The foundation was founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1905 and chartered in 1906 by an act of the United States Congress under the leadership of its first president, Henry Pritchett. The foundation credits Pritchett with broadening their mission to include work in education policy and standards. John W. Gardner became president in 1955 while also serving as president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York. He was followed by Alan Pifer whose most notable accomplishment was the 1967 establishment of a task force with Clark Kerr at its helm.