RIGHT BIAS
These media sources are moderately to strongly biased toward conservative causes through story selection and/or political affiliation. They may utilize strong loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by using appeal to emotion or stereotypes), publish misleading reports, and omit information that may damage conservative causes. Some sources in this category may be untrustworthy. See all Right Bias sources.
- Overall, we rate Forge Leadership Network as Right-Biased, functioning as a training arm for conservative Christian activism. Its online content is promotional and ideological rather than journalistic; however, due to limited sourcing and one-sided advocacy, it earns a Mixed factual rating.
Detailed Report
Bias Rating: RIGHT (6.4)
Factual Reporting: MIXED (5.1)
Country: USA
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rank: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Organization/Foundation
Traffic/Popularity: Minimal Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: MEDIUM CREDIBILITY
History
Forge Leadership Network, founded in 2015 by conservatives Adam Josefczyk and Justin Powell, is an Ohio-based 501(c)(3) that recruits and trains conservative college students and recent graduates to promote conservative principles. Through a five-day summer “Leadership Summit” at the Ohio Statehouse and a year-long Mentorship Academy in Washington, D.C., Forge teaches public-policy basics, campaign skills, media engagement, and “Judeo-Christian statesmanship.”
Read our profile on the United States media and government.
Funded by / Ownership
Forge Leadership Network is a nonprofit training organization funded almost entirely by private, conservative-leaning donations. According to its latest Form 990, posted by ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer, Forge Leadership Network raised approximately $1 million in 2023, with roughly 92 percent of the funds coming from private donations. Public filings and grant announcements show support from conservative philanthropy, including a $500,000 “Innovation Prize” from the Heritage Foundation.
Analysis / Bias
Everything on forgeleadership.org is advocacy, not news. Blog posts such as “The Political Mission Field: Riley’s Forge Story” and “Changing the World Is Not a Pipe Dream” promote alumni who run GOP campaigns and manage crisis pregnancy centers.
For example, in the piece “Forge Alumnus Leads Pregnancy Resource Center Ahead of Supreme Court’s Dobbs Decision,” Forge Leadership Network profiles alumnus Bryce Asberg, who became executive director of Helping Hands, a crisis pregnancy center in Hillsdale, Michigan. The piece celebrates his anti-abortion activism as a faith-driven mission, describing his work as “the mission that God has placed in front of us.” It portrays Asberg’s leadership as a product of his Forge training and emphasizes the influence of conservative Christian values instilled during the organization’s mentorship and Summit programs. The article also references Asberg’s connection with Alliance Defending Freedom. This editorial framing aligns with Forge’s broader pattern of promoting religiously motivated conservative activism. Although the site avoids incendiary rhetoric, it frames public policy through small-government, pro-life, and religious-liberty lenses; progressive viewpoints do not appear. Because the material is curricular and testimonial, not reported journalism, citations and source vetting are minimal.
Failed Fact-Checks
- None in the Last 5 years
Overall, we rate Forge Leadership Network as Right-Biased, functioning as a training arm for conservative Christian activism. Its online content is promotional and ideological rather than journalistic; however, due to limited sourcing and one-sided advocacy, it earns a Mixed factual rating. (M. Huitsing 08/06/2025)
Source: https://forgeleadership.org/
Last Updated on August 6, 2025 by Media Bias Fact Check
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Left vs. Right Bias: How we rate the bias of media sources