Manhattan Institute: mission, leadership and finances
New York think tank founded in 1978 that works on urban policy, policing, economics, education and health care from a market-oriented view.
Organization
| Founded | 1978 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | New York, NY |
| EIN | 13-2912529 |
| Tax status | 501(c)(3) |
| Website | manhattan.institute |
Finances (IRS Form 990)
| Total revenue | $26.9 million |
|---|---|
| Total expenses | $21.6 million |
| Total assets | $40.6 million |
| Tax year | 2023 |
What it does
The Manhattan Institute for Policy Research is a think tank in New York City. Its scholars write about urban affairs, public safety and policing, education, economic policy, energy and health care. It publishes City Journal, a quarterly magazine on urban life and politics.
Manhattan Institute is listed here in the category "Think tanks". A listing on 4conservative.com describes an organization; it is not an endorsement of it or of its positions.
History
The institute was founded in 1978 by Antony Fisher and William Casey, who later directed the CIA. In the 1980s and 1990s it became known for work on welfare reform and for the "broken windows" ideas about policing that influenced New York City under Mayor Rudy Giuliani. It has since expanded into national policy areas.
Manhattan Institute is a think tank. It is headquartered in New York, NY. 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
The institute is supported by foundations, corporations and individuals. Its trustees and senior fellows are listed on its website, and it files an annual Form 990 with the IRS.
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 $26.9 million, total expenses of $21.6 million and total assets of $40.6 million at year end. ProPublica lists the filer as Manhattan Institute For Policy Research Inc. 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
The Manhattan Institute supports market-based policy, public safety through active policing, school choice, welfare work requirements and energy development. It says it aims to develop and disseminate new ideas that foster greater economic choice and individual responsibility.
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 The Heritage Foundation, American Enterprise Institute, Hudson Institute.
Sources
Profile last reviewed November 8, 2026