About the Gates Forums

The Forums will serve a critical bridging function, not only to convene leaders across the political spectrum but also to ensure that its policy recommendations are informed by the best available analysis. It will commission cutting-edge research for each convening topic that will help Forum participants objectively analyze policy dilemmas, weigh the merits of possible solutions, and increase the credibility of final action plans and the associated menu of policy recommendations.

Each Forum will consist of select groups of senior leaders and practitioners with extensive knowledge of the policy issue. These individuals will come from Congress, other U.S. government entities, the private sector, foundations, civil society, and nonpartisan organizations to discuss and debate how the U.S. should respond to a pressing national security challenge. Together, Forum participants will produce an action plan with a menu of practical policy recommendations that can appeal to political leaders on both sides of the aisle. The Forum will focus on issues where improved data and analysis can move the ball forward, but with an eye toward selecting topics and policy solutions that can attract widespread support. The resulting action plan will inform the Center’s and its Board of Governors’ subsequent advocacy efforts to spur uptake of the recommendations with congressional and executive branch leaders.

Conferees from the Federal Government will only be asked to provide information that is generally available to the public from which the GGPC can work with entities outside of government to craft policy recommendations that have bipartisan support. Government officials will not provide recommendations or be asked to produce a follow-on action plan.