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Cato Institute 2022 Annual Report

Ideas.
Influence.
Impact.

2022 Annual Report

Flock of birds

Ideas.
Influence.
Impact.

2022 Annual Report

Message from the President and Chairman

James M. Lapeyre, Jr.
James M. Lapeyre, Jr.

Chairman

This is the first annual letter to the supporters and friends of Cato that we’re writing together. We’re tremendously grateful for Bob Levy’s decades of service to Cato and liberty and for his 14 years of distinguished leadership of the Institute as chair of our board of directors.

In an admonition evocative of Cato’s own mission, a young Abraham Lincoln cited our responsibility as U.S. citizens to pass on to future generations both the country we inherited and its “edifice of liberty and equal rights.” He famously suggested that the true threats to America would come not from the outside but from within: “If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher.”

We live in a time when this warning feels prescient. Intense polarization and toxic partisanship have turned the focus of too many people away from the principles and policies they support and toward an obsession with what—and whom—they’re against. Liberty is challenged as Americans abandon principle in pursuit of state power, which they can then wield against political adversaries. In such an environment, the rule of law and constitutional limits—and long-standing norms critical to the functioning of both—are cast aside because the ends are always allowed to justify the means. Freedom is at risk.

Against this sobering backdrop, we see seeds of opportunity for transformational change—opportunity rooted in Cato’s consistent stance. First, Cato has an unshakeable adherence to our principles and a fierce commitment to independence and nonpartisanship. Second, Cato’s primary focus is not on what we oppose but on what we support: the opportunity for every individual and family to flourish when state power is limited and when a thriving civil society allows each of us to own our life, decisions, and destiny. This is the optimistic vision of the world that freedom and openness can create.

Within each of today’s threats are opportunities for Cato—and we’re poised to leverage them. Toxic partisanship is a threat to liberty and limited government but an opportunity to reach and persuade an exhausted (and growing) middle majority that is increasingly willing to listen to a unique voice based on principle, reason, analysis, and civility. Intense polarization is a threat to our country but an opportunity to use Cato’s reputation for independence and nonpartisanship to work across the ideological spectrum to advance shared objectives. Ever more reckless policy represents a threat to the well-being of future generations but is an opportunity for Cato—as it becomes clearer to all that misguided policy is not working—to advance what does work: markets and free enterprise, educational freedom, freedom of expression, and limited constitutional government.

Cato aspires to a higher level of performance every year so that we’re best able to take on these threats and exploit the attendant opportunities. Last year’s annual report captured our continuing plans to add intellectual firepower to defend free markets and free enterprise more strongly, to keep increasing Cato’s external engagement, to bring the ideas of liberty to life for new and expanding audiences through investments in technology and creative talent, and to inspire young people and students through innovative new programs. In 2022, we made substantial progress on all these fronts.

Of course, continuously reaching for higher performance is a serious responsibility we have to you, the generous partners whose voluntary contributions make our efforts possible. We’ll always endeavor to create the best ideas and largest influence and impact from the resources you entrust to us. And doing so is creating a stronger Cato—fueled by a sense of urgency—that is prepared to meet today’s challenges.

We’ll never forget what motivates all of us to take up this work: the moral foundations of our mission to preserve freedom and opportunity for those who come after us and to protect the agency and liberty of each individual to pursue happiness, achievement, and fulfillment, and thus ensure the dignity of all.

2022

By the Numbers
11.8
Million+ Visits to Cato Websites

Cato’s sleek new website—which offers cutting-edge visualizations, “scrollytelling” experiences, and interactive data sets that bring our research to life—attracts over 11 million unique visitors each year.


1,500+
Media Appearances

Cato experts regularly appear on television, radio, and podcasts, and at major events throughout the year. The prominent media presence of Cato scholars underscores the value that our independent, nonpartisan perspective brings to policy debates and breaking news.


760+
Op-eds Published

More than 760 op-eds by Cato scholars were published in major media outlets in 2022. Cato experts play a key role in educating leaders, decisionmakers, and the public through hundreds of sharply crafted op-eds each year.


1.7
Million+ Social Media Followers

Cato’s voice in the policy debates is amplified through our social media channels on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.


190+
Research Studies

Cato’s nonpartisan, data-driven scholarly work on key policy topics is frequently praised and cited by politicians, pundits, and citizens across the political spectrum.


9
Books

Cato books have been praised by Nobel laureates, newspapers, professional publications, and readers worldwide.


Launching the Next Generation of Libertarian Leaders

75
Interns

To fulfill our vision of a freer tomorrow, we empower young leaders and educate them in libertarian thought and public policy issues through the highly competitive Cato Internship Program.


720+
Student Visitors

Each year, more than 700 students from across the country visit Cato headquarters in Washington, DC, to attend a variety of events and programming geared toward educating and inspiring young students.


5,000+
Teachers

Cato has built a network of more than 5,000 teachers through the Project Sphere initiative, which provides educators with training, resources, and lesson plans to restore civil debate and civic culture in their classrooms. By 2024, Cato will grow its network to more than 8,000 teachers.


500k+
Students

The educators participating in Sphere take a variety of Cato educational materials and policy solutions back to their classrooms, in turn reaching over 500,000 students across the country. By 2024, Sphere will reach more than 1 million students.

Cato’s Outreach to Policymakers

580+
Congressional Meetings

Cato’s expertise is always in demand on Capitol Hill, and with increased investments in growing our outreach team, we’re more productive than ever in translating our policy ideas into legislative impact. Cato scholars met with 255 congressional offices from both parties in 2022 through video conferences, phone calls, and in-person meetings.


300+
Meetings with State Legislators and Senior Policy Staff

Cato experts met with and educated state legislators on a variety of policy issues facing their states, including health care, school choice, criminal justice reform, and housing.


27
Testimonies and Statements for the Record

Cato scholars are often called on to provide testimony on a host of pressing policy issues—including fiscal and monetary reforms, immigration, and education.


50+
Congressional Staff Participated in Congressional Fellowship Program

Cato’s reputation as a trusted, nonpartisan voice allows us to bridge gaps between the parties and reach wide audiences with our policy solutions. The recently launched Congressional Fellowship Program welcomes congressional staffers from both parties to Cato headquarters to find common ground and learn about libertarian policy and philosophy.