The mission of The Heritage Foundation is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.
Free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense -- promoting these principles is the mission of The Heritage Foundation.

As the nation’s largest, most broadly-supported conservative research and educational institution -- a think tank -- The Heritage Foundation has been the bastion of the American conservative movement since our founding in 1973. More than 500,000 dues-paying members support our vision to build an America where freedom, prosperity, opportunity and civil society flourish.

Heritage’s staff pursues this mission by performing timely, accurate research on key policy issues and effectively marketing these findings to our primary audiences: members of Congress, key congressional staff members, policymakers in the executive branch, the nation’s news media, and the academic and policy communities.