James Madison Institute

What James Madison Institute does

The James Madison Institute (JMI) is a Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit research and educational organization founded in 1987 by Dr. J. Stanley Marshall, headquartered in The Columns building at 100 North Duval Street, Tallahassee. JMI operates as a network of six specialized research centers—the George Gibbs Center for Economic Prosperity, Center for Property Rights, Center for Technology and Innovation, Durden Center for the Advancement of Liberty, Marshall Center for Education Freedom, and Wells Center for American Ideals—that produce policy briefs, white papers, and legislative analyses on free-market capitalism, limited government, economic liberty, education reform, property rights, healthcare, and emerging technology policy. The institute is credited with concrete policy outcomes including Florida's charter school expansion (600+ schools, 250,000+ students), the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship program serving nearly 100,000 low-income students, and tort reform legislation including HB 837 (2023).

JMI's go-to-market motion is community- and policy-led rather than product-led: the institute engages Florida state legislators, governors, and government officials through direct research dissemination, testimony, and legislative education; it cultivates the next generation through a Campus Representatives program on Florida colleges and universities, internships, and student events; and it reaches grassroots citizens through social media, email newsletters, press releases, and events. Distribution is augmented by the Blueprint Florida initiative, which exports Florida's conservative policy model to on-the-ground partners in 21+ states, and by partnerships such as the Sign ON 250 initiative with the National League of Cities, America's Newspapers, and the Bob Graham Center at the University of Florida (June 2026).

JMI does not sell a technology product, software, or service; it is funded exclusively through tax-deductible donations and planned giving. Revenue streams include online donations, the Friends of Freedom monthly giving program, stock donations, IRA charitable distributions, and the Legacy Society estate-planning program. Leadership includes President and CEO Dr. J. Robert McClure, Executive Vice President Rebecca Liner, Senior Vice President Logan Padgett, and former Florida House Speakers Paul Renner and Steve Crisafulli as Scholars in Residence.

Name

James Madison Institute

Legal name

The James Madison Institute

Website

https://jamesmadison.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The James Madison Institute is a Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit think tank, founded in 1987, that produces policy research on free markets, limited government, and economic liberty across six specialized centers, serving Florida policymakers, legislators, students, and grassroots citizens through direct outreach and the multi-state Blueprint Florida initiative.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Policy Research

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Higher Education Governance & Quality Policy Research (EDADADAI)

Keywords

• Public policy research
• Conservative think tank
• Policy research institute
• Educational outreach programs
• Economic liberty advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Tallahassee

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The James Madison Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions are 100% tax deductible. The organization accepts online donations, monthly giving through Friends of Freedom program, stock donations, IRA charitable distributions, and legacy bequests.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The James Madison Institute is a Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit research and educational organization that produces policy research, white papers, and educational content on free-market capitalism, limited government, and economic liberty. Its work is organized across six specialized centers covering economic prosperity, property rights, technology and innovation, education freedom, liberty advancement, and American ideals, and is delivered through publications, legislative engagement, campus programs, and the Blueprint Florida initiative extending influence to 21+ states.

Product overview

The James Madison Institute is Florida's leading conservative think tank organized as a network of six specialized research centers covering economic prosperity, property rights, technology and innovation, education freedom, American ideals, and liberty advancement. The organization publishes policy briefs, research papers, and hosts events to promote limited government, free markets, and economic liberty principles. Its Blueprint Florida initiative extends policy influence to 21 other states. The organization does not offer a technology product, SaaS platform, or software-as-a-service offering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Blueprint Florida: Initiative to export Florida's successful conservative policy ideas to other states
• The Messenger
• The Journal
• Legacy Society
• Friends of Freedom

Products and services

• George Gibbs Center for Economic Prosperity A specialized research center focused on free-market capitalism, removing barriers to entrepreneurship, and promoting economic prosperity through research on business climate, tax policy, and regulatory reform.
• Center for Property Rights A center dedicated to protecting private property rights threatened by government overreach, environmental regulations, and eminent domain, promoting free-market principles of property ownership.
• Center for Technology and Innovation A center addressing technology policy issues including AI regulation, broadband deployment, data center oversight, and emerging technologies such as driverless cars and 5G.
• Durden Center for the Advancement of Liberty A center focused on advancing conservative policy principles, promoting limited government, free markets, and exporting Florida's policy successes nationwide.
• Marshall Center for Education Freedom A center that advances education reform through school choice, charter schools, Tax Credit Scholarships, and Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts (PLSAs).
• Wells Center for American Ideals A center dedicated to teaching American founding principles including freedom and thrift, providing resources for instructors and students, and hosting the JMI Campus Representatives program.
• Blueprint Florida Initiative A national initiative to export Florida's successful conservative policy reforms to other states, with documented influence in 21 states including Georgia, Texas, and California.
• Policy Briefs and Research Papers Written policy analyses on topics including voter eligibility (SAVE Act), election reform, property taxes, healthcare, education, and technology policy published as downloadable PDF documents.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 600 charter schools in Florida serving more than 250,000 students as a result of JMI's education reform advocacy
• +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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• National League of Cities (NLC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2026Partnership in Sign ON 250 initiative - a year-long celebration of the nation's founding principles leading up to July 4, 2027. NLC is one of the country's most respected organizations representing more than 200 million people. The initiative empowers Americans to digitally sign the Declaration of Independence.
• America's NewspapersflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2026Partnership in Sign ON 250 initiative with NLC. America's Newspapers is the champion for newspapers and voice for the newspaper industry. The initiative leverages historical connection between newspapers and the Declaration of Independence.
• Bob Graham Center for Public Service at University of FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2026Partnership in Sign ON 250 initiative. The Bob Graham Center prepares students for lives of civic engagement, public leadership, and public service. Founded by former Florida Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham in 2006.
• WalmartminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 30 June 2026Key sponsor of Sign ON 250 initiative. Walmart's support enables the patriotic campaign celebrating the Declaration of Independence's ideals leading to America's 250th anniversary.
• Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute (TCCRI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026Joint publication of white paper 'The Litigation Lobby: Civil Justice Reform and the Future of the Texas-Florida Economic Advantage' analyzing tort reform history and threats to civil justice systems in both states. The partnership highlights shared principles of limited government and free enterprise between Florida and Texas.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC): ALEC is a direct peer: a conservative state-legislator policy network that drafts and disseminates model legislation across all 50 states. JMI's Blueprint Florida initiative performs an analogous function for Florida-style reforms.
• Mackinac Center for Public Policy: Michigan-based state-level free-market think tank and a pioneer in the state think tank movement. Mackinac is comparable in mission, structure, and policy verticals to JMI.
• Goldwater Institute: Arizona-based conservative and libertarian public-policy litigation and research organization. Goldwater operates a similar model of state-level research, litigation, and national advocacy as JMI.
• Claremont Institute: Conservative think tank focused on the principles of the American founding, constitutionalism, and statesmanship. Claremont's American Ideals focus aligns directly with JMI's Wells Center for American Ideals.
• Foundation for Government Accountability: Florida-headquartered conservative policy organization focused on welfare reform, healthcare freedom, and government accountability. FGA is JMI's closest regional peer in scope, geography, and donor base.
• Texas Public Policy Foundation: Texas's leading state-level conservative think tank, with a national footprint similar to JMI's Blueprint Florida ambition. TPPF is the most natural counterparty peer and is already collaborating with JMI on civil justice reform.

Broad incumbents

• Heritage Foundation: The largest U.S. conservative think tank, headquartered in Washington, D.C. Heritage operates as a broad incumbent in the same ideological and policy-research space as JMI, with significantly larger scale and federal-level focus.
• Cato Institute: Libertarian think tank focused on limited government and free markets. Cato shares JMI's free-market orientation but operates at a much larger scale and with a more national footprint.
• Manhattan Institute: National free-market policy research organization with a focus on economics, education, and urban policy. MI is a broad incumbent that competes for the same donor dollars and policy attention as JMI at the federal level.
• American Enterprise Institute: Washington, D.C.-based conservative think tank covering economics, foreign policy, and domestic policy. AEI is a broad incumbent peer with substantially larger scale than JMI.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/jmsmadisoninst
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/JamesMadisonInstitut
• Facebookfacebook.com/JamesMadisonInstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/james-madison-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/james_madison_institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about James Madison Institute