Today, the world and U.S. national security policy stand at a critical intersection. An aggressive, revisionist Russia, a rising China, war in the Middle East, profound technological disruption, and deep domestic divisions raise questions about America’s global future. The stakes for the nation are high, and CNAS is committed to developing bold, innovative, and bipartisan policies for the country’s most important national security choices. Never before has the demand for the Center’s work been greater.
Since its founding in 2007, CNAS has stood at the forefront of the most urgent issues, producing rigorous, fact-based analysis and actionable policy recommendations. The Center punches well above its weight in policy impact, outperforming its peers in an array of key metrics. An organization of “futures, not formers,” CNAS has launched experts into government and trained new generations of national security leaders on both sides of the aisle. And there is more—much more—to come.
Capital Campaign Opportunities
CNAS invites you to invest today in tomorrow’s national security needs. There are multiple opportunities to do so.
1. The Innovation Fund
Research opportunities
Wargaming and scenario exercises to explore military and non-military issues, such as sanctions and economic statecraft.
The impact of emerging technologies on national security, such as AI, biotechnology, and quantum technologies.
Rapid responses to pressing challenges, such as Russian expansionism, competition with China, and ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
Domestic extremism and polarization and their implications for national security and the health of American democracy.
Growing Future Generations of National Security Leaders
Shawn Brimley Next Generation National Security Leaders Program, CNAS’s highly competitive, year-long, part-time fellowship brings together young professionals across sectors within the national security field to learn best practices and lessons in leadership.
Joseph S. Nye Jr. Internship and Mentoring Program, the Center’s flagship effort to involve interns in policy research, writing, exposure to national policy debates and decision-makers, and professional development.
Make Room, an inclusive professional development network for young professionals to train, empower, and amplify the voices of underrepresented communities in the national security field.
The Pitch, an annual competition of ideas to elevate emerging and diverse voices in national security in which applicants pitch their innovative policy ideas in front of a distinguished panel of judges and a live audience.
Transformative Center-wide initiatives
Enhanced digital tools for engaging audiences, including videos showcasing CNAS research, upgraded live-streaming and hybrid event capabilities, and web-based digital reports for signature research projects.
Center-wide staff training to improve professional skills, including media, leadership, and management training, to further the CNAS mission of growing the next generation of national security talent.
To administer the Fund, the Center will establish an internal application and review process to evaluate projects and activities. The CEO will regularly brief the Board of Directors on current and potential future Innovation Fund projects and will solicit input and feedback.
2. Research Program Support
CNAS drove the conversation on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Third Offset strategy, coercive economic statecraft, the evolution of technology in warfare, veterans reintegration, artificial intelligence, and much more. Donors may direct capital campaign funding to support specific research programs. The Center’s current research priorities include:
Defense
The Defense Program focuses on how the United States can effectively deter China and Russia while managing lesser threats. The research program covers ends (strategy), ways (operational concepts and analytic processes), and means (budgets).
Energy, Economics, and Security
The Energy, Economics, and Security Program explores the changing global marketplace and implications for U.S. national security and foreign policy, including current research priorities in the U.S.-China economic competition, the new geoeconomic toolkit, emerging financial technologies, financing of illicit activities, U.S. sanctions strategy, and industrial policy.
Indo-Pacific Security
The Indo-Pacific Security Program explores opportunities and challenges for the United States—from strengthening alliances and partnerships to managing the China challenge and North Korean threat—in a region that is vital to American strategic and economic interests.
Middle East Security
The Middle East Security Program explores and recommends policy choices to advance U.S. national security objectives in the Middle East. The program identifies strategies and tools available to promote regional stability and security, advance partnerships and alliances, and anticipate emerging challenges. The program examines the strategic choices facing U.S. partners and adversaries in the Middle East.
Military, Veterans, and Society
The Military, Veterans, and Society Program works to strengthen the All-Volunteer Force, support the veteran and military family community, and inform the civil-military dialogue through robust research.
Securing U.S. Democracy
The Securing U.S. Democracy Initiative focuses on national security threats to the United States here at home, involving an expanding array of issues including but not limited to domestic and international terrorism, cybersecurity, disaster management, and political violence.
Technology
The Technology and National Security Program explores the policy challenges associated with emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, autonomy and unmanned systems, digital infrastructure, networking and social media, biotechnologies, and disinformation.
Transatlantic Security
The Transatlantic Security Program works to strengthen relations between the United States and Europe and to help decision-makers understand and respond to challenges—most urgently, those posed by Russia, but also in relation to China, technological changes, and internal threats to democracy.
3. The Flournoy-Fontaine Fund
The Flournoy-Fontaine Fund honors the bipartisan spirit of CNAS, highlighting the contributions of CNAS co-founder Michèle Flournoy and CNAS CEO Richard Fontaine. This fund will maximize the impact of CNAS’s bipartisan mission and outreach and provide support for key CEO-led activities and initiatives.
4. Naming Opportunities at 1701 Pennsylvania Avenue
CNAS regularly convenes national security thought leaders from government, the military, Capitol Hill, industry, media, and academia. In CNAS’s new offices at 1701 Pennsylvania Avenue, the conference rooms and other convening areas will serve as critical enablers for high-impact policy discussions with key stakeholders. We invite you to name a conference room, the green room, a common area, or the communications studio to enable high-visibility public recognition of your investment in CNAS.
Building the Future: Founders Circle
$1,000,000 and above
- The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
- The Roche Family Foundation
- Michael W. Sonnenfeldt
- Michael J. Zak
$999,000 to $200,000
- Doug Beck
- The Boeing Company
- Carol G. Deane
- Carl and Nancy Glaeser
- Drue and H.J. Heinz II Charitable Trust
- Christopher Heinz, Heinz Family Foundation
- The Edward John and Patricia Rosenwald Foundation
- Douglas N. Silverman
$199,000 and below
- Richard L. Armitage
- Michael Beckley and Ana Echemendia
- Denis A. Bovin
- Michael A. Brown
- Karen and Bill Dahut
- Richard J. Danzig
- Michèle Flournoy
- Richard Fontaine
- Admiral Cecil Haney, USN (Ret.)
- David J. Hogan
- The Huntsman Foundation
- Jeh C. Johnson
- Senator Joseph I. Lieberman
- Admiral John Richardson, USN (Ret.)
- Eric Schmidt
- David Schwimmer
- Karen D. Seitz
- Jane Wales
For more information, contact Anna Saito Carson, Senior Vice President of Development, at asaito@cnas.org.