Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Council on Foreign Relations? When and why was it formed?

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher dedicated to being a resource for its members, government officials, business executives, journalists, educators and students, civic and religious leaders, and other interested citizens in order to help them better understand the world and the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries. Founded in 1921, CFR takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.

What does CFR do?

CFR’s main activities, as summarized in its Mission Statement, are:

  • Maintaining a diverse membership, including special programs to promote interest and develop expertise in the next generation of foreign policy leaders;
  • Convening meetings at its headquarters in New York and in Washington, DC, and other cities where senior government officials, members of Congress, global leaders, and prnt thinkers come together with CFR members to discuss and debate major international issues;
  • Supporting a Studies Program that fosters independent research, enabling CFR scholars to produce articles, reports, and books and hold roundtables that analyze foreign policy issues and make concrete policy recommendations;
  • Publishing Foreign Affairs, the preeminent journal of international affairs and U.S. foreign policy;
  • Sponsoring Independent Task Forces that produce reports with both findings and policy prescriptions on the most important foreign policy topics; and
  • Providing up-to-date information and analysis about world events and American foreign policy on its website, CFR.org.

What is CFR.org’s mission?

CFR.org seeks to raise the level of foreign policy awareness by offering timely, unbiased, and in-depth coverage of U.S. foreign policy and international affairs to anyone interested. A staff of journalists and researchers, led by editor Robert McMahon, produces timely First Takes, Analysis Briefs, expert interviews, and Backgrounders to help explain the international issues of the day. This website's original editorial content is integrally linked to the rich intellectual inquiries and reports produced by other CFR departments. What's more, the CFR.org staff casts its net beyond CFR itself, compiling the best of what is available from other sources of analysis, opinion, speeches, transcripts, and source documents. Such up-to-date, objective coverage reaches a growing daily audience and is aimed at contributing quality and perspective to the foreign policy debate.

How is CFR managed? Who is in charge?

CFR is incorporated under New York State law. Its Board of Directors provides overall direction, and the president leads daily operations.

Carla A. Hills, chair and chief executive officer of Hills & Company and former U.S. trade representative, and Robert E. Rubin, director and chairman of the executive committee of Citigroup and former secretary of the treasury, are co-chairmen of CFR’s Board of Directors. Richard E. Salomon, chairman of Mecox Ventures, is vice chairman. Richard N. Haass, a former senior government official, is president.

Who are the members of CFR?

There are three kinds of CFR members: life members, term members, and corporate members. CFR’s approximately 4,300 life members are divided almost equally among New York, Washington, DC, and the rest of the nation. They are leaders in government, business, finance, media, academia, and a wide range of nonprofit organizations. Term members must be between the ages of thirty and thirty-six; term memberships are limited to five years and can lead to life memberships. Corporate memberships engage senior executives from leading international firms in the activities and work of CFR.

Why are senior government officials, members of the U.S. Congress, journalists, and corporate executives members of CFR?

Membership in CFR can represent both the recognition of exceptional achievement in a career involving international affairs, as well as the promise of one. It is important to avoid reversing the causal order in this question. CFR does not “anoint” government officials, nor advance the careers of those in other fields; it does exert great effort to attract individuals who have displayed significant dedication, expertise, and success in professions concerning American foreign policy and world affairs, and also to encourage them to help in our mission by participating in our meetings and other activities.

How are individuals selected for membership?

Every candidate for membership must be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident with an application for citizenship pending. Candidates are formally proposed in writing by one member and seconded by a minimum of three other individuals. Letters of support from members (as opposed to nonmembers) are strongly encouraged. Quality, diversity, and balance are the key objectives sought by CFR in the composition of its membership. The roster of members is listed in the published version of the annual report. To request a published version of the annual report, email CFR’s Communications department at communications@CFR.org. Click here for more information about member selection procedures.

Who finances CFR?

CFR is supported by a wide range of individuals and institutional donors. Specifically, CFR’s largest donations come from corporate, foundation, and individual endowment gifts and grants. Member donations constitute “the Annual Fund,” which is in addition to annual dues. CFR publishes a donor listing each year.

Is CFR part of the U.S. government, the United Nations, or organizations such as the Royal Institute for International Affairs and the Trilateral Commission?

No, CFR is a nongovernmental, nonprofit, and nonpartisan organization. The following studies thoroughly explain CFR’s history:

Is the Council on Foreign Relations a secret organization?

No. From the start, CFR has published the results of its study groups and task forces, as well as an annual report. In addition, CFR fellows and members often write books, magazine and journal articles, and opinion pieces that appear in newspapers like the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times; work by fellows is posted on CFR.org, as is a wealth of information about the workings of CFR.

What is a “CFR meeting?”

CFR holds various member events throughout the year that fall under the general rubric of “meetings.” A meeting may feature a single speaker—for example, a U.S. government official, a foreign dignitary, or the author of a new book—and a moderator. The speaker may give a speech on a foreign-policy topic or engage in a conversation with the moderator. Alternatively, a meeting may feature a panel of experts and a moderator who ex an issue. CFR meetings typically last one hour, including a period set aside for questions from the audience.

Why are some CFR meetings on the record and others are are held on a not-for-attribution basis?

Many CFR meetings are held on a not-for-attribution basis to encourage frankness among participants who may be hesitant to express new or developing ideas if they feared that they would be publicized. An increasing number of CFR meetings—nearly 50 percent—are conducted on an on-the-record basis, with meeting transcripts posted on CFR’s website, CFR.org.

How can I get access to CFR meetings?

Only CFR members can attend meetings. However, accounts of on-the-record CFR meetings are available in four formats on CFR.org: transcripts, webcasts, videos, and audio streams.

  • Transcripts are verbatim records of selected CFR sessions. They are usually available within 24-48 hours after a meeting.
  • Webcasts allow you to connect via the Internet to watch an on-the-record CFR meeting in real time. Once a webcast of a CFR meeting has concluded, it is available as a video.
  • Videos allow users to connect via the Internet (either via Windows Media Player or Quicktime) to watch on-the-record CFR meetings at their convenience.
  • Audio streams allow users to listen to audio records of on-the-record CFR meetings by downloading the file to an MP3 player.

How can I make a contribution to CFR?

CFR is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and is publicly supported as described in 509(a)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code. CFR’s IRS identification number is 13-1628168. Contributions payable to CFR are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. To donate to CFR, please click here.

For more information about ways you can support CFR, please contact:

Betsy R. Gude, Director of Development
Telephone: +1.212.434.9788
Fax: +1.212.434.9862
Email: bgude@CFR.org