The Bruce Jesson Foundation was established after Bruce Jesson’s death in 1999 to:

1. Promote activities designed to generate critical, informed, analytical and creative contributions to political debate in New Zealand and about New Zealand; and
2. Archive the writings, broadcasts, speeches and other works of Bruce Jesson.

The Foundation is governed by its Trust Board, and its main activities to date have been an annual Bruce Jesson Lecture, established in 2000, at the University of Auckland and two journalism awards, established in 2004 and 2009.