The Wilson Center

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, commonly known as the Wilson Center, was established by Congress in 1968 as both a living memorial to President Woodrow Wilson and as a nonpartisan policy institute. It is housed in One Woodrow Wilson Plaza at 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW in Washington, DC, within a wing of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. The Center operates as a public-private partnership: approximately one-third of its annual operating budget comes from a federal congressional appropriation, with the remaining 70 percent raised from private foundations, corporations, individuals, and endowment income. In fiscal year 2024 (ending September 2024), total revenues were approximately $30.4 million and total expenses were approximately $37.3 million, with net assets of $69.3 million. The Wilson Center hosts approximately 150 resident fellows annually from across the world — scholars, journalists, public servants, and practitioners — who carry out independent research. It also runs a wide range of policy programs covering regions and issues from Europe and Asia to environment and technology. Its Science and Technology Innovation Program (STIP) serves as a bridge between technologists, policymakers, and global stakeholders. STIP's flagship initiative is the Technology Labs series, a competitive, free program exclusively for U.S. government staff that provides six-week intensive seminars on AI, cybersecurity, 5G, digital assets, and space policy. Since 2016, over 1,200 government staffers have participated. The Advanced AI Lab, launched as a pilot in 2024, deepens training for alumni on topics including frontier AI development, AI safety and security, open source models, and synthetic content. In March 2025, President Trump signed an executive order directing the Wilson Center to reduce to its minimum statutory functions. Most staff were placed on administrative leave by April 2025, and the president and CEO resigned shortly thereafter. By late 2025, major programs including the Kennan Institute had begun separating as independent entities. As of early 2026, the Center is operating in a severely reduced capacity.