▁through ▁activities ▁that ▁improve ▁the ▁ability ▁of ▁leaders ▁to ▁make ▁en light ened ▁dec isions ▁in ▁purs uit ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁and ▁global ▁interest . ▁The ▁work ▁has ▁four ▁central ▁them es : ▁ ▁Prov ide ▁decision ▁recommend ations ▁for ▁leaders ▁through ▁open ▁debate ▁and ▁rig orous ▁analysis , ▁by ▁conven ing ▁exper ts , ▁publishing ▁policy - re levant ▁research , ▁and ▁holding ▁decision - making ▁exer cis es ▁using ▁advanced ▁technology . ▁ ▁Ident ify ▁and ▁train ▁new ▁national ▁security ▁leaders , ▁both ▁American ▁and ▁foreign , ▁in ▁the ▁public , ▁private ▁enter prise , ▁and ▁military ▁spher es , ▁including ▁through ▁fellow ships ▁and ▁target ed ▁training . ▁ ▁Play ▁a ▁unique ▁role ▁in ▁a ▁crow ded ▁intellectual ▁space , ▁including ▁through ▁the ▁Sed ona ▁Forum ▁and ▁the ▁McC ain ▁Deb ates ▁and ▁by ▁serving ▁as ▁a ▁Washington ▁ ▁" dec ision ▁tank ". ▁ ▁Prom ote ▁and ▁preserve ▁the ▁McC ain ▁family ▁spirit ▁of ▁character - dri ven ▁leadership ▁and ▁national ▁service , ▁including ▁hosting ▁the ▁McC ain ▁family ▁arch ives . ▁ ▁Fund ing ▁Fund ing ▁of ▁the ▁inst itute ▁comes ▁from ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁individuals , ▁found ations , ▁and ▁corpor ations , ▁including ▁Wal - Mart ▁St ores , ▁Fed Ex , ▁Sa udi ▁Arab ia , ▁and ▁h edge ▁fund ▁owner ▁Paul ▁E . ▁S inger . ▁ ▁Some ▁of ▁the ▁fund ers ▁have ▁business ▁before ▁Congress , ▁but ▁McC ain ' s ▁representative ▁has ▁said ▁such ▁actions ▁would ▁not ▁affect ▁his ▁votes . ▁