecom. Owens is a distinguished fellow at the Henry L. Stimson Center, executive chair of Red Bison Advisory Group, and sits on the advisory boards of Carillon Technologies, Platform Science, Prism, Sarcos, Sierra Nevada Corporation, and Vodi. Owens is a trustee of the EastWest Institute, an advisor to the Post COVID-19 Debt Initiative, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Owens formerly sat on the boards of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Brookings Institution, and the RAND Corporation. ⁷

1. “Foundation Summary.” The Prosperity for US Foundation. Accessed April 6, 2025. https://www.prosperityforus.foundation/_files/ugd/90a243_4a338852eab04ae5b953df75699f4dd9.pdf
2. “Our Causes.” Prosperity for US Foundation. Accessed April 3, 2025. https://www.prosperityforus.foundation/three-voter-powered-amendments.
3. “Home.” Prosperity for US Foundation. Accessed April 3, 2025. https://www.prosperityforus.foundation/.
4. “Bob Carlstrom.” LinkedIn. Accessed April 3, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-carlstrom-31883712/.
5. “David Biddulph.” American Legislative Exchange Council. Accessed April 3, 2025. https://alec.org/person/david-biddulph/.
6. “Barry Poulson.” The Heartland Institute. Accessed April 3, 2025. https://heartland.org/about-us/who-we-are/barry-poulson/.
7. “William A. Owens.” The Henry L. Stimson Center. Accessed April 3, 2025. https://www.stimson.org/ppl/william-a-owens/.