The McCain Institute

What The McCain Institute does

The McCain Institute for International Leadership is a nonprofit policy institute housed within Arizona State University, named after and carrying the legacy of the late Senator John McCain. Its stated mission is advancing character-driven leadership, democracy, and human rights globally. The institute operates through three core program verticals — Leadership Programs, Democracy Programs, and the Human Rights & Freedom Program — supplemented by the Human Rights Defenders Program, which provides financial support, protection, and training to activists facing harassment, detention, and violence.

The institute's flagship offerings are its convening and recognition platforms. The annual Sedona Forum brings together U.S. and world leaders for informal, off-the-record discussions on global challenges, with a parallel Sedona Forum – Tokyo edition signaling international replication. The Washington Forum operates as a second flagship convening in the U.S. capital. Fellowship tracks (including a Kissinger Fellowship and Junior Fellowships) and recurring awards (Courage Awards, In The Arena Awards) develop a pipeline of emerging leaders and recognize frontline democracy advocates. Content distribution is handled through a multilingual website (English, Spanish, French, Japanese), newsletters, podcasts, blog posts, policy reports, and active social media channels.

The institute is a donation-funded 501(c)-equivalent nonprofit with no program fees. Revenue is generated through individual and corporate donations (directed to a General Fund or specific programs), foundation grants, an annual membership program, and legacy giving via wills and trusts. All donations are processed through the ASU Foundation, which provides administrative and financial infrastructure. The institute is headquartered in Washington, DC (1800 I St. NW), with operations spanning North America and global human rights and democracy work, and is governed by a Board of Trustees with a separate Global Advisory Council and fellows network.

Name

The McCain Institute

Legal name

The McCain Institute for International Leadership

Website

https://mccaininstitute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The McCain Institute is a nonprofit policy institute within Arizona State University that advances democracy, human rights, and character-driven leadership globally through fellowships, the Sedona Forum, and human rights defender programs, funded primarily by donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Policy Institute

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Democracy, Voting Rights & Civic Participation Advocacy (BPAGAFAJ), Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN), Electoral Support & Election Observation (BPADAGAA)

Keywords

• Policy research
• Democracy advocacy
• Human rights
• Leadership programs
• International security

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The institute relies primarily on donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Donations can be made to a General Fund that supports all programs or directed to specific programmatic areas. The institute is part of Arizona State University and donations are managed through the ASU Foundation.
2. Membership Program: Annual membership program offering benefits such as the 'In the Arena' newsletter, invitations to McCain Institute events, and limited edition McCain Institute memorabilia.
3. Legacy Giving: Planned giving options including wills, living trusts, and beneficiary designations for donors wishing to create long-term legacy support.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The McCain Institute is a nonprofit policy institute that delivers leadership development programs, democracy and human rights advocacy initiatives, fellowship and junior fellowship opportunities, and convening events such as the Sedona Forum and the Washington Forum. It supports human rights defenders with financial assistance, protection, and training, and convenes U.S. and international leaders for informal policy dialogue. All programs are offered free of charge to participants and funded through donations, memberships, and legacy giving.

Product overview

The McCain Institute is a nonprofit policy institute organized as a program-based organization rather than a traditional product company. Its portfolio consists of interconnected programs and events focused on advancing democracy, human rights, and character-driven leadership worldwide. The core offerings include Leadership Programs (cultivating leaders at all civic levels), Democracy Programs (protecting democratic institutions), and the Human Rights & Freedom Program (combatting trafficking and extremism). Flagship initiatives include the annual Sedona Forum (bringing together U.S. and world leaders for informal discussions on global challenges) and the Human Rights Defenders Program (providing financial support, protection, and training to activists). The Institute also operates fellowship programs (Fellowships and Junior Fellowships) and awards programs (Courage Awards and In The Arena Awards). Regular convenings like the Authors & Insights series and The Washington Forum provide ongoing engagement opportunities. All programs work together toward the shared mission of advancing character-driven leadership and defending democracy globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Leadership Programs Character-driven leadership development initiatives that deliver support at all levels of civic engagement, cultivating leaders who embody integrity and service.
• Democracy Programs Programs dedicated to protecting and strengthening democratic institutions, human rights, and fundamental freedoms worldwide.
• Human Rights & Freedom Program Initiatives combatting human trafficking, preventing targeted violence, and upholding human rights and democracy.
• Sedona Forum The premier annual event providing unmatched opportunities for U.S. and world leaders to engage in informal, face-to-face discussions about solutions to global challenges.
• Human Rights Defenders Program Program providing critical financial support, protection, and training to human rights activists facing harassment, detention, and violence for standing up to injustice.
• Fellowships Structured fellowship opportunities connecting emerging leaders with the Institute's network and resources.
• Junior Fellowships Early-career fellowship program for junior professionals to engage with the Institute's mission and programs.
• Authors & Insights Regular event series featuring discussions with authors and thought leaders on public service, democracy, and leadership.
• The Washington Forum Annual forum held in Washington D.C. bringing together leaders to discuss policy and democracy issues.
• Courage Awards Annual awards recognizing individuals who demonstrate courage and character in advancing democracy and human rights.
• In The Arena Awards Awards recognizing individuals working in the arena to advance the Institute's mission.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Arizona State University (ASU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe McCain Institute is part of Arizona State University, operating as a program within the university structure. ASU provides institutional support, academic credibility, and administrative infrastructure including processing donations through the ASU Foundation.
• Arizona State University FoundationcoreOthersThe ASU Foundation manages donations to the McCain Institute, processing contributions made payable to Arizona State University with the McCain Institute noted in the memo line.

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Human Rights Foundation: HRF focuses on protecting individual rights and promoting liberal democracy globally — closely matching the McCain Institute's Human Rights & Freedom Program and Human Rights Defenders Program in mission and target constituency.
• Atlantic Council: Atlantic Council is a foreign policy think tank focused on international security, democracy, and transatlantic issues — directly overlapping the McCain Institute's democracy, security, and human rights portfolio.
• National Endowment for Democracy: NED is the leading U.S. nonprofit focused on democratic movements abroad, funding and supporting civil society, governance, and rights initiatives — a direct peer on democracy promotion and human rights grantmaking.
• Wilson Center: The Wilson Center is a congressionally chartered, nonpartisan think tank focused on international affairs and policy research — directly comparable to the McCain Institute's policy research, convening, and fellowship activities.
• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Carnegie Endowment is a global network of foreign policy research centers producing policy analysis and convening experts — a close peer on policy research output, international affairs, and democracy/security focus.
• Aspen Institute: The Aspen Institute runs values-based leadership programs and policy dialogues across multiple sectors. Its leadership fellowship model and event-driven convening approach parallel the McCain Institute's Leadership Programs and Sedona Forum.
• German Marshall Fund of the United States: GMF is a nonpartisan policy organization promoting transatlantic cooperation, democratic resilience, and leadership exchange — highly comparable on democracy programming, fellowship models, and convening activities.
• International Republican Institute: IRI works to advance democracy worldwide through programming, leadership training, and political party support — directly comparable to the McCain Institute's Democracy Programs and leadership development work.

Broad incumbents

• Council on Foreign Relations: CFR is a larger, established foreign policy membership organization with broader remit and significantly greater resources. Overlaps on international security, leadership convening, and bipartisan policy dialogue.
• Brookings Institution: Brookings is one of the largest and most established U.S. think tanks covering a broad policy agenda. Comparable as a policy research and convening institution, though its scope extends well beyond democracy and human rights.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mccaininstitute
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/MccaininstituteOrg
• Facebookfacebook.com/mccaininstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-mccain-institute-for-international-leadership
• Instagraminstagram.com/mccaininstitute

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The McCain Institute