Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives

The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives is a public-policy research and advocacy organization headquartered in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It is commonly known as the Commonwealth Foundation and presents itself as a free-market, pro-liberty think tank focused on policy issues affecting Pennsylvania. Its stated mission is to turn free-market ideas into public policies intended to help Pennsylvanians flourish. The organization concentrates on four broad areas: educational opportunity, public-sector labor reform, fiscal responsibility, and the state’s wider economic climate. Its work combines research, policy analysis, public commentary, issue campaigns, and communications intended to influence lawmakers, journalists, and the broader public. The foundation advocates for smaller government and market-based approaches, including reforms involving public-sector unions, government spending, pensions, school choice, and state regulation. Education is a recurring part of its agenda. The Commonwealth Foundation has supported expanding school-choice options, including charter schools and scholarship tax-credit programs. Its position is that families should have greater ability to select educational arrangements rather than being limited to a single district-assigned public school. The organization is also a frequent commentator on Pennsylvania’s public-school system and related state funding debates. Public-sector labor and fiscal policy are another central focus. The foundation has promoted pension reform, limits on the use of taxpayer resources for political activity, and changes to public-sector union arrangements. It has also participated in debates over Pennsylvania’s budget, the financial sustainability of government programs, and the state’s economic competitiveness. Its work on pension reform received a nomination for the Atlas Network’s Templeton Freedom Award. The organization has additionally addressed criminal justice. It has supported reforms that would concentrate correctional resources on violent offenders while assisting eligible nonviolent offenders who have completed their sentences with reintegration into society. Prison reform was one reason Jane Leader Janeczek, a registered Democrat and daughter of former Pennsylvania governor George M. Leader, became involved with the foundation and later chaired its board. The Commonwealth Foundation has also supported privatization or restructuring of selected government operations. It backed proposals to privatize Pennsylvania’s state-run liquor stores and supported former Democratic governor Ed Rendell’s proposal to privatize or lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. Its policy positions have sometimes generated criticism, particularly regarding its methods of supporting constitutional ballot initiatives that would limit gubernatorial emergency powers. Founded by Don Eberly in 1987, the organization expanded substantially during Matthew Brouillette’s presidency, which began in 2002. By the time Brouillette announced his departure in 2016, the foundation had grown from three employees and approximately $350,000 in annual revenue to an organization with 18 employees, a budget exceeding $4 million, and offices in Harrisburg and King of Prussia. Charles Mitchell succeeded Brouillette as president and chief executive. Andrew Lewis was named president and CEO in 2024. In the same year, National Review characterized the foundation as one of the most successful and influential state-based pro-liberty, free-market think tanks in the United States.

The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives was established in Pennsylvania in 1987 by Don Eberly. From its beginning, the organization was oriented toward free-market and limited-government approaches to public policy. Rather than operating as a commercial business, it developed as a research and advocacy institution whose principal outputs were policy studies, commentary, public education, and proposals for legislative and administrative reform. The foundation’s policy portfolio developed around issues with direct consequences for Pennsylvania government and residents. These included education, public finance, public-sector labor relations, pensions, criminal justice, regulation, and the state’s economic environment. Its general approach was to favor market competition, lower or more disciplined government spending, greater individual choice, and restrictions on government arrangements that it viewed as imposing costs on taxpayers or limiting economic freedom. Matthew Brouillette became president in February 2002. At that point the organization reportedly had three employees and annual revenue of approximately $350,000. During Brouillette’s tenure, the foundation expanded to 18 employees, operated with an annual budget of more than $4 million, and maintained offices in Harrisburg and King of Prussia. Its visibility also increased through media commentary and participation in state policy debates. Brouillette announced in April 2016 that he would leave the presidency, after which Charles Mitchell became president and CEO. Board leadership during this period included Jane Leader Janeczek, who became chair in 2016. Janeczek was a registered Democrat and the daughter of former Pennsylvania Democratic governor George M. Leader. She said that her interest in the organization grew from its work on prison reform and that she supported its positions on criminal justice, pensions, and taxpayer-funded public-sector activity. In 2017, George G. H. Coates Jr. was elected board chair. Coates was described as an alcohol-industry executive who also served on the boards of the Chestnut Hill Conservancy, Americans for Fair Treatment, and Donors Trust. The foundation has promoted criminal justice reforms that would prioritize incarceration and correctional resources for violent offenders while supporting the reintegration of eligible nonviolent offenders who have completed their sentences. In education, it has repeatedly advocated school choice, including charter schools and scholarship tax credits. In public finance and labor policy, it has supported pension reform, fiscal restraint, and reforms concerning public-sector unions and the use of taxpayer resources. The organization has also taken positions on the structure of state-run services. It supported privatizing Pennsylvania’s state liquor stores and backed former governor Ed Rendell’s proposal to privatize or lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. It later supported two ballot measures seeking to amend the Pennsylvania Constitution and limit the governor’s emergency powers. These ballot efforts drew criticism in commentary published by The Patriot-News, particularly over the foundation’s tactics and political messaging. In 2024, Andrew Lewis was named president and CEO. That year, National Review described the Commonwealth Foundation as a policy organization with exceptional influence among state-based, pro-liberty, free-market think tanks. Its continuing role is that of a Pennsylvania-focused policy institution combining research, advocacy, and public communications around conservative and libertarian policy objectives.

• 2024

  Andrew Lewis becomes president and CEO

  [1]Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternativesen.wikipedia.org

  Andrew Lewis was named president and chief executive officer.

• 2017

  George G. H. Coates Jr. elected board chair

  [1]Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternativesen.wikipedia.org

  George G. H. Coates Jr. was elected to lead the foundation’s board.

• 2016

  Leadership transition and organizational expansion

  [1]Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternativesen.wikipedia.org

  Brouillette announced his departure, while the foundation was reported to have grown to 18 employees, a budget above $4 million, and offices in Harrisburg and King of Prussia. Charles Mitchell succeeded him.

• 2016

  Jane Leader Janeczek becomes board chair

  [1]Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternativesen.wikipedia.org

  Jane Leader Janeczek became chair of the organization’s board and highlighted its prison-reform, pension, and taxpayer-protection work.

• 2002

  Matthew Brouillette becomes president

  [1]Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternativesen.wikipedia.org

  Matthew Brouillette was hired as president in February 2002, when the organization had three employees and approximately $350,000 in annual revenue.

• 1987

  Commonwealth Foundation founded

  [1]Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternativesen.wikipedia.org

  Don Eberly founded the Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives in Pennsylvania.

A Pennsylvania-focused, fiscally conservative and libertarian think tank advocating small government, free markets, individual liberty, and market-oriented policy reform.

• Research

  Policy research and reports

  The foundation produces research and analysis on Pennsylvania public policy. Its subjects include state budgets, taxation, economic performance, education, pensions, public-sector labor, criminal justice, and government reform. These publications are intended to translate free-market and limited-government arguments into material usable by policymakers, journalists, and the public.

• Education policy

  Education policy analysis

  Education work focuses on expanding family choice and competition in schooling. The organization has advocated charter schools, scholarship tax credits, and other school-choice mechanisms, while commenting on the performance, financing, and governance of Pennsylvania’s public-school system.

• Labor and fiscal policy

  Public-sector labor and pension reform

  This body of work examines public-sector union arrangements, pension liabilities, taxpayer-funded political activity, and the long-term fiscal effects of government employment policies. The foundation’s proposals generally seek greater financial sustainability and limits on public costs.

• Criminal justice

  Criminal justice policy

  The foundation supports criminal justice reforms that distinguish between violent and nonviolent offenders. Its stated approach is to focus correctional resources on violent crime while helping qualifying people who have completed their sentences return to society.

• Pennsylvania school-choice advocacy

  Pennsylvania

  The Commonwealth Foundation has advocated greater educational choice through charter schools, scholarship tax credits, and related mechanisms intended to give families alternatives to assigned district schools.

  Source
• Pennsylvania prison and criminal justice reform

  Pennsylvania

  The organization has promoted criminal justice policies that reserve the strongest correctional resources for violent offenders and support reintegration for eligible nonviolent offenders who have completed their sentences.

  Source
• Pennsylvania government privatization advocacy

  Pennsylvania

  The foundation supported privatizing Pennsylvania’s state-run liquor stores and backed a proposal by former governor Ed Rendell to privatize or lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.

  Source

• Support for constitutional limits on gubernatorial emergency powersStrategy

  Background

  The organization supported two Pennsylvania ballot measures seeking constitutional amendments to limit the governor’s emergency powers.

  Action taken

  It advocated for the ballot measures as part of its broader limited-government and institutional-accountability agenda.

  Aftermath

  A Patriot-News commentary criticized the foundation’s tactics in supporting the initiatives. The available reference does not establish the final electoral or legal outcome.

  Source

• Advocacy for public-sector pension reformStrategy

  Background

  The foundation identified pension sustainability and the state’s long-term financial position as significant policy issues.

  Action taken

  It developed and promoted pension-reform proposals and received a nomination for the Atlas Network’s Templeton Freedom Award for this work.

  Source

1. 1Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternativesen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Commonwealth Foundation official websitecommonwealthfoundation.org