Michael S. Joyce

> Americans for Community and Faith-Centered Enterprise: Co-Founder, President, and CEO (2)

Institutional Affiliations

Government Posts/Panels/Commissions

Corporate Connections/Business Interests

Highlights & Quotes

Michael Joyce, once described by neoconservative guru Irving Kristol as the "the godfather of modern philanthropy," has played a central role in creating the conservative network that today dominates much of policy-making in America. (1) He has led a number of rightist foundations -- including the Bradley, Olin, and Goldseker foundations -- masterminded several rightwing advocacy campaigns, and served a plethora of institutions, including William Kristol's Project for the New American Century. During his 15-year tenure as head of the Bradley Foundation, Joyce turned the foundation into one of the most powerful conservative funders in the country. He helped establish two of William Kristol's outfits, PNAC and the Project for the Republic Future, which helped spearhead the Republican take over of Congress in 1994. As The Glasgow Herald reported (April 13, 2003), "The Republicans love [the Bradley Foundation] and some even call it the patron saint of hawkish causes, thanks to the considerable amounts of money it doles out to neocon causes."

In 2001, Joyce created Americans for Community and Faith-Centered Enterprise in an effort to build support for President Bush's controversial faith-based initiative. According to the Washington Post (June 25, 2001), "The administration has also been working behind the scenes to build support for the plan. Michael S. Joyce, a proponent of school choice who has been developing the intellectual framework for faith-based efforts for 12 years, said Bush asked him at a Rose Garden ceremony May 10, 'Did Karl call you yet?' Joyce said Karl Rove, Bush's senior adviser, phoned later that day and asked Joyce 'to undertake a private initiative to help get this legislation through.' ... On June 1, Joyce opened Americans for Community and Faith-Centered Enterprise with a stable of consultants and lobbyists and an office on Pennsylvania Avenue. ... 'For a lot of people, this conjures images of serpent-handlers and speaking in tongues,' Joyce said. 'We're busy convincing centrist Democrats that allowing equal access to public resources is not establishing a religion.'" Other members of this organization (including the affiliated Foundation for Community and Faith-Centered Enterprise, led by his wife Mary Jo (6)) include Richard John Neuhaus, William J. Bennett, and William Kristol.

(1) The Bradley Foundation press release on Joyce's retirement, June 4, 2002
http://www.bradleyfdn.org/pr/pr0401.html

(2) John M. Ashbrook Center For Public Affairs
http://www.ashbrook.org/events/lecture/2001/joyce.html

(3) Foundation For Community And Faith Centered Enterprise: Board of Trustees
http://www.fcfe.org/ourboardoftrustees.htm

(4) Foundation Francisco Marroquin
http://www.ffmnet.org/QR3-01.htm

(5) Mike Allen, "Bush Aims to Get Faith Initiative Back on Track," Washington Post, June 25, 2001
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A40943-2001Jun24&notFound=true

(6) "Americans for Community and Faith-Centered Enterprise," Mediatransparency.org
http://www.mediatransparency.org/recipients/acfce.htm