Heritage Foundation Founder Edwin J. Feulner Dead at 83

Heritage Foundation founder Edwin J. Feulner has died at age 83, the conservative think tank confirmed in a statement on its website Friday night.

Foundation President Dr. Kevin Roberts and Board of Trustees Chairman Barb Van Andel-Gaby paid tribute to Feulner, who was also the longest-serving president of The Heritage Foundation.

“Ed Feulner was more than a leader—he was a visionary, a builder, and a patriot of the highest order. His unwavering love of country and his determination to safeguard the principles that made America the freest, most prosperous nation in human history shaped every fiber of the conservative movement—and still do,” they said in a joint statement.

Who Was Edwin J. Feulner?

Feulner was an American political scientist and one of the co-founders of The Heritage Foundation. He became its president in 1977 and served in that role until 2013, returning briefly as interim president in 2017.

Under his leadership, Heritage grew from a small organization into a powerful policy institution that played a significant role in shaping Republican agendas, especially during the administration of former President Ronald Reagan. Feulner emphasized producing accessible, actionable research tailored to lawmakers, a strategy that helped set Heritage apart from traditional academic think tanks.

Born in 1941, Feulner earned degrees from Regis University, the University of Pennsylvania (MBA) and the University of Edinburgh (Ph.D.). He served on several advisory boards and authored books on conservative policy and American values.

Widely considered a key figure in the modern conservative movement, Feulner’s legacy is tied to his role in shaping how ideas progress from research to lawmaking in Washington.

What Is The Heritage Foundation?

The Heritage Foundation is a leading American conservative think tank based in Washington, D.C., established in 1973 by Paul Weyrich, Feulner and Joseph Coors. It was created to provide conservative lawmakers with timely, actionable policy guidance and quickly gained influence, especially after its Mandate for Leadership report helped shape Reagan’s administrations. The foundation advocates for principles such as free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values and a strong national defense.

Through its political advocacy arm, Heritage Action for America, it actively lobbies Congress and mobilizes conservative grassroots campaigns. The foundation also publishes The Daily Signal, an online news platform offering conservative commentary and reporting.

While it has been highly influential in shaping Republican policies and judicial nominations, especially during the Trump administration, The Heritage Foundation has also drawn criticism for promoting increasingly hard-line stances on topics like immigration and climate change.

Nonetheless, it remains a central player in conservative politics, continuing to shape public discourse and policy debates in the United States.

Project 2025

Project 2025 was a major initiative by Heritage aimed at preparing a comprehensive conservative blueprint for the next Republican presidential administration. Launched in 2022, it includes a 900-page policy agenda, personnel database, training academy for political appointees and a 180-day action plan. The project proposes sweeping reforms to federal agencies, a rollback of progressive policies on climate, LGBTQ+ rights and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, along with an expansion of executive power through civil service restructuring.

Critics warn it poses serious threats to civil liberties, democratic norms and the separation of church and state, viewing the plan as a radical shift toward centralized, ideologically driven governance.

Project 2025 has widely been seen as the blueprint for President Donald Trump’s second term, despite his campaign publicly distancing itself from the initiative.

What To Know

Feulner’s manner of death has not yet been confirmed. He leaves behind his wife Lina, their children and grandchildren.

Roberts and Van Andel-Gaby described Feulner as having championed “bold, big-tent conservatism.”

“He believed in addition, not subtraction. Unity, not uniformity. One of his favorite mantras was ‘You win through multiplication and addition, not through division and subtraction,” they said.

Jessica Riedl, former staff director of the U.S. Senate Finance Subcommittee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Growth—who spent a decade as Heritage lead research fellow on federal budget and spending policy—was among the many paying tribute to Feulner on social media.

“Dr. Feulner was my think tank president for my first decade in Washington. I was not his favorite employee – he got the calls from angry Republicans when I hit them on deficits – but his version of Heritage was free market, strong foreign policy, and less culture war-driven. RIP,” she said in a post to X, formerly Twitter.

What People Are Saying

Roberts and Van Andel-Gaby, in a statement on Friday: “The Heritage Foundation will honor Ed’s life the best way we know how: by carrying his mission forward with courage, integrity, and determination. We will never forget his leadership, his example, or his favorite charge: “Onward. Always.”

Rob Bluey, president and executive editor The Daily Signal, a conservative news site: “RIP, Dr. Feulner. You will be missed, but your legacy lives on in the organizations you built and the people you inspired. Thanks for taking a chance on me 18 years ago. You were a great boss, mentor, and friend. Say a prayer for EJF and his family.”

Lindsey Burke, Heritage Foundation director, Center for Education Policy, said on X: “The very best there was. As he was for so many people, Dr. Feulner was my first boss, mentor, and true friend. He will be immensely missed.”

Ryan T. Anderson, president at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, added on X: “Ed Feulner was a prince of a man. So many of us owe him so much. May he rest in peace.”

What Happens Next

Details on funeral arrangements have yet to be released.