On September 17, 1787, 238 years ago, the Constitution of the United States was signed at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
Each year, Founding Forward celebrates this momentous day. The event brings together volunteers, donors, students, and community members to both celebrate and recommit themselves to the work of Founding Forward.
At this year’s celebration on September 17, 2025, Founding Forward Chair and past Union League President, James P. Dunigan, shared the following remarks, which we hope will instill inspiration in the work and mission of Founding Forward:
Founding Forward is truly a movement. A movement of patriots and champions of civic education—visionary donors, dedicated leaders, scholars, teachers, and students who believe that our nation can only be strong if its citizens remain educated and virtuous.
A free society is not inherited. It must be cultivated. In a time when misinformation travels faster than facts, when civic knowledge is declining, and our shared institutions are being questioned and attacked, there has never been a more urgent moment to invest in civic education.
That is what our work is all about—Founding Forward equips students and teachers with the tools, knowledge, and experiences to become active, thoughtful, and informed citizens. Our immersive programs bring the past and present together, which gives context and meaning to the ideas and people that shaped our nation. We train teachers to be civic education champions. We invite students to walk in the footsteps of the founders—and then imagine themselves shaping the future of our republic. The programs that we have are not simply about the mechanics of government; they are about the values and principles of the American political tradition. At Founding Forward, we don’t teach civics to raise test scores; we teach civics to raise citizens. And we do this one student, one classroom, one teacher, one program at a time.
Since the merger that created Founding Forward in January 2024, we have accomplished much. We have increased our student reach and launched the first-ever Good Citizen Day on-the-Road in Sacramento, California. We more than doubled the number of teachers attending our immersive professional development seminars, and we have created an ambitious plan for the years ahead. We are now the fastest-growing national civic education organization in the United States, but this is just the beginning. There is much more to do.
In the coming academic year, we will:
- Expand our teacher training programs to reach more classrooms.
- Grow and improve our student programs.
- Continue and grow the investment in our Valley Forge campus.
- Strengthen our national reach working with our partners and volunteer chapters.
- And we will grow our network of active citizen supporters—because this isn’t just a nonprofit, it’s a national calling.
And thank you for standing with us as we build a more informed, inspired, and engaged America. Thank you.
James P. Dunigan
Chair of Founding Forward
Founding Forward is the nonprofit charity of The Union League of Philadelphia. Founding Forward informs and engages citizens through transformational educational experiences grounded in American history. These experiences enable students, teachers, and citizens to understand, appreciate, and practice the principles, rights, and responsibilities of American citizenship.