Foundation for Defense of Democracies

What Foundation for Defense of Democracies does

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) is a Washington, DC-based nonpartisan 501(c)(3) research institute founded in 2001, shortly after the September 11 attacks, focused on U.S. national security and foreign policy. Its core product is open-source policy research and analysis on threats from Iran, China, Russia, terrorism, cyber adversaries, and Turkey, delivered as op-eds, policy briefs, memos, monographs, and legislative testimonies, plus three podcasts (The Iran Breakdown, Foreign Podicy, Generation Jihad) and two daily email publications (Morning Brief, Overnight Brief). The institute is organized into three American Power centers — Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation (CCTI), Center on Economic and Financial Power (CEFP), and Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP) — alongside regional/thematic programs covering Iran, China, Russia, Israel, Turkey, and nonproliferation. The Long War Journal is a marquee publication explicitly described as the best source of public information on terrorism. There is no technology product, API, SDK, or software offering; the underlying 'platform' is human-expert research, a 700+ practitioner National Security Network, and editorial assets.

Its business model is nonprofit fundraising: FDD solicits private donations through an 'Invest' mechanism and explicitly does not accept donations from any foreign governments. Research is distributed freely to policymakers, media, and the public rather than sold commercially. The principal customer segments are U.S. government policymakers (executive branch and Congressional offices across both parties), media/journalists seeking expert commentary, mid-career national security practitioners participating in the National Security Fellows Program and related programming, and democratic foreign allies (e.g., Taiwan, Israel) who benefit from thematic research support. The leadership team includes CEO Mark Dubowitz, Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer, Founder & President Clifford D. May, COO Bill McCarthy, and senior advisors including LTG (Ret.) H.R. McMaster, Juan C. Zarate, Jim Langevin, and RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery.

Name

Foundation for Defense of Democracies

Legal name

Foundation for Defense of Democracies

Website

https://fdd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) is a Washington, DC-based nonpartisan 501(c)(3) research institute, founded in 2001, that produces open-source policy analysis, daily briefings, podcasts, and monographs on national security threats (Iran, China, Russia, cyber, Turkey) for U.S. policymakers, media, and a 700-practitioner network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and National Security Analysis

NAICS

National Security (928110), International Affairs (928120)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Security Sector Reform (SSR) & Defense Institution Building (BPADAFAE)

Keywords

• National security research
• Foreign policy analysis
• Defense policy briefs
• Geopolitical research
• Counterterrorism analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) is a Washington, DC-based nonpartisan 501(c)(3) research institute that conducts policy research and analysis on national security threats, including Iran, China, Russia, cyber, Turkey, and counterterrorism. FDD produces policy briefs, op-eds, monographs, legislative testimonies, daily email briefings, podcasts, and fellowship programs, and distributes these to U.S. policymakers, media, allied governments, and the public.

Product overview

FDD is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) research institute specializing in national security and foreign policy analysis, organized around three Centers on American Power (CCTI, CEFP, CMPP) and multiple regional/thematic programs (Iran, China, Israel, Russia, Turkey, Nonproliferation). The organization produces publications (policy briefs, op-eds, monographs, memos), daily briefings (Morning Brief, Overnight Brief), podcasts (The Iran Breakdown, Foreign Podicy, Generation Jihad), and manages educational programs including the National Security Fellows Program and Media Fellows Program. FDD's Long War Journal tracks global terrorism. The organization does not offer technology products, APIs, or software services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FDD Morning Brief Daily morning email newsletter providing analysis on national security issues, distributed to policymakers, media, and the public.
• Overnight Brief Daily overnight email briefing summarizing overnight developments across multiple global security and foreign policy issues.
• FDD Long War Journal Publication providing expert reporting on global terrorism and the jihadi movement, widely cited as a leading source of public information on terrorism.
• National Security Fellows Program A 12-month fellowship program for mid-career national security professionals combining networking, skill-building, and expert roundtable discussions.
• Media Fellows Program Professional development program for media professionals covering the intersection of media, strategic communications, public diplomacy, and national security.
• The Iran Breakdown Podcast Podcast providing recurring analysis of Iran-related national security developments.
• Foreign Podicy Podcast Podcast featuring discussions on foreign policy and national security topics with FDD experts.
• Generation Jihad Podcast Podcast focused on understanding and countering jihadist ideology and terrorism.

Quantifiable outcome

• FDD expertise shared with Bush, Obama, Trump, Biden administrations and Congressional offices on a bipartisan basis
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• MicrosoftminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026Microsoft partnered with FDD's Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation (CCTI) and the Cyber Readiness Institute on a 2023-2025 cybersecurity assistance pilot program for water utilities. The program found that while 90% of participating utilities reported better cybersecurity understanding, hands-on assistance proved more effective than free training alone.
• Cyber Readiness InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026The Cyber Readiness Institute partnered with Microsoft and FDD's Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation on a 2023-2025 cybersecurity assistance pilot program for water utilities that compared hands-on coaching versus self-paced training approaches.
• National Chengchi University (Taiwan)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 November 2025FDD conducted a tabletop exercise with Taiwan's National Chengchi University for a report titled 'Power Under Pressure' that recommended improvements to Taiwan's energy resilience to deter China's gray zone tactics targeting fuel supplies.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 August 2025CSIS and FDD partnered to launch the Commission on Cyber Force Generation on August 4, 2025, co-chaired by former House Armed Services Committee staff member Josh Stiefel and retired Lieutenant General Ed Cardon. The commission aims to develop implementation recommendations for a potential dedicated U.S. military Cyber Force, addressing organizational structure, core functions, and necessary authorities. They also co-published a report proposing a model for an independent U.S. Cyber Force with approximately $11 billion in reallocated funds and 30,000 personnel.
• Cyber Solarium Commission 2.0 (CSC 2.0)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 August 2025The Cyber Solarium Commission 2.0 is housed at FDD and partnered with CSIS to launch the Commission on Cyber Force Generation. The initiative aims to accelerate execution and reduce transition risk by focusing on implementation planning ahead of any decision to create a Cyber Force.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• RAND Corporation: Nonprofit research institution providing in-depth analysis on national security, defense, and international affairs. Comparable in producing rigorous research for policymakers, though with a more analytical/methodological approach than FDD's advocacy-oriented research.
• Atlantic Council: Washington, DC-based think tank focused on international affairs with programs on national security, economics, and regional studies. Comparable in producing policy briefs, hosting events, and engaging directly with executive branch officials.
• Heritage Foundation: Largest conservative-leaning Washington, DC think tank with significant foreign policy and defense programs. Comparable in policy influence and government access, though with a broader domestic policy portfolio than FDD.
• Hoover Institution: Stanford-based public policy research center with major programs on national security, foreign policy, and economic policy. Comparable in research depth, distinguished fellows, and government connections across multiple administrations.
• American Enterprise Institute (AEI): Washington, DC-based think tank conducting policy research in economics, foreign policy, and national security. Comparable in mission and Washington policy engagement, with similar reach into both Republican and Democratic administrations.
• Hudson Institute: Washington, DC-based think tank focused on national security, foreign policy, and economics. Comparable to FDD in size, hawkish foreign policy orientation, and Washington-based policy engagement with government officials.
• Brookings Institution: One of the largest Washington, DC-based policy research organizations with substantial foreign policy and national security programs. Comparable in research-driven policy influence, but with a broader policy mandate and significantly larger budget than FDD.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): Washington, DC-based bipartisan think tank focused on national security and foreign policy. Directly comparable to FDD as both specialize in defense and international affairs, share a bipartisan approach, and recently co-led the Cyber Force Generation Commission.
• Washington Institute for Near East Policy: Washington, DC-based think tank focused on U.S. policy in the Middle East, particularly Israel. Comparable to FDD's regional expertise on Israel and Iran, with a similarly hawkish orientation toward Iran policy.
• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Washington, DC-based think tank with global programs on international peace, security, and economics. Comparable in producing expert foreign policy analysis, though with a more centrist orientation and broader geographic focus than FDD.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/followfdd
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@FDDorg
• Facebookfacebook.com/36017646360
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/foundation-for-defense-of-democracies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Foundation for Defense of Democracies