by aghstrategies | June 17, 2026 1:09 pm
PFN brings together policy experts with a wide range of knowledge, experiences, and viewpoints to discuss US policy topics and to collaborate and develop content on alternative policy solutions, including solutions that some of the experts don’t agree with. The goal is to expand policymakers’ understanding of topics and solutions and help them make better decisions in the future.
PFN believes that the best policy thinking emerges from experts who encompass a wide diversity of views and are able to collaboratively collaborate with each together to develop alternative policy solutions. At the individual expert level, PFN believes that an expert with viewpoint X can make uniquely valuable contributions to a policy solution reflecting viewpoint Y, and that every solution is better as a result.
To support the constructive collaboration process, PFN expects its experts to use the steelman and similar techniques, as well as intellectual rigor, empathy, creativity, and several other key mindsets, to assist the experts function as high-performing teams able to develop next-level ideas, solutions, and content. Also, PFN provides the experts with “protected” opportunities to comfortably discuss and debate (“think out loud” about) diverse policy views with restricted audiences and without broader attribution.
Consistent with these ideas, PFN does not reflect any single policy view or even a narrow set of views (partisan or otherwise). Similarly, PFN does not get involved in political activities, take partisan positions on issues, or join in lobbying or political events or activities. And it does not expect its experts to abandon their individual views to reach compromises or consensus when discussing policy topics or developing policy solutions with other experts holding different views.
Experts can participate in PFN in two ways, as either Member-Participants or Collaborator-Participants. (Generally referred to as Members and Collaborators.) An expert who chooses the former option can become a Basic Member with access to general content on all the policy areas that PFN covers on its website. And a Basic Member can also become a Member of one of PFN’s Network Groups, each of which focuses on a specific policy area (“Domain”). Network Groups function as the core engines of PFN policy ideas, solutions, and content, and as such becoming a Network Group Member provides the expert not only with additional content and discussion opportunities, but also with opportunities to work with other Members of the same Network Group to develop policy solutions and content, such as “PFN Solution Reports.” (Note: Basic Members and Network Group Members do not have ownership, management, or similar rights relating to Policy Futures Network LLC and are not legal members of the LLC. See PFN Basics below.)
An expert who chooses to become a PFN Collaborator is able to work with PFN on a specific project or activity, such as developing PFN content on a policy solution or participating in a PFN event, such as a meeting or seminar on a policy topic. A PFN Collaborator has the same access to policy solution and content development opportunities as do the Members of the Network Group focused on the Domain that includes the Collaborator’s specific project or activity.
All Basic Members, Network Group Members, and PFN Collaborators are referred to collectively as PFN Participants. And these Participants can be re-sorted into two levels of Participants:
[HARRY – Refer to the PFN Overview Infographic]
During 2026 and for most of 2027, PFN expects to function primarily with experts who choose to be PFN Collaborators. During the last half of 2027 and over 2028, PFN expects to cover more Domains and policy topics; collect and curate more third-party content; support more comments, discussions, and policy solutions; and sponsor more activities on key policy topics. And more importantly PFN aims to produce more PFN content, particularly Solution Reports (PFN’s flagstone publication). As PFN becomes more active and visible, it hopes to continue working with PFN Collaborators, but to gain more Basic and Network Group Members.
PFN focuses primarily on long-term policy topics and solutions for 10-20 years in the future. PFN may occasionally cover short-term and even some current policy matters, like current legislative and regulatory proposals, but PFN’s priority is to focus on the long term.
A key reason for this long-term focus is to minimize the distortion of PFN policy views and solutions by considerations such as the status quo (e.g., current policies and programs), political feasibility (e.g., likelihood of a solution being adopted), current political and partisan considerations, and the transition from “here to there” (e.g., how are current policies and programs affected, and what are the key effective dates and special transition rules for the changes).
These short-term considerations are often very important, complex, and challenging – and in many cases it’s difficult to separate them from the long-term solutions – but PFN wants to focus on the long-term visions driving the policy solutions it is considering. When PFN does address short-term considerations, it will do so in ways that don’t detract from the long-term focus.
In addition to favoring the long term over the short term, PFN prioritizes deeper analyses over news; substantive policy over politics, people, and process; and solutions over problems.
As discussed above, PFN brings together experts with diverse views to constructively collaborate on policy topics and solutions on many US policy areas, with a focus on a few selected policy areas that PFN has decided to prioritize.
To support these activities, PFN maintains a website that presents third-party content and content developed by PFN and PFN Participants. The website also supports private comment and discussion venues among Participants. Finally, Basic Participants can access a general level of policy content on the website, and Network Group Participants can access all content, additional private discussion areas, and significant content development opportunities relating to their Network Group’s Domain.
PFN expects to maintain multiple Network Groups, with each Network Group focused on a broad policy area (“Domain”). The Network Groups are the primary units in PFN producing new ideas, solutions, and content, particularly Solution Reports (PFN’s flagship publication).
At present, PFN recognizes four different Domains: Artificial Intelligence & Robotics, Government Structure & Processes, Retirement & Aging, and Socio-Economic Levels & Mobility. And PFN expects to recognize many more as PFN gains more Participants with varied interests and views. In addition, each PFN Domain encompasses many specific policy topics. For example, Retirement & Aging currently encompasses XX-YY specific policy topics, such as Social Security, 401(k) plans, pension plans, and individual retirement arrangements. [HARRY]
Participants may provide input to the PFN Leader on whether PFN should maintain a Network Group on this or that Domain. After appropriate deliberation, the PFN Leader will decide whether to recognize a Network Group and Domain. Also, the PFN Leader will designate the Leader(s) of each Network Group. (In some circumstances, the PFN Leader may serve as a Network Group Leader.)
Each Network Group discusses a wide range of policy solutions and, in particular, decides on which solutions it should present in a Solution Report. Each Solution Report is a long-form article (akin to a white paper) that presents a policy solution and its supporting vision and context, arguments, factual support, evidence, relevant analysis and interpretations, and viewpoint and values, as well as the major counter-arguments and alternative solutions and the arguments for the alternatives. Special attention is also given to explicitly addressing assumptions, uncertainties, open questions, pros and cons, and tradeoffs. Completed Solution Reports are generally available to the public. Click here [URL] for more about Network Groups and here [URL] for more about Solution Reports.
In selecting PFN Participants, including Members and Collaborators, PFN targets policy experts with professional, academic, practical, and/or other demonstrated experience, engagement, and capabilities in one or more US policy area. Examples of areas include science, demography, national security, geopolitics, antitrust, the environment, climate, technology, energy, law, education, nutrition, health, care, immigration, political science, economics, sociology, and anthropology. And some of the roles and positions that experts may have held are researchers, analysts, commentators, teachers, academics, visionaries, government officials and staff (federal and state legislative, executive, and judiciary executives and staff), advocates, government relation specialists, lobbyists, consultants, policy thinkers, and respected followers and analysts of policy ideas and developments.
PFN expects its Participants to be effective not only at explaining their own views and preferred policy solutions, but also at steelmanning (i.e., explaining and suggesting improvements to) the views and solutions of those who see things differently. And its Participants should also exhibit mindsets that support high levels of intellectual rigor, as well as constructive collaboration and teamwork. PFN will be looking for these capabilities and mindsets in those experts who are being considered as Participants. Click here [URL] for more on PFN’s constructive collaboration policies.
In addition, as part of the application process, experts are expected to acknowledge and agree to the PFN Code of Conduct, which is aimed at assuring mutual respect, professionalism, openness to others, independence, the absence of conflicts, and other behaviors. The Chatham House Rule[1] is a key component of the Code of Conduct. Click here[2] for the PFN Code of Conduct.
Policy experts may apply to become Basic Members and, if approved, may also apply to become Members of one or more of PFN’s Network Groups. Also, an expert may apply to become a PFN Collaborator on a specific project or activity. All submitted Participant Applications go to the PFN Leader for consideration and decisions. PFN Members are required to agree to a Membership Agreement, and PFN Collaborators are required to agree to a Collaborator Agreement. Click here[3] for the Participant Application, here [URL] for the Membership Agreement, and here [URL] for for the Collaborator Agreement.
PFN generally refers to Policy Futures Network, which is a collaborative network of experts with access to and participating in US policy information, services, content, discussions, solutions, and other activities described in this document. PFN is led by Policy Futures Network LLC, which is a single-person, for-profit LLC organization that is recognized in Washington DC and was founded and is owned by Harry Conaway.
Harry serves as the PFN Leader overseeing the development and management of PFN website, the framework, standards, and processes that make up PFN, the Member-Participant and Collaborator-Participant roles, final PFN Participant decisions, PFN policy discussions, the development of PFN content (including Solution Reports), the recognition of Network Groups and Domains, Network Group activities, and other matters and activities relating to US policy discussions and solutions. Click here[4] for more about Harry Conaway.
To date, Harry has funded the development of the PFN organization and website. And Harry expects to continue funding PFN into the future, but also intends for PFN to consider additional funding sources, such as membership dues, fees for special projects and activities, and foundation funding. In this regard, PFN is committed to funding sources that reflect diverse views and other key features. In all cases, PFN will maintain a strict separation between funding and content and decisions. Non-member funders may participate in and receive reports on PFN activities, including selection of policy topics and possible Solution Reports, but they will not have approval rights over PFN content or its conclusions.
Finally, Basic Member-Participants and Network Group Member-Participants (generally referred to as Members) do not have ownership, management, or similar rights relating to Policy Futures Network LLC and are not legal members of the LLC.
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AI Disclosure. Claude (Anthropic) assisted with the editing of this About PFN page. The PFN Leader made all substantive decisions reflected on this page, prepared the first draft, revised significant portions, and drafted the final text. See the PFN Policy on Using Generative AI [ADD URL] for more information.
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