ANNUAL REPORT
MESSAGE FROM CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD This year marked a period of meaningful growth and renewed focus for the Alabama Policy Institute. Now in our thirty-sixth year, we remain firmly anchored in the principles that define our mission: advancing free markets, promoting limited government, and supporting strong families. These values continue to guide every policy recommendation we develop and every issue we engage in on behalf of Alabamians. API increased its reach by refining our research, expanding communication with policymakers, and working more closely with legislative leaders. Through the BluePrint for Alabama, we provided practical, data-based guidance that helped shape major policy discussions. These achievements highlight our continued role as a dependable resource and partner in advancing public policy. As Chairman of the Board of Directors, I am proud to present this annual report. It reflects both our accomplishments and the strategic direction we are pursuing moving forward. The board remains united in its support for API’s mission and optimistic about the impact we can continue to have upon Alabama’s future.
Richard Stimpson Chairman of the Board
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Garry & Katherine Ard Gene & Trinka Brabston Tom & Mary Anne Bradford Austin & Lindsay Brooks Greg & Dee Brown Michael & Kay Brown John & Julie Collier Bob & Mary Ann Couch Bruce & Ida Dunbar Brad & Ellen Herold Jordan & Taylor Jones Josh & Jennifer Jones Neil & Helen Kennedy Danny & Amy McKinney Alastair & Lisa Ann Muir-Taylor Kevin & Angela O’Neill John & MayMoss Parker Jerod & Jordan Pilot Randy & Daina Pittman Dalton & Stephanie Smith Rod & Linda Steakley Scott & Kellie Stewart Richard & Leah Stimpson Jim & Darcy Terry Bryan & Holly Word Al & Nancy Worthington
2025 INITIATIVES API lauched a 501C(4), Alabama Policy Action, created ALDOGE, established Betting Hurts Bama, created Alabama Policy Insights, developed The Gatekeepers Association, and furthured Education Freedom Alabama.
API partners with lawmakers and leaders across the state to create a team that produces winning results.
BY THE NUMBERS In 2025, API’s fiscal research helped secure tax and licensing reforms saving Alabamians $140 million annually.
400+
466,000+
Media hits across televisions, radio, and print
Online Impressions
API reached
466,000
Alabamians in 2025
58,000+
Annual digital engagements
38,000+
Alabamians reached monthly
API IN THE NEWS API has been proudly featured across a multitude of news outlets in Alabama and beyond - media coverage of our work and mission amplifies our impact in the state and nationwide.
EVENTS
Annual Dinner The Alabama Policy Institute Annual Dinner is a celebration of the people who serve as Alabama’s conservative compass - bringing together lawmakers, supporters, and leaders committed to truth, free markets, limited government, and strong families. It is a time to reflect on the work of the past year, recognize faithful leadership, and reaffirm API’s unwavering commitment to principled, consistent conservatism in shaping public policy across our state.
Board of Directors API’s Board of Directors meetings are where our mission is sharpened and our principles are helping guide the organization with wisdom, consistency, and conviction. These meetings ensure that API remains steadfast in advocating for truth and advancing fiscally and socially conservative policy for the good of the State of Alabama.
Education Freedom Day Education Freedom Day is an event that brings together school choice advocates and recipients from across the state. API stands in support of all types of Educational Freedom: AAA Scholarship Program, Charter Schools, Homeschooling, and the CHOOSE Act program. API believes in educational freedom for every single Alabama child.
podcast and digital briefings serve as trusted resources ALABAMA POLICY INSIGHTS API’s for lawmakers, pastors, and parents.
U.S. Representative Barry Moore
AL Secretary of State Wes Allen
Derek Chen
2025 LEGISLATIVE VICTORIES
API reviewed and summarized 968 pieces of legislation, every bill introduced, and identified/tracked 112 priority bills. 30 issues were proposed in the 2025 BluePrint with 17 legislative victories achieved, including school choice expansion, tax reform, and child-protection laws. We had 168 direct lawmaker requests for bill analysis, language, or testimony given. $180 million in total taxpayer impact through education and fiscal policy changes. API reviewed 1
INTERN PROGRAM The API intern program was highly impactful in 2025; we had 9 very high-quality interns and a visiting fellow in 2025 – they worked diligently on marketing and policy and created immense value. API hosted intern lunch meetings with Justice Jay Mitchell, Congressman Gary Palmer, Congressman Barry Moore, and Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth.
API participates in 30+ state & national coalitions, including the Alabama School Choice Working Group, Alabama Pro-Life Coalition, Family Policy Alliance CEO group, Reclaiming Education Working Group, Heritage Foundation’s Strong Families & Heritage Education network, SPN’s Accelerator Peer Group, Alliance Defending Freedom, First Liberty, SPN’s Healthcare and Social Policy Working Groups, the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Coalition, and the America 250 Civics Education Commission.
PUBLISHED BRIEFS API published briefs on Sports Betting/Gambling Expansion, Religious Liberty, Federal Dependency, Alabama’s Bidding Laws, AEA’s relationship with the NEA, Legislative Council, and the Role of the Alabama State Auditor.
ALDOGE API’s ALDOGE initiative created 19 policy briefs and uncovered over $130 million in unnecessary NGO payments in the 2025 combined budgets, called attention to excessive and inappropriate economic development funding, overspending by the Department of Public Health, exorbitant state benefits, and state employee salaries.
MESSAGE FROM API PRESIDENT & CEO At API, our mission is clear: we advocate for the truth. We speak up without hesitation for the principles of free markets, limited government, and strong families. Those core values are fulfilled by our staff, fellows, interns, volunteers, and Board of Directors. API veterans have served as the conservative compass for our state for decades. At API, we see it as our job to be an advocate for families and a resource for lawmakers - by giving them our perspective we empower them to make better decisions. With such a broad set of principles, it makes sense to build coalitions and work with lawmakers all year long to find consensus where we can - and resolve to dig our heels in when we can’t. We don’t compromise on our beliefs - ever. Finding ways to work with likeminded groups and elected officials to help them accomplish their goals while we’re also accomplishing our goals of free markets, limited government, and strong families helps us get to the true point of public policy - changing people’s lives for the better.
Stephanie Smith API President/CEO
Every $100,000 invested in API yields more than $140 million in measurable taxpayer and policy impact for the State of Alabama.
43 Issues Proposed 34 Conservative Victories 2024 30 Issues Proposed 24 Issues Considered 17 Conservative Victories
2025 30 Issues Proposed 26 Issues Considered 17 Conservative Victories
AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS
2025 Legislative Champion Award These lawmakers led the way in advancing our 2025 BluePrint bills. Even when the pressure was high, they took principled votes and emerged as the strongest advocates for our values of freedom and thriving families.
Senator Sam Givhan Senator Keith Kelley Senator Arthur Orr Senator Dan Roberts Senator Shay Shelnutt Senator Larry Stutts Senator April Weaver
Representative Bryan Brinyark Representative Bob Fincher Representative Matthew Hammett Representative Ben Harrison Representative Jamie Kiel Representative Bill Lamb Representative Arnold Mooney Representative Rick Rehm Representative Mark Shirey Representative Matt Simpson Representative Van Smith Representative Kerry Underwood Representative Ernie Yarbrough
BLUEPRINT
BUILDING A STRONGER ALABAMA
Free Markets
2026
1. Full Funding for Alabama’s Universal School Choice Program 2. Decrease Barriers to Affordable Healthcare Through Certificate of Need Reform 3. Reduce Restrictions on Home-Based Businesses and Youth Entrepreneurship 4. Reform Alabama’s Burdensome Occupational Licensing Infrastructure 5. Strengthen Competitive Bidding and Public Works Laws 6. Increase Requirements to Receive Public Welfare 7. Expand Portable Benefits for Alabama’s Changing Workforce
Limited Government
8. Provide Tax Relief to All Alabamians 9. Reduce Future State Budget Growth 10. Protect Healthcare Freedom for All Alabamians 11. Improve Regulatory Oversight and Increase Government Transparency 12. Require State and Local Government Entities to Livestream Meetings 13. Resist any Expansion of Gambling and Increase Penalties for Illegal Gambling Activity 14. Provide Alabamians Access to Innovative Healthcare Treatment Options 15. Allow for Alternative Accreditation Options at Alabama’s Colleges and Universities 16. Remove Logistical Barriers to Opening New Micro-schools 17. Strengthen Alabamians Fourth Amendment Privacy Protections 18. Reform the Governance of the Alabama High School Athletics Association
Strong Families
19. Restrict the Flow of Abortion Inducing Drugs into Alabama 20. Strengthen Internet Protections for Alabama’s Children 21. Allow Volunteer Chaplains in Alabama’s K-12 Public Schools 22. Promote and Improve Civics Education in K-12 Public Schools 23. Hold Sexual Predators Accountable and Increase Penalties for Crimes Against Minors 24. Prevent Medically Assisted Suicide from Occurring in Alabama 25. Ban Non-Medical Psychoactive THC Products from Being Sold in Alabama 26. Promote the Lessons of the Ten Commandments in Alabama’s K-12 Public Schools 27. Provide a Consistent Statewide Framework for K-12 Religious Release Time 28. Allow for Alternative Testing and Amend “Advanced Placement” Language 29. Increase Transparency in the Review of Copy-written Educational Materials 30. Protect Female Spaces for Girls and Women in Prisons and Other Settings
2026 INITIATIVES
API was named to the 250 America Civics Education Coalition spearheaded by Secretary Linda McMahon - US Department of Education, America First Policy Institute, and a host of other well respected national groups. The Alabama Civics Alliance will be pulled under the wing of API and combined with our work on education accountability & transparency to create the Alabama Truth in Education & Civics Alliance. The new initiative will focus on transparency for public schools, state and local school board training and development, and the promotion of truth & civics education in all Alabama schools.
API will combine our current Church Leader Gatekeepers project with partnerships with First Liberty’s Restoring Faith in America & Christians Engaged with the creation of the Corrie Coalition to promote Judeo/Christian values and combat rising antisemitism. We will also continue to develop an Alabama centered grassroots group of prayer partners to pray for API as an organization, pray for and support lawmakers regarding spiritual matters, and challenge other believers across the state to engage in public policy from a biblical worldview.
Leadership Initiatives and business interactions are rarely founded upon a biblical worldview. API will launch Alabama Policy Leaders as an initiative to engage with and support young professionals, leaders, and entrepreneurs to with the goals of educating them about conservative ideas, helping them create connections with other likeminded individuals, and providing opportunities for mentoring & leadership development using a Judeo/Christian foundation and the time-honored biblical principles of servant leadership and relational investment.
API believes we can change people’s lives through public policy. We believe that advancing the principles of free markets, limited government, and strong families will make Alabama an even better place to live.
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