For more than a half century since its founding in 1961, the Atlantic Council has focused on publishing research and convening communities of influence to craft and promote policies that tackle a full range of global challenges. Our mission is that of renewing the Atlantic community and improving the state of the world through more effective cooperation with global friends and allies.
To achieve that end, the Atlantic Council has since its founding been dedicated to forging close relationships with US and non-US governments, companies, and civil society partners as a central element of achieving its mission. We do so in a manner and following procedures that ensure our intellectual independence while serving the larger public interest.
All of the Atlantic Council’s work is made possible through the generosity of a diverse group of donors from around the world, including individuals, companies, governments, and foundations. Over the last five years, the Council enjoyed support from more than 1,000 separate donors. We are grateful for their generosity, which sustains our important work at a crucial moment in global affairs.
As a section 501(c)(3) organization, the Atlantic Council maintains clear gift policies to ensure it operates both legally and ethically and to safeguard its credibility as a producer of creative ideas. The Council has established a process for approving all funding from non-US government entities. This requires that the project’s source and purpose are specifically vetted and approved by both management and the Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board of Directors.
Once approved, the Atlantic Council publicly discloses the names of these contributors. Furthermore, all agreements with donors—governments, companies, individuals, or foundations—stipulate that the Atlantic Council retains full intellectual independence and content control. We have found that our partners come to the Atlantic Council in large part because they embrace our mission and respect and welcome this provision as one that is also beneficial to them.