Faith and Freedom Coalition
Professional services
UnclaimedThe Faith and Freedom Coalition is a United States conservative Christian political advocacy organization and 501(c)(4) nonprofit.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Faith and Freedom Coalition (FFC) is an American conservative political advocacy organization established by Ralph Reed and incorporated on May 14, 2009. Organized as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, it seeks to mobilize evangelical Christian voters and other socially conservative citizens around a policy agenda that combines religious conservatism, limited government, lower taxes, free-market economics, a strong national defense, and support for Israel. Its stated positions include opposition to abortion, same-sex marriage, and medical-marijuana initiatives such as Florida Amendment 2, alongside support for conservative interpretations of religious liberty and a larger role for faith-based perspectives in public life. Reed, who previously founded the Christian Coalition, presented the FFC as a newer political vehicle capable of connecting evangelical voters with the Tea Party movement and broader conservative grassroots activism. Rather than functioning as a conventional commercial brand, the organization operates as a membership, organizing, communications, and political-mobilization network. Its activities include voter registration and education, grassroots training, issue advocacy, direct-mail and telephone fundraising, coalition building, public events, and engagement with Republican candidates and officeholders. The organization has described its reach in terms of hundreds of thousands of supporters and numerous local chapters, although the exact scale of its active membership and chapter network varies by source and period. The FFC became especially visible through its annual policy conference, originally known as the Faith and Freedom Conference and Strategy Briefing and later associated with the Road to Majority conference. The first conference was held in Washington, D.C., in September 2010 and featured prominent conservative figures. The 2011 gathering attracted a large field of Republican presidential hopefuls, making it an important venue for candidates seeking evangelical support before the 2012 Republican primary. The organization supported Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan in 2012 after conducting voter and activist work and organizing a Republican presidential debate. In 2012 it also announced a Jewish outreach initiative and incorporated a Shabbat program into its conference activities. The Road to Majority conference became the organization's principal public event. Its speakers and attendees have included Republican congressional leaders, presidential candidates, conservative media personalities, religious figures, and grassroots activists. At the 2017 conference, President Donald Trump addressed attendees and emphasized religious liberty and the role of religion in public life. The event also drew criticism from LGBT advocates because of the coalition's opposition to same-sex marriage and the political context surrounding Trump's appearance. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference moved from Washington to venues in Georgia and Florida before returning to Washington in 2023. The 2023 conference brought together the declared Republican presidential field and concluded with a speech by Trump. The FFC's principal constituency is the conservative Christian electorate, particularly evangelical voters who view abortion, same-sex marriage, religious liberty, education, taxation, and the judiciary as connected political issues. The organization is influential as an advocacy and turnout network rather than as a consumer-facing brand. It remains active in American political organizing, though its precise current membership, chapter count, and leadership structure should be verified against current organizational filings and official materials.
History
The Faith and Freedom Coalition was founded and formally incorporated on May 14, 2009, by Ralph Reed, who had previously founded the Christian Coalition. Reed conceived the organization as a contemporary conservative Christian network that could connect evangelical voters with the Tea Party movement and other limited-government activists. The coalition was structured as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, allowing it to conduct broad issue advocacy and political organizing while operating outside the commercial marketplace. From its early years, the organization concentrated on voter education, grassroots recruitment, supporter communications, and advocacy on issues associated with the American Christian right. Its stated agenda has included opposition to abortion, same-sex marriage, and medical-marijuana measures, as well as support for lower taxes, limited government, privatization of public services, free markets, a strong national defense, and Israel. Religious liberty has been a recurring organizing theme. The organization has also sought to build relationships beyond its evangelical base, including a Jewish outreach initiative announced in 2012. The FFC's first Faith and Freedom Conference and Strategy Briefing took place in Washington, D.C., in September 2010. The event gave the organization a high-profile platform and brought together conservative politicians, movement leaders, and activists. Its 2011 conference was particularly notable for the number of Republican presidential contenders who appeared, including Newt Gingrich, Tim Pawlenty, Mitt Romney, Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Jon Huntsman Jr., Rick Santorum, and Ron Paul. This helped establish the gathering as a venue where candidates could address evangelical and socially conservative voters. The coalition played a significant supporting role in the 2012 Republican presidential campaign, backing Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan and using its grassroots infrastructure for conservative voter engagement. It also held a Republican candidate debate during the primary cycle. The organization's public conference program expanded over time and became known as the Road to Majority conference. The 2014 event included senior Republican leaders and nationally known conservative activists, illustrating the group's position at the intersection of religious advocacy and Republican electoral politics. The organization's visibility increased during the Trump era. At the 2017 Road to Majority conference, President Donald Trump spoke in support of religious liberty and a stronger role for religion in politics and education. Vice President Mike Pence, congressional Republican leaders, conservative religious figures, and media personalities also participated. The appearance drew criticism from LGBT advocates, reflecting the coalition's opposition to same-sex marriage and its broader socially conservative agenda. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the conference's established Washington location. The 2020 meeting was held at Atlanta's Cobb Galleria, and the 2021 event took place at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Kissimmee, Florida. The conference returned to Washington in June 2023 at the Washington Hilton. That gathering featured the declared Republican presidential field and concluded with another major address by Trump, who received an enthusiastic response from the assembled evangelical activists. The FFC continues to operate as a national conservative Christian advocacy network. Its activities include grassroots organizing, policy messaging, conference programming, voter outreach, fundraising, and engagement with candidates and elected officials. It uses outside firms for some direct-mail and telephone solicitations. Public nonprofit reporting shows substantial annual revenue and expenditure levels, but the organization is not a listed company and does not publish commercial sales figures. Current details about its chapter network, active membership, staff structure, and policy programs should be checked against the coalition's latest official materials and regulatory filings.
- 2023
Conference returns to Washington
[1]The Road to Majority conference returned to Washington, D.C., with the declared Republican presidential candidates and Donald Trump as closing speaker.
- 2021
Conference held in Kissimmee
[1]The conference was held at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Kissimmee, Florida.
- 2020
Conference relocates during COVID-19
[1]The annual conference moved to Atlanta because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2017
President Trump addresses the conference
[1]Donald Trump spoke at the Road to Majority conference, highlighting religious liberty and religion's role in public life.
- 2014
Fifth Road to Majority policy conference
[1]The organization marked its fifth annual Road to Majority policy conference with national conservative speakers and grassroots activists.
- 2012
Romney–Ryan support and Jewish outreach
[1]The coalition supported Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan and announced a Jewish outreach program that included Shabbat observance at its conference.
- 2011
Republican presidential field appears at conference
[1]The annual conference drew a broad group of Republican presidential contenders and gained prominence as an evangelical candidate forum.
- 2010
First Faith and Freedom conference
[1]The coalition held its inaugural national conference in Washington, D.C., establishing a recurring forum for conservative Christian activists and Republican leaders.
- 2009
Organization founded and incorporated
[1]Ralph Reed founded and formally incorporated the Faith and Freedom Coalition as a conservative Christian 501(c)(4) advocacy organization.
Products and positioning
A conservative Christian grassroots advocacy and political-mobilization organization focused on evangelical voter engagement, religious liberty, socially conservative policy, limited government, and Republican-aligned electoral activism.
Policy conference · 2014
Road to Majority Conference
The organization's principal annual gathering for evangelical activists, conservative policy advocates, Republican candidates, elected officials, and movement leaders. The event combines speeches, policy briefings, networking, and grassroots strategy. It has served as a prominent venue for Republican candidates seeking support from socially conservative and evangelical voters.
Political training and advocacy event · 2010
Faith and Freedom Conference and Strategy Briefing
The conference series launched in 2010 as a national meeting for conservative Christian activists and public officials. Its programming has addressed religious liberty, abortion, elections, limited government, and related conservative priorities. The series developed into the Road to Majority conference brand.
Political advocacy program · 2009
Grassroots voter mobilization
The coalition's organizing work includes voter education, activist recruitment, communications, election-related outreach, and support for conservative policy positions. It is designed to increase political participation among evangelical Christians and other socially conservative voters rather than to provide a commercial product.
Marketing campaigns
- 2012Romney–Ryan voter and activist support
United States
The coalition organized conservative and evangelical supporters in support of Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and vice-presidential nominee Paul Ryan.
Outcome. The Romney–Ryan ticket lost the 2012 presidential election; the coalition remained active as a national conservative grassroots organization.
- 2012Jewish outreach initiative
United States
The organization added a Jewish outreach component and incorporated Shabbat programming into its annual conference.
Outcome. The initiative broadened the coalition's stated outreach beyond its primary evangelical constituency, although its overall political identity remained conservative Christian.
Brand decisions
2020
Relocation of the annual conference during the pandemicOtherBackground
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted large national events and made the organization's established Washington, D.C., conference location impractical.
Action taken
The coalition held its 2020 conference at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta, its home city, and held the 2021 conference in Kissimmee, Florida.
Aftermath
The conference later returned to Washington, D.C., in 2023.
Sources3 sources
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