Young conservatives have something to say about issues facing those born from 1981 to 1997, and the nonpartisan Millennial Policy Foundation will give them a voice.
“Our generation is the first to grow up with devices like cellphones and personal computers,” Jimmy Sengenberger, 26, president and founder of the new Colorado-based think tank. “The way we learn and transfer information, as a generation, is substantially different from any generation that preceded us.”
The foundation is new to Colorado, but , drawing praise from such conservatives as Jon Caldara, president of the libertarian-minded Independence Institute think tank in Denver.
“Very sharp,” appraised Caldara before taping his TV show for Colorado Public Television on Thursday. “I’m real excited about what he’s doing.”
A constitutional conservative, Sengenberger is a public speaker and writer who hosts from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturdays on News/Talk 710 KNUS in Denver.
Last year he was named one of the nation’s top 30 conservatives younger than 30 by the website , and in January the website .
Sengenberger said he intends to connect with fellows and directors at existing think tanks for advisory and fellowship roles in the Millennial Policy Foundation. Its organizational Advisory Council includes such well-known conservative thinkers as Caldara, Centennial Institute director Jeff Hunt, American Enterprise Institute resident fellow Michael Barone, former Centennial Institute director John Andrews, former Colorado congressman Bob Schaffer and Dr. Jim Riley, a retired politics professor at Regis University.
The foundation has incorporated in Colorado as a nonprofit organization but it is awaiting a 501(c)(3) designation from the Internal Revenue Service, Sengenberger said.
More information about the foundation is .
Here is a Q&A with Sengenberger from this week:
Why did you think there was a need for this? You’re a young conservative leader, so I’m assuming this is right-leaning foundation, correct?
Millennials have overtaken baby boomers as the largest living generation in the country. This fact holds tremendous implications for the future, as a new crop of leaders emerge and begin to change the nation’s course. Indeed, millennials are the nation’s future leaders and policymakers. The first generation to grow up with devices like cellphones and personal computers will soon shape national policy.
It is essential that, as young Americans take the reins of leadership, we are guided by the principles of freedom and opportunity and an understanding of how those tenets can and must take root in the public policy discussion. Unfortunately, many millennials have been led astray by promises of free stuff in a land of milk and honey. That is why we’ve founded the nonpartisan Millennial Policy Foundation. MPF is a new kind of think tank that will work to fundamentally reframe the policy debate among millennials and promote solutions that harness freedom, choice and the unlimited potential of each and every individual.
How many founding members or fellows do you have, and can you tell me a little about them?
We have so far brought on a select group of multi-generational fellows and are currently in talks with a number of others as we lay more groundwork for the organization and establish our centers and fellowships. I think it is worth taking a moment to emphasize the multi-generational aspect of this effort. While MPF is geared primarily toward presenting a millennial perspective on the key issues of the day, we absolutely recognize and embrace the experience, wisdom and expertise of prior generations, especially those who are experts in their fields of study.
As President, I will serve as the director of public policy studies and engage with a wide array of policy topics. In addition, our policy team includes folks like Jenna Ellis … an attorney, the sole millennial professor at Colorado Christian University and a fellow in constitutional foundations; Dr. Michael Parra, M.D., a health care and energy expert who is a fellow in Energy Policy and Scientific Research; Kristi Burton Brown … a millennial attorney, a mother of two and a fellow in constitutional foundations and women’s rights; and former Congressman Bob Schaffer, a fellow in U.S. political institutions.
Foundations and think tanks typically publish position papers and provide research. What sorts of issues are highest on your agenda?
One of the very first issues we intend to tackle is the college affordability crisis, which impacts the youngest of the Millennial Generation, and the related issue of $1.3 trillion in student loan debt. This requires fundamental reforms to our nation’s higher education system, at the state and federal levels, and must not entail providing free college or forgiving student loans.
In addition, high on our agenda will be economic opportunity, with an emphasis on access to good-paying jobs; K-12 education reform, which is important to those millennials who are just starting to raise families; and energy production, which is crucial to our economy but must be accomplished in a way that protects our environment, a top millennial concern. We will also cover substantive health care reform, gun rights, campaign finance reform and other issues that are of particular interest to millennials but have tremendous cross-generational impact.
Will you have a physical office? Staffing?
In the beginning we will not boast a physical office as a headquarters or have much by way of formal staffing. We initially are focusing on developing a Colorado-based and national network of policy fellows and advisers who are principally volunteers.
Where is your foundation funding coming from?
We are just getting off the ground organizationally and are currently in the initial phase of our fundraising efforts. Our first campaign is focused on raising seed funding from individuals and businesses, largely via the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo. We find that the Millennial generation is creative, industrious and tech-savvy. Therefore, we are rolling out our first fundraising venture using the innovative crowdfunding method.
Supporters are encouraged to donate to the foundation by visiting our website, www.MillennialPolicyFoundation.org, from which they can access our Indiegogo page. I should note that our intention in launching the effort before the Labor Day weekend was to begin getting the word out at the tail end of summer; we expect the campaign to pick up steam after the long weekend.
Will MPF be centered on publishing detailed policy papers and research, or will there be a different focus than traditional think tanks?
Like traditional think tanks, the Millennial Policy Foundation will publish research and position papers on a wide variety of subject areas. However, our primary focus will be on public outreach and education on our policy positions and research. Each paper will be accompanied by an issue brief, blog postings, media op-eds and interviews, and what will be our bread-and-butter: one or more videos on the topics covered in our papers and research. The foundation’s principal objective is to contribute to the policy debate among the general public, with an emphasis on reaching and persuading millennials on the merits of our policy proposals.