 The Forum and the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame formed a partnership to create the Sanctions and Security Research Program that played a key role internationally by recommending the shift from general trade sanctions that can harm civilian populations to the use of more targeted measures (also called smart sanctions).Today smart sanctions are employed with increasing frequency and sophistication by the U.S. as well as by the UN, the European Union, and the African Union

The Forum has also consistently focused on protecting national security without the use of weapons of mass destruction.The Forum collaborates with senior military officers and other experts to stimulate discussions in local communities across the country and have engaged community leaders, policy experts, and ecumenical groups to encourage the U.S. and other governments to reduce reliance on nuclear weapons.