75th Anniversary Campaign
Celebrating 75 years of igniting human potential, we are launching a bold $450 million campaign to shape what comes next. Honoring our legacy, we will advance our strategic priorities to build an Institute that is stronger than ever before. Together, we will chart an ambitious and impactful new course for the Aspen Institute’s future.
Where Our Legacy Began
A Vision That Continues to Inspire
In 1949, Walter and Elizabeth Paepcke sought to spark a new spirit of humanistic optimism equal to the promise and perils of the time. They envisioned a place where people from all walks of life could come together to reflect, learn from one another, and help shape a better world.
That spirit has guided us for 75 years, shaping our evolution into one of the world’s most trusted convening and leadership organizations, and it continues to guide us as we look to the future.
Our seminars transform perspectives.
Our fellowships empower leaders.
Our festivals celebrate breakthrough ideas.
Our programs tackle complex challenges.
Our diverse networks unite people across generations, geographies, and viewpoints.
Throughout our history, we have remained steadfast to our purpose: to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Facing the Future, Together
We live in an age of extraordinary opportunity and unprecedented challenges. Our economies, technologies, cultures, political systems, and planet are undergoing rapid transformation. The questions before us are profound:
How do we organize our societies for peace and prosperity?
How can we bridge differences and rebuild trust?
How might we harness innovation to advance human flourishing?
That’s why we have developed a bold five-year strategic plan that commits us to three priorities — fostering effective leadership, building societal trust, and sparking civil dialogue and service among young adults.
Today, we invite you to help shape the next 75 years and beyond.
Our Priority Areas
We’re launching a $450 million campaign to fuel four critical priorities: developing principled leaders, strengthening trust across society, elevating the voices of young people, and ensuring that our Bauhaus campus and core operations can support the Institute for years to come. Today, we invite you to help shape the next 75 years and beyond.
LEADERSHIP
$80M
Building on decades of work, we will become the go-to community for leaders worldwide to connect, serve, and grow across the arc of their lives.
SOCIETAL TRUST
$55M
We will address the erosion of societal trust by sparking productive dialogue, fostering civic imagination, promoting ethics in business and technology, and challenging institutions to better serve the people and communities that depend on them.
RISING GENERATIONS
$185M
For youth and young adults — the future of our world — we will work with others to make civil dialogue, civic engagement, and leadership development predictable parts of the journey to adulthood.
INSTITUTE STRENGTH
$130M
We will ensure the Institute’s ability to pursue our purpose for generations to come by revitalizing the Aspen Meadows campus, strengthening our technology and operations, building financial resilience, and increasing our ability to link, leverage, and amplify our people and programs.
Explore the Full 75th Anniversary Campaign
Dive deeper into our vision, priorities, and strategy for the future. The full case statement outlines the bold plan behind our $450 million campaign and how your partnership can help shape what’s next.
Honoring and Strengthening Our Legacy: Join Us
Together, we will honor and strengthen our enduring legacy of service for generations to come.
Emily Rom, Director, Stewardship and Campaign Manager emily.rom@aspeninstitute.org