Institute For The Future

The future is now.

Political upheaval. Turbulent markets. Massive climate disruptions.
Today’s volatility means big challenges tomorrow.
Will the future find you or your organization empowered—or overpowered?

Over the past two weeks, a million people in California have been trying to go about their daily lives without electricity, breathing air filled with smoke, and wondering whether they will be able to remain in (or return to) their homes. We are coming to grips with the post-normal reality of infrastructure failures, population displacement, and ecosystems loss.

What we are seeing are the catastrophic results of short-termism, a preoccupation with the here and now at the expense of imagining and preparing for future possibilities.

This is why IFTF is re-dedicating itself to making futures thinking a massively public endeavor and we need your support. The future is now, and everyone should have the agency and urgency to reclaim foresight to build a better future.

To fulfill this vision of inclusive futures, we are doing several things: our Ready, Set, Future! Introduction to Futures Thinking is now available on Coursera; we are scaling our IFTF Foresight Essentials trainings by taking them global; we have launched the IFTF Vantage partnership, based on the essential principle that to be a good futurist you need to be a part of a community of people who bring diverse perspectives to understanding and imagining possible futures. These new efforts are aimed at cultivating essential new skill sets and visionary mindsets to unleash transformative possibilities and help individuals and organizations develop the foresight capacity to become truly world-ready.

And this is just the beginning. We are eager to do more. I hope you'll join us in making futures thinking a way of life for everyone by joining us and supporting one or more of these initiatives today.

—Marina Gorbis, IFTF Executive Director

How to support IFTF:

• Join IFTF Vantage—a network of exceptional organizations, turning the extreme turbulence of today into extraordinary possibilities for decades to come. If you're not yet an IFTF Vantage Partner and want to learn about our 2020 research agenda, contact Sean Ness for more information.

• Help expand our network—sign up for IFTF Foresight Essentials courses and bring colleagues/peers in other organizations to our trainings, events, and programs.

• Donate today—as a nonprofit 501(c)(3), help us to support and elevate all of the work we do in the public's interest.