The Friends Committee on National Legislation is a national, nonpartisan Quaker organization that lobbies Congress and the administration to advance peace, justice, and environmental stewardship.
Founded in 1943 by members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), FCNL fields an expert team of lobbyists on Capitol Hill and works with a grassroots network of tens of thousands of people across the country to advance policies and priorities established by our governing General Committee.
FCNL is composed of two distinct organizations: the Friends Committee on National Legislation, a lobbying organization; and the FCNL Education Fund, a charitable organization.
Learn more about where we’re headed in our 2024-2028 Strategic Plan: Towards the World We Seek!
Attribution
Matthew Martyr
FCNL Education Fund
The FCNL Education Fund, a 501 (c)3 nonprofit, promotes civic engagement through education and training to achieve a peaceful, just, and sustainable world.
Our Approach
FCNL’s multi-faceted approach draws on the expertise of registered lobbyists in Washington, D.C., the commitment and passion of people around the country in our advocacy network, and the relationships we cultivate with elected officials and community leaders.
We meet both policymakers and advocates where they are and seek opportunities to work together. We pursue legislative policies informed by our belief that there is that of God in every person and that all creation has worth and dignity.
Grounded by faith and morality, we combine a pragmatic and results-driven strategy with a clear-eyed, ambitious vision of the world we seek.
Statement on Anti-racism, Anti-bias, Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
As a Quaker organization, FCNL endeavors to embody the belief in the inherent dignity and equal worth of each person, and in each person’s unique access to the Divine.
Work with FCNL
Leadership and Staff
Our staff brings together expertise in professional and constituent lobbying with strong communications, fundraising, and operations support.
Our Programs
Young Adults
FCNL is building power among the present and future leaders of movements for peace and justice: young adults. Through our Advocacy Corps, Young Fellow program, internships, and more we provide the training and resources needed to affect big, long-term change.
Advocacy Teams
Our Advocacy Teams network is made up of more than 1,500 Quakers and friends from across the country. They are using their power as constituents to make change in Washington, D.C. by building relationships with Congress grounded in mutual respect and listening.
Indigenous Land Acknowledgement
As we bear witness and lobby in solidarity with Native Americans, we specifically honor the Nacotchtank people, who were decimated as a result of European colonization. Also known as the Anacostans, they lived along the banks of the Anacostia River and in several villages in and around Capitol Hill. By the 1700s, the Nacotchtank had merged with other peoples, including the Pamunkey and Piscataway, who still exist today. The buildings of FCNL, FCNL Education Fund, and Friends Place on Capitol Hill stand on their ancestral land.