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Key people at FWD.us.
Founded in April 2013 by technology leaders Mark Zuckerberg and Joe Green, FWD.us is a Washington, District of Columbia-based nonprofit policy organization advocating for United States immigration and criminal justice reform. Under the leadership of executive director Zoe Towns, the group is backed by philanthropists including Priscilla Chan, Bill Gates, Reid Hoffman, and John Doerr. Operating as a tax-exempt entity, the organization received a $100 million donation from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative in 2021 to fund its operations over a three-year period. The advocacy group builds coalitions across red, blue, and purple jurisdictions, utilizing research, lobbying, and digital communications to secure legislative, judicial, and executive wins. By engaging with elected officials, business leaders, and grassroots communities, the organization focuses on politically resilient solutions to modernize outdated systems that impact tens of millions of individuals.
Key people at FWD.us.
FWD.us is not a company or investment firm but a bipartisan nonprofit policy organization founded by tech leaders to advocate for immigration and criminal justice reforms that enhance U.S. competitiveness and opportunity.[1][2][9] Its mission centers on advancing politically resilient solutions to outdated systems, through research, lobbying, coalitions, and advocacy, impacting tens of millions via legislative wins, judicial victories, and executive actions across red, blue, and purple jurisdictions.[2][8] Rather than investing capital, FWD.us invests in policy change, partnering with policymakers, businesses, labor, grassroots groups, and academics to unlock economic potential and democratic ideals.[2][5]
FWD.us was founded in 2013 by Mark Zuckerberg and other key tech and business leaders, initially to promote policies keeping the U.S. competitive amid global challenges.[1][9] Emerging from Silicon Valley's recognition of immigration's role in innovation, it evolved from a broad competitiveness focus to specializing in immigration and criminal justice reform, addressing how these systems hinder opportunity.[2][4] Over a decade, pivotal moments include securing reforms despite political hurdles, building unlikely coalitions, and producing influential reports on issues like mass incarceration's family costs and H-1B visa limitations.[2][8]
FWD.us rides the trend of tech-driven policy advocacy, where industry leaders address talent shortages and societal barriers to innovation, particularly immigration reforms enabling skilled worker visas beyond H-1B.[1][8] Timing aligns with post-2020 political shifts, economic recovery needs, and debates on mass incarceration's fiscal drag, positioning it to influence bipartisan deals amid polarization.[2][8] Market forces like labor shortages in tech and rising awareness of justice reform's economic toll favor its work, as it shapes ecosystem discourse by linking policy to U.S. competitiveness, educating on undocumented populations and family impacts.[5][8]
FWD.us is poised to capitalize on 2025-2026 political cycles, pushing resilient reforms amid election-year volatility, with expanded focus on skilled immigration pathways and incarceration cost analyses to build broader coalitions.[2][8] Trends like AI-driven labor demands and justice tech innovations will amplify its influence, potentially evolving into a hub for tech-policy hybrids that sustain long-term wins. As a catalyst born from tech's frontlines, it remains essential for policies ensuring America's edge, tying back to its core promise of opportunity for all.[1][2]
