America is built on an idea.
For 250 years, that idea has endured because of one core principle:
Power comes from the people, not a king, emperor, sovereign or divine authority.
As the nation marks its 250th anniversary, that principle is being tested. The Freedom From Religion Foundation is working to ensure our secular Constitution continues to protect everyone — now and in the future.
What is FFRF?
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit working effectively since 1978 to protect the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. FFRF also serves as the largest association of freethinkers (atheists, agnostics, humanists) in North America with more than 40,000 current members.
We:
- Challenge government overreach in the courts
- Protest the mixing of government and religion
- Educate the public about secular values
- Advocate for policies that protect freedom of conscience
Because true religious freedom necessarily must include the right to believe or not believe.
The foundation of American freedom
The United States was shaped not by religious scripture but by Enlightenment ideals: reason, liberty and freedom of conscience.
Those ideas established a secular system of government designed to protect individual rights:
- No religious test for public office
- No established religion
- Protection for belief and nonbelief
These principles have guided American freedom for 250 years.
Freedom, expanded over time
From the beginning, the Constitution created a framework for expanding rights.
Over generations, that framework has made it possible to extend freedom more broadly to:
- Civil rights
- Women’s rights
- LGBTQ+ rights
- Religious freedom for all
Each generation has helped carry these principles forward.
But that progress depends on maintaining the foundation it stands on.
What’s at stake right now
Across the country, efforts are growing to blur the line between religion and government:
- Laws that favor and promote specific religious beliefs
- Public funding for religious programs
- Pressure to bring religion into public schools
- Misinformation about America’s founding principles
When the government takes sides on religion, freedom is at risk.
The principles that have sustained American freedom require active protection.
This is where you come in.
How do you want to take part?
You can help protect the principles that define American freedom.
Understand what’s at stake
Explore how secular government protects freedom and why it matters now more than ever.
Take action
Use your voice to push back against religious overreach and protect constitutional rights. When you become aware of an entanglement of religion and government, complain — and report it to FFRF.
Power the work
Become part of the solution — join FFRF. Your dues support legal challenges, advocacy and public education that keep government secular and protect your rights as a nonbeliever.
How FFRF protects constitutional freedom
FFRF’s staff of attorneys and activists is on the front lines defending secular government through:
- Legal action to stop constitutional violations
- Advocacy and public education
- National campaigns to raise awareness
- Grassroots mobilization
Hundreds of legal victories a year. Tens of thousands of members. One mission.
Why secular government matters
A secular government protects the rights of all people, regardless of belief — or nonbelief.
It ensures:
- Freedom of conscience
- Equal treatment under the law
- A government accountable to people, not someone else’s religion
That’s what has sustained American freedom and what must continue.
Be part of the next 250 years of freedom
America’s future isn’t decided by history.
It’s decided by people who show up.
Help us defend freedom while it still can be protected.
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