Bradley Foundation

Remembering and honoring the best of conservatism, philanthropy, and conservative philanthropy.

Conservatives have suggested that federal-government departments and agencies should be relocated from Washington, D.C, to the heartland—a good idea, for many reasons. For some of the same ones, why not also philanthropically supported, conservative D.C.-based think tanks, other nonprofits, and activist organizations?

IJ bears his mark in particular, of course, as does conservative public-interest law in general.

“This will not be the first movement in human history to flourish by incorporating the wisdom of unorthodox groups hitherto exiled to the margins of respectable society. … [I]t’s time for a conservative parallel polis. But the outline of that polis is already there, to be discovered and nurtured, not created. It’s up to us to provide it the attention and resources that it deserves.”

Remembering, and appreciating, his willingness to challenge traditional authority to help the poor and middle class.

In the framework of the “parallel polis” for which N. S. Lyons called at the National Conservatism conference in Brussels, there already exists a latent one in America’s central-city neighborhoods.

In large part because of him—his warmth, his wit, his wisdom—a great group that got along and, we think, did some good.

Remembering an active, faithful Milwaukee citizen.

Remembering Cordelia Taylor and her community.

Remembering Cordelia Taylor and her love for others.

Approaching Labor Day, remembering Penn Kemble … and Robert Nisbet.

In 1994, the Bradley Foundation’s then-president described the “Bradley Project on the 90s,” led by Bill Kristol, and its call for a “new citizenship” that helped form the foundation’s grantmaking program.

Benda, Gurri, Rufo, and us.

A work to read in “the Wilderness.”

R.l.P.

The popular EconTalk podcast host Russ Roberts’ new book offers a helpful insight to any grantmakers willing to receive it—and self-aware enough to risk considering themselves as essentially engaged in art, not science.

Remembering “the voice of history.”

The former Bradley Foundation chairman talks to Daniel P. Schmidt and Michael E. Hartmann about short- and long-term grantmaking strategies, the politicization of philanthropy and donor freedom, the imbalance between left and right among major givers, and what conservatives should try doing about it.

The former Bradley Foundation chairman talks to Daniel P. Schmidt and Michael E. Hartmann about his decades’ worth of experience in real-estate investing, politics, and philanthropy.

“Vladimir Bukovsky, Václav Havel, Adam Michnik, and Czeslaw Milosz come to mind, among others,” according to the longtime Bradley Foundation vice president, “as do the Polish Solidarność trade union, the Czech Charter 77 group, and the Russian truth-telling group Memorial.”

A work to read in “the Wilderness.”

Twenty-five years after enactment of state and federal work-based welfare reform, the executive director of the Secretaries’ Innovation Group (SIG) addresses philanthropy and welfare reform, SIG, and application of the reform concepts internationally.

Fifteen years after publication of his book on the John M. Olin Foundation, its author talks to Michael E. Hartmann and Daniel P. Schmidt about Olin himself, his decision to “sunset” the foundation, the reasons for its success, and whether—and if so, how—other conservative givers could replicate that success now and in the future.

The College Fix founder talks to Michael E. Hartmann and Daniel P. Schmidt about the benefits of a long-term philanthropic outlook in ambitious projects like transforming the media.

He wore his “IV” well, actually.

Including about the charitable and the political.

We must steadfastly strive to see, and necessarily recall, others’ witness—so we can take the chances they give us to do so, too.

Before an almost-century-old social club, retired Bradley Foundation vice president remembers a famous cinematic bank run and overviews conservative-grantmaking history, then talks about philanthropic hubris, grantmaking in Russia, the Bradley brothers’ affinity for Milwaukee, and an increasing preference for localism on the part of donors.

The Bradley Foundation’s librarian has been doing it very well, and with a smile, for a quarter of a century.

The political scientist and author talks to Michael E. Hartmann about “compassionate conservatism,” the Never Trump movement, and the post-Trump future of conservatism—including how conservative philanthropy should consider the challenges of, and opportunities available in, facing that future.

The political scientist and author talks to Michael E. Hartmann about the nature of philanthropic support for the conservative legal movement, what it can teach foundations now, and what grantmakers can do about “organizational disequilibrium.”

Or what used to be a pyramid—and may be again, albeit pixelated.

Post-election 1992: “The largest problem of all is that conservatism has utterly lost its focus, its sense of purpose, its mission. It has become too comfortable and too complacent.”

And Mom wasn’t even watching.

The reaction to Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination shows how the notion of God presents a challenge for the liberal intelligentsia, the cutting-edge moral and philosophical doctrines of which raise serious questions about any form of transcendent truth. For conservatism, a religious understanding of brokenness can only better it.

Conservative philanthropy should be constantly on the lookout for young people deep within the heart of progressivism who are beginning to realize that, however noble its ends, its means always turn out to be illiberal and oppressive.

Exploring ways to, if inclined, support that which ultimately undergirds Western civilization itself.

For conservative givers, a sober assessment, with high stakes.

Center for Effective Philanthropy report on policy-oriented foundations underscores importance of tightening thinking behind strategies and improving formulation and development of tactics—together, and for longer than usually first expected.

The Demos founder and author of The Givers talks to Michael E. Hartmann about covering foundations and donors, the changing nature of the wealthy as a class, and the role of philanthropy in a democracy.

Hope for Prisoners in Las Vegas offers one good example.

Just as with “pulling the goalie,” properly assess the future, but in this case to “skate to the puck.” Don’t wait to skate—or, again analogizing to grantmaking, to spend.

To help mark National School Choice Week, a story of patience and perseverance.

It’s not so unique. Nor are small, local, hometown ones like it built by national government as easily as the large-scale interstate-highway system.

A good way to think about it.

Profiles in Howard Husock’s new book tell a larger story, engagingly tracing an unfortunate development: the displacement of civil society by the state.

He conducted himself in the proper manner, and for the proper reasons.

The approaches of some grassroots activists and conservative philanthropies are much closer to each other than those flowing from progressivism—which shift power away from the local grassroots to distant intellectual elites, who consider grassroots efforts mere “Band-Aids.”

And totalitarianism, transcendence, and the triumph of truth.

Always greeted with a smile, jousted with good nature, and toasted with cheer.

George Soros’ new book notes “pitfalls and paradoxes” of philanthropy in ways that seem quite familiar.

A role reversal, and its own grand renewal.

And another option for grantmakers to at least consider.

We’re in the midst one of the most-drastic changes in the flow of information in history. Policy-oriented funders need to change their strategies accordingly.

As the current Brewers owner says, “Teams can go in two directions” when major setbacks happen.

Picking up on its potential wider implications, including for philanthropy.

On Labor Day, remembering Penn Kemble … and Robert Nisbet.

And philanthropy.

Reflections on my co-editors’ conversation with Howard Fuller.

The civil-rights and parent-choice activist talks to Daniel P. Schmidt and Michael E. Hartmann about philanthropy, education reform, and the principles driving his work.

The civil-rights and parent-choice activist talks to Daniel P. Schmidt and Michael E. Hartmann about basketball, his early life, community organizing, and being an organizer.

A great man whom we feel blessed to have known.

In Milwaukee, it didn’t start with any grantmaker. The indispensable groundwork was laid by parents concerned about the education of their children.

Remembering, and trying to learn from, a good philanthropic role played more than two decades ago.

Conservative philanthropy appears to be on the threshold of a new phase in its history.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Institute for Education Sciences (IES) released new findings on the District of Columbia school-choice program. The “evaluation showed that students who received a voucher did 7.3 percentage points worse on math than students who didn’t, while reading scores were not significantly different for the two groups,” according to Frederick M.… Continue reading In looking for truth, breezes over bushes