The Goldwater Institute was founded in 1988 by a small group of entrepreneurial Arizonans with the blessing of Senator Barry Goldwater. In keeping with the principles advanced by Senator Goldwater, the Goldwater Institute is dedicated to protecting and expanding economic freedom, constitutional liberty and educational opportunity.

The Goldwater Institute meets public policy challenges with innovative solutions that maximize freedom and keep government within its constitutional boundaries. The Goldwater Institute has been a policy architect for many successful reforms, including school choice laws, initiatives to protect private property and tax relief. The Goldwater Institute Scharf-Norton Center for Constitutional Litigation defends constitutional liberties and protects taxpayers against unconstitutiona l expansions of government power. Through research, litigation and education, the Goldwater Institute works to broaden the parameters of policy discussions to allow consideration of policies consistent with the founding principles of free societies.