What Council on Foreign Relations does

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is a nonpartisan, independent U.S. nonprofit membership organization, think tank, educator, and publisher founded in 1921 and headquartered at the Harold Pratt House in New York City, with a Washington DC office at 1777 F Street NW. Its mission is to inform U.S. engagement with the world by generating policy-relevant ideas and analysis on pressing global challenges, including great power competition, conflict prevention, climate, trade, and technology governance. CFR houses the David Rockefeller Studies Program with more than 80 full-time and adjunct fellows covering all major world regions, and it publishes Foreign Affairs, the preeminent magazine of international affairs and U.S. foreign policy.

CFR's product portfolio spans digital publishing (CFR.org), Foreign Affairs magazine (print and digital), the CFR Education platform with interactive simulations for K-12 and higher education, two podcasts (The Spillover and Why It Matters), the Geo-Graphics blog with interactive economic trackers, 15+ email newsletters, and in-person and virtual events in New York and Washington DC including the CEO Speaker Series and World Economic Update. Specialized outputs include the annual Preventive Priorities Survey (which engaged approximately 620 foreign policy experts for the 2026 edition) and topical reports on China competition, supply-chain vulnerabilities, energy innovation financing, and emerging-technology governance.

CFR operates a freemium model: all content on CFR.org, Foreign Affairs, and the Education platform is available at no charge to the public, with revenue sourced from a deliberately diversified base of individual membership dues, corporate memberships, Foreign Affairs subscriptions and advertising, foundation and individual grants, endowment investment returns, and facility rental income from the Harold Pratt House and the LEED-gold-certified Washington DC building. CFR does not accept funding from foreign governments or from corporations for research projects, and donors cannot influence research outcomes.

Name

Council on Foreign Relations

Legal name

Council on Foreign Relations

Website

https://cfr.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1921

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The Council on Foreign Relations is a 100-year-old nonpartisan U.S. think tank and publisher that informs policymakers, educators, media, and the public on foreign policy through Foreign Affairs magazine, CFR.org, CFR Education, podcasts, events, and 80+ fellows.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Foreign Policy Think Tank and Policy Publishing

NAICS

Business Associations (81391), Political Organizations (813940)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks (EDADADAA), News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines (MPAJAEAO)

Keywords

• Foreign policy research
• Think tank publications
• International affairs analysis
• Policy convening events
• Global affairs education

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Individual member dues and annual giving by members form a portion of CFR's revenue. CFR maintains a robust membership of citizens with diverse perspectives.
2. Foreign Affairs Magazine: Foreign Affairs magazine subscriptions and advertising provide revenue. The magazine is the preeminent publication for international affairs and U.S. foreign policy.
3. Foundation Grants: Grants from foundations and individuals support CFR operations. The organization does not accept funding from foreign governments or corporations for research projects.
4. Corporate Membership: Corporate memberships contribute to CFR's diverse funding model, though corporate members cannot influence research outcomes.
5. Endowment Investment Returns: Investment returns from CFR's endowment provide ongoing revenue support.
6. Facility Rentals: Rental income from outside use of CFR's New York Harold Pratt House and Washington DC facilities at 1777 F Street, NW (LEED gold certified).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Council on Foreign Relations operates as a nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher focused on U.S. foreign policy and international affairs. Its core offerings include policy research and analysis produced by more than 80 fellows in the David Rockefeller Studies Program, convening events for policymakers and experts in New York and Washington DC, publication of Foreign Affairs magazine, free educational resources and simulations for K-12 and higher education, and digital content distributed via CFR.org, podcasts, newsletters, and interactive geoeconomic data trackers.

Product overview

The Council on Foreign Relations operates as a nonpartisan think tank, membership organization, educator, and publisher. Its primary digital products include CFR.org (the flagship content website featuring articles, analyses, reports, and expert commentary on foreign policy), Foreign Affairs Magazine (the preeminent scholarly publication on international affairs), and CFR Education (an educational platform offering simulations, learning journeys, and teaching resources for K-12 and higher education). Supporting offerings include The Spillover and Why It Matters podcasts, the Geo-Graphics blog with interactive economic trackers, various email newsletters, and CFR Events (in-person and virtual programming). The portfolio also includes the Preventive Priorities Survey (annual conflict risk assessment) and specialized research reports.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Foreign Affairs: The leading magazine on U.S. foreign policy and international issues, published by CFR
• The Spillover
• Why It Matters
• CFR Education
• Geo-Graphics
• David Rockefeller Studies Program
• Center for Preventive Action
• Climate Realism Initiative
• Women and Foreign Policy Program

Products and services

• Foreign Affairs Magazine
• CFR Education
• Membership Program
• CFR Events
• The Spillover Podcast
• Why It Matters Podcast
• Geo-Graphics Blog and Interactive Trackers
• CFR Email Newsletters
• Preventive Priorities Survey
• Future of American Strategy Initiative

Quantifiable outcome

• CFR published multiple major reports on energy financing gap ($100-200 billion missing middle), pharmaceutical supply chain vulnerability (China controls 94% of amoxicillin materials), and AI governance challenges

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Silverado Policy AcceleratorcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026CFR and Silverado Policy Accelerator jointly released a February 2026 report on leapfrogging China's critical minerals dominance. The report argued the U.S. should pursue an innovation-led strategy to scale disruptive technologies in materials engineering, waste recovery, and recycling.
• Brookings InstitutionminorOthersBrookings Institution was among recipients of Hewlett Foundation grants for AI governance research. Also listed as a think tank cut from Pentagon-funded military education programs alongside CFR.
• Carnegie Endowment for International PeaceminorOthersCarnegie Endowment received Hewlett Foundation grant for AI governance work. Also mentioned alongside CFR as major think tank affected by Pentagon partnership review.
• Georgetown UniversityminorOthersGeorgetown University received Hewlett Foundation grant for AI governance research alongside CFR.
• Stanford University (Hoover Institution)minorOthersStanford University's Hoover Institution received Hewlett Foundation grant for AI governance alongside CFR.
• RAND CorporationminorOthersRAND received Hewlett Foundation grant for AI governance research alongside CFR.
• Atlantic CouncilminorOthersAtlantic Council received Hewlett Foundation grant for AI governance work alongside CFR.
• Johns Hopkins University (SAIS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMatthias Matthijs serves as Dean Acheson Chair at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). CFR fellows hold academic chairs and collaborate on research with SAIS.
• Vanderbilt University (Institute for National Security)minorOthersVanderbilt University's Institute for National Security received Hewlett Foundation grant for AI governance research.
• AI Now InstituteminorOthersAI Now Institute received Hewlett Foundation grant for AI governance research alongside CFR.
• Aspen InstituteminorOthersAspen Institute received Hewlett Foundation grant for AI governance research alongside CFR.
• Global Network InitiativeminorOthersGlobal Network Initiative received Hewlett Foundation grant for AI governance research alongside CFR.
• Institute for Security and TechnologyminorOthersInstitute for Security and Technology received Hewlett Foundation grant for AI governance research alongside CFR.
• Observer Research Foundation AmericaminorOthersObserver Research Foundation America received Hewlett Foundation grant for AI governance research alongside CFR.
• Sentinel BiominorOthersSentinel Bio received Hewlett Foundation grant for AI governance research alongside CFR.
• Utah Office of Artificial Intelligence PolicyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFR hosted webinar on AI governance featuring Utah's Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy, created in July 2024, which operates a regulatory sandbox and learning lab for AI policy.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• German Marshall Fund: A nonpartisan think tank focused on transatlantic policy issues. CFR's senior fellow Michael Werz previously served as a senior transatlantic fellow at the German Marshall Fund, evidencing close personnel overlap, and the two compete for similar European and U.S. policy audiences.
• Wilson Center: A nonpartisan policy forum addressing global issues through research, convening, and fellowships. The Wilson Center's scholar-in-residence model and global policy focus make it a close peer to CFR's David Rockefeller Studies Program.
• RAND Corporation: A large nonprofit research institution producing policy analysis across national security, international affairs, and emerging technologies. RAND's scale (thousands of staff), research portfolio, and foundation/government funding mix make it a structural peer to CFR, and it was named alongside CFR in the Hewlett AI governance grant cohort.
• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: A major private, nonprofit foreign policy think tank with global centers and a research-and-convening model closely mirroring CFR's. Carnegie is a co-recipient of Hewlett AI governance funding and has been jointly discussed with CFR regarding Pentagon partnership reviews, making it a near-direct peer in mission and funding profile.
• Atlantic Council: A foreign policy think tank focused on international security, economics, and technology, with a similar convening and publications model. The Atlantic Council was named alongside CFR as a recipient of Hewlett AI governance funding and competes for the same corporate membership and foundation donor pools.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): A bipartisan foreign policy and national security think tank based in Washington, DC, with a strong convening and bipartisan-policy program. CSIS competes directly with CFR for corporate memberships, event audiences, and policy influence, and was among think tanks named in the Pentagon partnership review alongside CFR.
• Brookings Institution: One of the largest and most established U.S. think tanks covering policy research across economics, foreign policy, and governance. Brookings is directly comparable to CFR in operating model (nonpartisan, foundation-funded, fellowship-driven research with convening power) and was named alongside CFR as a recipient of Hewlett Foundation AI governance grants and a think tank affected by Pentagon partnership review.
• Hoover Institution (Stanford University): A public policy research center at Stanford focused on American values, institutions, and foreign policy. Hoover's publications and convening activity compete with CFR's, and it was among Hewlett Foundation AI governance grant recipients alongside CFR.

Regional players

• Chatham House (Royal Institute of International Affairs): The U.K.'s leading international affairs think tank and a structural analog to CFR (membership, convening, flagship journal in International Affairs). Chatham House is highly comparable in mission but operates primarily outside North America, making it a regional peer rather than a direct competitor in U.S. domestic policymaker relationships.

Emerging players

• Hudson Institute: A U.S. policy research organization focused on national security, foreign policy, and economics. Hudson competes for the same corporate membership and donor audiences as CFR but operates at a smaller scale and with a more ideologically defined positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CFR_org
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cfr
• Facebookfacebook.com/councilonforeignrelations
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/council-on-foreign-relations

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Council on Foreign Relations