Goldwater Institute: mission, leadership and finances
Phoenix public policy and litigation group named for Senator Barry Goldwater.
Organization
| Founded | 1988 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Phoenix, AZ |
| EIN | 86-0597661 |
| Tax status | 501(c)(3) |
| Website | goldwaterinstitute.org |
Finances (IRS Form 990)
| Total revenue | $31.7 million |
|---|---|
| Total expenses | $7.6 million |
| Total assets | $38.7 million |
| Tax year | 2023 |
What it does
The Goldwater Institute is a nonprofit in Phoenix that does research and litigation on limited government, free enterprise and individual freedom. It is known for model legislation such as Right to Try laws for terminally ill patients.
Goldwater Institute is listed here in the category "State policy". A listing on 4conservative.com describes an organization; it is not an endorsement of it or of its positions.
History
It was founded in 1988 and named for Barry Goldwater, the Arizona senator and 1964 presidential nominee. Its Scharf-Norton Center for Constitutional Litigation brings cases.
Goldwater Institute is a state policy think tank. It is headquartered in Phoenix, AZ. Its IRS tax status is 501(c)(3). Like other organizations in this collection, it is described here from its own published material and from public records, and the facts on this page are limited to what those sources state.
Leadership and funding
It is funded by donations and files a Form 990, shown here. Its website lists its leadership and board. It is independent of the national organizations listed on this site, though many state think tanks belong to the State Policy Network.
The IRS figures on this page come from the latest Form 990 filing that ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer lists for the organization, for tax year 2023: total revenue of $31.7 million, total expenses of $7.6 million and total assets of $38.7 million at year end. ProPublica lists the filer as Barry Goldwater Institute For Public Policy Research. The figures describe a single tax year and can differ sharply from year to year; check the filing itself and the organization's own site for the current picture.
Where it stands
It supports limited government, school choice and property rights.
These summaries reflect the organization's own stated mission and publicly known activities as of the date below; they are neutral descriptions, not evaluations. Related organizations on this site include State Policy Network, Texas Public Policy Foundation, Mackinac Center for Public Policy.
Sources
Profile last reviewed November 8, 2026