Goldwater Institute

What Goldwater Institute does

The Goldwater Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public policy and constitutional litigation organization founded in 1988 and headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. The institute pursues its mission of advancing, defending, and strengthening liberty guaranteed by the U.S. and state constitutions through three operational channels: constitutional litigation, policy research and model legislation, and public advocacy. Its litigation arm, the Scharf-Norton Center for Constitutional Litigation, files cases in federal and state trial and appellate courts, while the Van Sittert Center for Constitutional Advocacy focuses on academic transparency and parental rights. The organization claims over 400 policy and litigation victories across all 50 states since founding, including more than 50 in 2024 alone.

The institute does not sell products or services; its revenue model is entirely donation-based, drawing financial support from individuals across all 50 states. It operates a multi-channel public engagement platform that includes policy reports, op-eds placed in national outlets (Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Politico, Fox News), a blog, the "Dismantling DEI" podcast, a YouTube channel, social media, and the annual Freedom Gala. Its core issue verticals include education (school choice, ESA programs, anti-CRT/DEI), healthcare (Right to Try), economic liberty and occupational licensing reform, free speech, property rights, taxpayer protections, and—more recently—data center permitting and civics education. Leadership includes Executive Director Christina Sandefur, President and CEO Victor Riches, VP for Litigation & General Counsel Jon Riches, VP for Legal Affairs Timothy Sandefur, and Director of Education Policy Matt Beienburg.

The organization has pursued strategic alliances with peer institutions including the Texas Public Policy Foundation (joint amicus filing on Title IX, 2024) and the Beacon Center of Tennessee (joint research on Associate Physician licensing, 2025). It also maintains an American Freedom Network connecting it to a base of pro bono attorneys nationwide. Revenue and donor concentration data are not publicly disclosed, and the organization reports 11–50 employees.

Name

Goldwater Institute

Legal name

Goldwater Institute

Website

https://goldwaterinstitute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Goldwater Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1988 in Phoenix, Arizona that pursues constitutional litigation, policy research, and model legislation across all 50 U.S. states, funded by individual donations and serving Americans whose rights are threatened by government overreach.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Policy Advocacy and Constitutional Litigation Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Political Organizations (81394)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks (EDADADAA)

Keywords

• Constitutional litigation
• Public policy research
• Legislative advocacy
• Individual rights defense
• Liberty advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

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, Technology or R&D

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Goldwater Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public policy organization that combines constitutional litigation in federal and state courts with policy research and legislative advocacy. It drafts and helps enact model legislation, litigates cases defending individual rights, and produces policy reports focused on liberty, school choice, free speech, property rights, healthcare access, and limited government across all 50 states.

Product overview

The Goldwater Institute is a constitutional advocacy and policy research organization, not a technology product company. It does not offer software products, platforms, or modules. Its work consists of legal litigation services, policy research reports, advocacy campaigns, and model legislation such as the Academic Transparency Act and Right to Try initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Scharf-Norton Center for Constitutional Litigation: The litigation arm of the Goldwater Institute focusing on constitutional rights cases
• Van Sittert Center for Constitutional Advocacy

Products and services

• Constitutional Litigation Services Pro bono constitutional litigation in federal and state trial and appellate courts on behalf of individuals whose rights have been violated by government action, covering property rights, economic liberty, free speech, school choice, taxpayer protections, and government transparency. Cases are accepted via a public 'Submit a Case' portal and staffed by attorneys at the Scharf-Norton Center for Constitutional Litigation and the Van Sittert Center for Constitutional Advocacy.
• Policy Research and Model Legislation Research reports and drafted model legislation provided to state lawmakers across all 50 states on issues such as the Right to Earn a Living Act, Right to Try, school choice and Empowerment Scholarship Accounts, Academic Transparency, and occupational licensing reform. Used by state legislators, committees, and allied policy organizations to advance liberty-focused reforms.
• American Freedom Network Pro Bono Program A network that connects the Goldwater Institute with pro bono attorneys across the country who assist on litigation cases, such as attorney Ketan Bhirud who helped defend Virginia mothers in a free speech case. Provides a pipeline of outside legal talent for institute cases.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 400 policy and litigation victories achieved across all 50 states since 1988
• +2 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

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Beacon Center of TennesseecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2025The Goldwater Institute and Beacon Center of Tennessee co-released a policy research report analyzing Associate Physician licensing frameworks across eleven U.S. states. This collaboration represents joint policy research and advocacy efforts between two prominent liberty-focused think tanks.
• Texas Public Policy FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 July 2024The Goldwater Institute and Texas Public Policy Foundation co-filed an amicus brief in federal court opposing the Biden Administration's Title IX interpretation rules. This partnership represents coordinated legal advocacy between two conservative policy organizations.
• American Freedom Network (Pro Bono Attorneys)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Goldwater Institute's American Freedom Network connects the organization with pro bono attorneys who assist in litigation cases, such as attorney Ketan Bhirud who helped defend Virginia mothers in a free speech case.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Competitive Enterprise Institute: Libertarian think tank focused on regulatory reform, free enterprise, and limited government. Comparable mission and ideological alignment, with overlapping issue areas (occupational licensing, economic liberty) though stronger federal regulatory focus.
• Cato Institute: One of the most prominent libertarian think tanks in the U.S., combining policy research with litigation and advocacy. Directly comparable in mission and approach to Goldwater's liberty-focused, state-court-engaged model, and Timothy Sandefur previously served as an adjunct scholar there.
• Beacon Center of Tennessee: Tennessee's leading state-level free-market think tank, co-authoring policy research with Goldwater on Associate Physician licensing. Comparable in size, mission, and state-level advocacy model.
• Pacific Research Institute: West Coast-based free-market think tank producing state-level policy research across education, health care, and economic liberty. Comparable in focus areas and state-court/legislative orientation, though smaller and more research-oriented than litigation-heavy.
• American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC): Membership organization of state legislators that drafts and disseminates model conservative legislation across all 50 states. Highly comparable to Goldwater's state-by-state model-legislation strategy (e.g., Academic Transparency Act, Right to Try).
• Texas Public Policy Foundation: Large, well-resourced state-focused conservative think tank that produces policy research, litigation, and model legislation. A direct co-litigation partner of Goldwater (e.g., Title IX amicus brief) and the closest analog in size and state-level operating model.
• Institute for Justice: National libertarian public-interest law firm focused on constitutional litigation in economic liberty, school choice, property rights, and free speech. Closely mirrors Goldwater's Scharf-Norton Center in case type and doctrinal focus, and shares staff pipelines (e.g., Adam Shelton was a former IJ fellow).

Broad incumbents

• American Enterprise Institute: Major Washington, D.C.-based conservative think tank producing research across economics, education, health, and foreign policy. Overlaps with Goldwater on school choice and regulatory reform but operates primarily at the federal level and with a much larger staff and budget.
• Heritage Foundation: The largest U.S. conservative think tank, operating a broad portfolio of policy research, federal-level advocacy, and litigation support. Comparable in ideological alignment but materially larger in budget, scope, and federal-versus-state orientation.
• Americans for Prosperity: Large Koch-aligned advocacy organization that conducts policy work, lobbying, and grassroots campaigns across all 50 states. Comparable in donor base and state-level activism but with a more political-advocacy orientation than litigation-and-research.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/goldwaterinst
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/GoldwaterInstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/goldwater-institute
• Facebookfacebook.com/goldwaterinstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Goldwater Institute