The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation honors the life of Edwin J. Feulner, a 2012 Bradley Prize winner and one of the most influential conservative institution-builders of our time.
As a co-founder and longest-serving president of The Heritage Foundation, Ed transformed a small policy shop into the intellectual arsenal of the Reagan Revolution and the modern conservative movement.
Ed's institution-building extended far beyond Heritage. He helped establish the Philadelphia Society, the American Legislative Exchange Council, and the State Policy Network. He authored nine books and remained active in conservative causes until his final days. His philosophy of "big-tent conservatism"—believing in addition rather than subtraction—aligned perfectly with The Bradley Foundation's mission to strengthen civil society and preserve America's founding principles.
Those who knew Ed remember his fundamental decency, cheerful disposition, and infectious optimism. Even in Washington's often cynical environment, he maintained his principles while remaining practical. Ed was a happy warrior who joyfully believed that each day brought new opportunities to advance the cause of freedom.
"Conservatism is far more than a resistance to disorder—it is a promise, a calling, a duty to preserve what is good and cultivate what is enduring."
—Edwin J. Feulner