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| Formation | 1942 (83 years ago) (1942) |
|---|---|
| Type | Nonprofit |
| 39-6037928 | |
| Legal status | 501(c)(3) |
| Purpose | Privatecharitable foundation |
| Headquarters |
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President | Richard William Graber |
| Revenue | $31 million[1] (2023) |
| Expenses | $68.9 million[1] (2023) |
| Website | www |
TheLynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, commonly known as theBradley Foundation, is an American charitablefoundation based inMilwaukee, Wisconsin, that has been one of the most influential funders of theconservative movement.[2][3][4] The foundation had nearly $1 billion in assets as of 2023.[1] It has given $1.3 billion in grants since 1985.[5]
The foundation funds a variety of conservative public policy groups along with cultural institutions and Milwaukee nonprofit organizations. It reports that approximately 70% of the foundation's giving is directed to national groups while 30% is Wisconsin-based.[3] It awards the Bradley Prize.[2]
The foundation was established in 1942, shortly after the death ofLynde Bradley, to further the philosophy of the Bradley brothers. The Bradley brothers had helped found theAllen-Bradley Company, a major electrical controls manufacturer.[2] The foundation's credo is "The good society is a free society."[6]
In 1965, after the death ofHarry Lynde Bradley, Lynde's brother, the foundation expanded and began to concentrate onpublic policy.[7] The 1985 acquisition of the Allen-Bradley Company byRockwell International Corporation resulted in a portion of the proceeds going to expand the foundation, swelling its assets from $14 million to over $290 million.[8][2] In 1986, the foundation gave away $23 million, more than it had in the previous four decades.[7]
The Bradley Foundation's former president,Michael S. Joyce, helped to create thePhilanthropy Roundtable.[9]
In 2011, theMilwaukee Journal Sentinel wrote that "The Bradley Foundation acts like a venture capital fund for conservative ideas."[2]
The foundation describes itself as supportinglimited government.[10]The New York Times described the Bradley Foundation as "a leading source of ideas and financing for American conservatives."[11] A 2013 report from theCenter for Public Integrity found that the Bradley Foundation was a contributor toDonors Trust, adonor advised fund which is not required to disclose the identity of its donors.[12][13]
In a 2018 interview, the foundation's CEO,Richard Graber, described its four major areas of funding as "constitutional order", education (in particularschool choice),civil society, and arts and culture.[3] In that interview, Graber said that the foundation would deemphasize some areas in which it had previously made grants, includingnational security and foreign policy.[3] Between 2008 and 2011, Bradley contributed to theDavid Horowitz Freedom Center ($4.2 million), theCenter for Security Policy ($815,000) and theMiddle East Forum ($305,000).[14]
The Bradley Foundation is a major funder of state-level initiatives opposing public sector unions, particularly in Wisconsin.[15][2] The foundation has made grants to theAmerican Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC),[15] The associated Bradley Impact Fund in 2020 gave $6.5 million, its largest donation that year, toProject Veritas.[16]
The Bradley Prize is a grant to "formally recognize individuals of extraordinary talent and dedication who have made contributions of excellence in areas consistent with The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation's mission." As many as four prizes of $300,000 each are awarded annually.[2] Winners[17] have includedFouad Ajami (2006),John Bolton (2007),Martin Feldstein (2007),Victor Davis Hanson (2008),Leonard Leo (2009),William Kristol (2009),Paul A. Gigot (2010),Jeb Bush (2011),[18]Edwin Meese III (2012),Roger Ailes (2013),[19]Paul Clement (2013),Mitch Daniels (2013),Yuval Levin (2013),[20]Kimberley Strassel (2014),[21]Ayaan Hirsi Ali (2015),James Ceaser (2015),Gary Sinise (2016),[22]Peter Berkowitz (2017),Charles R. Kesler (2018),[17]Roger Kimball (2019),Amity Shlaes (2021),[23]Glenn Loury (2022),[24]John H. Cochrane (2023),Jay Bhattacharya (2024),[17]Barry Strauss (2025),Christopher Rufo (2025), andJames Piereson (2025).[25]
The Bradley Prizes for 2020 were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.[26]
The Bradley Foundation has an 11-member board of directors that includes James T. Barry III, John Beagle,Paul Clement, Patrick English,Robert P. George,Richard Graber,Victor Davis Hanson,Cleta Mitchell,Art Pope,Reid Ribble, andEugene Scalia.[27]
one of the most powerful philanthropic forces behind America's conservative movement
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43°02′50.7″N87°54′38.2″W / 43.047417°N 87.910611°W /43.047417; -87.910611
