The Foundation honors James Madison, fourth president of the United States and generally acknowledged father of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The goal of the James Madison Fellowship is to help secondary level history, government, and social studies teachers to become outstanding educators of the Constitution. The James Madison Fellowship is the leading award for secondary level teachers undertaking study of the Constitution. The Foundation takes pride in over 1000 teachers who have become constitutional scholars through their participation in the James Madison Fellowship Program. The James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation was established by Congress in 1986 for the purpose of improving teaching about the United States Constitution in secondary schools. The Foundation is an independent agency of the Executive Branch of the federal government. Funding for the Foundation's programs comes from Congress and generous contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporations. The Foundation has a Board of Trustees and its daily operations are directed by a president and a small staff. The Foundation's office is located in Washington, D.C.