American Ditchley Foundation

Overview

The American Ditchley Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization, established in 1964 as an affiliate of the Ditchley Foundation in the United Kingdom, dedicated to fostering transatlantic and global dialogue on critical international issues. Headquartered in New York City, it supports the Ditchley Foundation’s mission by sponsoring conferences, recruiting American participants, providing travel stipends, and shaping conference programs held primarily at Ditchley Park, a historic estate in Oxfordshire, UK. The Foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) public charity, relying on private donations to advance its work. Mission and Activities

The American Ditchley Foundation promotes global understanding by bringing together leaders from politics, business, academia, media, and the military to address sociological, economic, scientific, cultural, and geopolitical challenges. Its core activities include:

Conferences

Supporting 10–12 annual invitation-only conferences at Ditchley Park, each hosting about 40 participants (roughly one-third American, one-third British, and one-third from other nations) for three-day discussions. Topics range from artificial intelligence and national security to transatlantic trade policy and authoritarian alliances. Summaries of these deliberations are publicly posted by the Ditchley Foundation’s director.

Program Shaping

Collaborating with the UK and Canadian Ditchley Foundations to design conference agendas, ensuring relevance to global concerns.

Participant Recruitment

Identifying and funding American attendees, including policymakers, academics, and industry leaders, to ensure diverse representation.

U.S.-Based Events

Co-hosting a biennial conference in the U.S., such as a 2022 event at the Greentree Estate on Long Island, New York, focused on “Authoritarian Alliances: An Alternative World Order in the Making or Just Marriages of Convenience.”

Grants

Providing financial support to the Ditchley Foundation for restoration projects at Ditchley Park and initiatives like the Ditchley-Lumina Project on lifelong learning and democratic renewal. In 2022, it awarded $175,000 in grants.

Historical Context

Founded in 1964, the American Ditchley Foundation built on the Ditchley Foundation’s 1958 establishment by Sir David Wills, who donated Ditchley Park to advance U.S.-UK relations post-World War II. Initially focused on transatlantic cooperation, its mission expanded to address global issues, reflecting the evolving geopolitical landscape. The Foundation draws on the legacy of Winston Churchill, who used Ditchley Park as a wartime retreat, notably hosting U.S. envoy Harry Hopkins in 1941 to secure American support.

Governance and Leadership

The Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors, with key figures as of 2025 including: Chair: Jami Miscik, former CIA Deputy Director for Intelligence.

Vice-Chairman: John Bellinger III, former Legal Adviser to the U.S. State Department.

President: Cary A. Koplin, Managing Director at Neuberger Berman.

Treasurer: Peter Bass, former Managing Director at Promontory Financial Group.

Secretary: George M. Newcombe, former partner at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.

Notable Directors: Joseph Nye (Harvard professor), Anthony Gardner (former U.S. Ambassador to the EU), and Edward Cox (New York Republican State Committee Chairman).

Past chairs include Cyrus Vance (former U.S. Secretary of State) and John Brademas (former Congressman and NYU President).

Funding and Financials

The American Ditchley Foundation relies on private donations, including contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporations. It is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization (EIN: 13-6146740), with donations eligible for federal tax deductions. In 2022, it reported $175,000 in grants, primarily to the UK Ditchley Foundation. Its 2023 IRS Form 990 indicates a budget supporting conference sponsorships, travel stipends, and a Washington, D.C., cultivation event to expand its network. The Foundation’s financial transparency is rated 83% by Charity Navigator, earning a Three-Star rating for accountability and finance.

Carnegie Corporation of New York: Confirmed as a donor, providing a $200,000 grant in 2019, per InfluenceWatch.

Lumina Foundation: For exploring shared systemic challenges among the US, UK, and other democracies.

Cyrus and Michael Tang Foundation: For their General Fund.

John H and Marjorie N Glasgow Foundation: For International Communication Programs.

Charities Aid Foundation of America.

References

The American Ditchley Foundation. (n.d.). About. https://www.americanditchley.org[](https://www.americanditchley.org/)

Ditchley Foundation. (n.d.). The American Ditchley Foundation. https://www.ditchley.com[](https://www.ditchley.com/people/american-ditchley)

GuideStar. (2023). American Ditchley Foundation. https://www.guidestar.org[](https://www.guidestar.org/profile/13-6146740)

Instrumentl. (2022). The American Ditchley Foundation Inc. https://www.instrumentl.com[](https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/american-ditchley-foundation)

Charity Navigator. (n.d.). Rating for American Ditchley Foundation. https://www.charitynavigator.org[](https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/136146740)

SourceWatch. (2011, January 26). American Ditchley Foundation. https://www.sourcewatch.org[](https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/American_Ditchley_Foundation)