Abraham Lincoln Institute

What Abraham Lincoln Institute does

The Abraham Lincoln Institute (ALI), Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit corporation incorporated in 1997 in Maryland and headquartered in Washington, D.C. The organization is dedicated to promoting scholarship on the life, times, and legacy of President Abraham Lincoln through educational programming. Its core offerings consist of a free annual symposium (held at Ford's Theatre since 2015), an annual Book Prize, the Hay-Nicolay Dissertation Prize co-awarded with the Abraham Lincoln Association, and a Legacy Award recognizing lifetime contributions to Lincoln scholarship. ALI is governed by a Board of Directors composed of approximately 30 Lincoln scholars and historians affiliated with Howard University, Ohio State University, Carnegie Mellon University, Washington and Lee University, George Mason University, Christopher Newport University, and other institutions, alongside public figures such as NPR's Steve Inskeep.

ALI operates without proprietary technology and does not develop commercial software products. Educational content is delivered through in-person symposia at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., a virtual live series introduced during the 2020-2021 pandemic period, and archived video content distributed via C-SPAN and YouTube. The organization's marketing presence consists of a website, Facebook page, and LinkedIn profile, with events co-sponsored by partner institutions including Ford's Theatre Society, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution, and the National Archives and Records Administration.

ALI's revenue model is entirely donation- and grant-based. The institute accepts individual contributions through PayPal and mail, and receives institutional co-sponsorship from Ford's Theatre Society alongside grant funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities and various law firm and foundation supporters. All programming is offered free of charge to attendees. The organization maintains 1-10 employees and relies on its volunteer board and partner institutions for operational capacity. Mailing operations are directed to a Fairfax, Virginia address.

Name

Abraham Lincoln Institute

Legal name

Abraham Lincoln Institute, Inc.

Website

https://lincoln-institute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Abraham Lincoln Institute is a Maryland-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1997 that promotes scholarship on Abraham Lincoln's life and legacy through a free annual symposium at Ford's Theatre, book and dissertation prizes, and a lifetime achievement award.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ephrata, PA

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations from Individual Donors: The Abraham Lincoln Institute accepts donations from individual supporters through PayPal and by mail. Donations are the primary mechanism for public support, enabling the organization to offer all symposiums free of charge.
2. Institutional Grants and Co-Sponsorship: The institute receives support from institutional partners including Ford's Theatre Society, National Endowment for the Humanities, and other contributing organizations. This co-sponsorship funding enables the free symposium model.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Abraham Lincoln Institute (ALI) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational organization that promotes scholarship on the life, times, and legacy of President Abraham Lincoln. It operates primarily through free annual symposiums (held since 2000, with the 29th scheduled for March 21, 2026) and administers scholarly recognition programs including the Abraham Lincoln Institute Book Award, the Hay-Nicolay Dissertation Prize (in partnership with the Abraham Lincoln Association), a Legacy Award, and Scholarship Awards.

Product overview

The Abraham Lincoln Institute is a nonprofit organization (501(c)(3)) founded in Maryland in 1997 that promotes scholarship on the life, times, and legacy of President Abraham Lincoln. The organization does not offer a commercial software product; rather, it provides educational programs and services including an annual free symposium, book awards, dissertation prizes (Hay-Nicolay Dissertation Prize), a legacy award, scholarship awards, and Lincoln scholarly resources. These programs serve educators, government leaders, community leaders, and the general public through symposia, seminars, lectures, and special events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual Abraham Lincoln Institute Symposium Free annual symposium featuring leading Lincoln scholars presenting the latest research on the life, times, and legacy of President Abraham Lincoln. Held at venues including the Library of Congress (early years) and Ford's Theatre (since 2015). Open to educators, government leaders, scholars, and the general public with free admission (general admission tickets required for Ford's Theatre events). The 23rd Annual Symposium in 2020 was conducted virtually due to the pandemic.
• Abraham Lincoln Institute Book Prize Annual award recognizing outstanding published scholarship on Abraham Lincoln. Past recipients include Allen C. Guelzo (2000, 2009, 2024), Eric Foner (2011), Doris Kearns Goodwin (2006), Michael Burlingame (2010), Sidney Blumenthal and Lewis Lehrman (2020), Terry Alford (2016), and others. Awarded by the Abraham Lincoln Institute to recognize significant contributions to Lincoln studies.
• Hay-Nicolay Dissertation Prize Annual dissertation prize of $1,000 awarded jointly by the Abraham Lincoln Institute and the Abraham Lincoln Association to graduate students working on Lincoln-centered topics in American history. Recent recipients include Evan Turiano, Ian Iverson, and Scott Ackerman (2023), with John Barr receiving the prize in 2011.
• Legacy Award Lifetime achievement award honoring distinguished contributions to Lincoln studies. Past recipients include Rodney O. Davis and Douglas L. Wilson (2017), Lewis E. Lehrman (2019), Cullom Davis, William C. Harris, and Wayne C. Temple (2021), The Kunhardt Family (2022), and the 2024 Legacy Award Recipient.
• Virtual Symposium Series Virtual symposium series offered during the 2020-2021 pandemic period to enable remote audience participation, with presentations archived and distributed through YouTube for ongoing public access.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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 core and minor.

• Ford's Theatre SocietycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFord's Theatre Society is the primary co-sponsor of the annual Abraham Lincoln Institute symposium. They provide the venue at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. and handle ticket distribution for the free annual event.
• Library of CongresscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Library of Congress served as co-sponsor of early symposia (2000-2002) through its Rare Book and Special Collections Division and Manuscript Division. Early symposiums were held at the Library of Congress.
• Smithsonian InstitutioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Smithsonian Institution co-sponsored symposia in 2001 and 2005 through the National Museum of American History. This partnership provides institutional credibility and venue access.
• National Archives and Records AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe National Archives served as sponsor of symposia in 2004 and 2006, providing venue access at National Archives II in College Park, Maryland.
• Illinois State Society of Washington, D.C.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Illinois State Society of Washington, D.C. has served as a co-sponsor of multiple symposiums, including recent years (2014, 2016, 2017).

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• National Constitution Center: Nonpartisan civic-education institution offering lectures, symposia, and recognition programs on American founding history. Closely parallels ALI in combining free public programming with scholarly recognition.
• Ford's Theatre Society: Primary co-sponsor and venue partner for ALI's annual symposium; Ford's Theatre Director Paul R. Tetreault serves on ALI's board. Directly comparable as a Lincoln-focused historical education venue.
• Mount Vernon Ladies' Association: Private nonprofit preserving George Washington's estate and delivering presidential-history education. Directly comparable to ALI as a single-figure-focused historical education nonprofit operating outside government.
• Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum: State-operated Lincoln-focused library and museum offering exhibits, educational programming, and lectures. Directly comparable as a major Lincoln education institution with overlapping scholar networks.
• Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History: Nonprofit dedicated to American history education, offering teacher training, lectures, and prizes. Closely parallels ALI's model of free public-history programming plus scholarly recognition.
• President Lincoln's Cottage: National historic site at the Lincoln-era 'Cottage' in D.C., delivering Lincoln-focused educational programs. Closely comparable to ALI as a peer Lincoln-education institution with overlapping board leadership.
• Abraham Lincoln Association: Scholarly society dedicated to Lincoln studies and co-sponsor of the Hay-Nicolay Dissertation Prize with ALI. Directly comparable in mission (Lincoln scholarship) and delivery (awards, publications, annual meetings).
• Lincoln Presidential Foundation: Educational nonprofit promoting Lincoln's legacy through programs, exhibits, and events. ALI board member Erin Carlson Mast serves as its President & CEO, evidencing direct institutional overlap.

Emerging players

• Lincoln Financial Foundation: Corporate-affiliated foundation funding Lincoln-related educational initiatives and historic preservation. Comparable as a Lincoln-themed grantmaker, though with a different funding source model.

Broad incumbents

• Smithsonian National Museum of American History: Past ALI co-sponsor (2001, 2005). Operates at significantly larger scale with broader American-history mandate, but overlaps with ALI on Lincoln/Civil War content and civic-education programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=61582688082424
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/abraham-lincoln-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles29 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Abraham Lincoln Institute