Conservative Philanthropy Funders

CONSERVATIVE FUNDERS

Allegheny Foundation

Please see the Scaife Foundations page for more information on the Allegheny Foundation and Richard Mellon Scaife.

The Ave Maria Foundation is the tax-exempt funding vehicle of Tom Monaghan, the Dominos Pizza magnate who is one of the most influential members of the Catholic Right. An advocate of laissiez-faire economics as well as an ultra-orthodox brand of faith, he has advanced those twin agendas by both his actions and his financial muscle.

The Ave Maria Foundation reported net assets of $153 million in 2004. That same year it made over $91 million in grants, more than double the previous year's giving of $41.9 million. In 2004 the AMF gave $73 million in start-up costs and construction for its new Ave Maria University in Florida.

Barre Seid Foundation

Bill and Berniece Grewcock Foundation

Brady Education Foundation, Inc.

Changed its name from the "W.H. Brady Foundation" in 2003.

Castle Rock Foundation

In 1975, the Adolph Coors Foundation was created as a private family foundation and initially was supported financially by the Adolph Coors Jr. Trust. In 1993, the Castle Rock Foundation was created from the [Adolph Coors Foundation's] unrestricted funds, receiving a $36,596,253 endowment. Now, the Adolph Coors Foundation focuses almost exclusively on projects and organizations within Colorado, while the Castle Rock Foundation provides grants to public policy and other organizations nationwide.

Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation

David and Charles Koch, sons of the ultraconservative founder of Koch Industries, Fred Koch, direct the three Koch family foundations: the Charles G. Koch Foundation, the David H. Koch Charitable Foundation, and the Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation. David and Charles control Koch Industries, the second-largest privately owned company and the largest privately owned energy company in the nation; they have a combined net worth of approximately $4 billion, placing them among the top 50 wealthiest individuals in the country and among the top 100 wealthiest individuals in the world in 2003, according to Forbes.

Following in the footsteps of their father, a member of the John Birch Society, the Kochs clearly have a conservative bent. Charles Koch founded the Cato Institute, and David Koch co-founded Citizens for a Sound Economy (CSE) [now FreedomWorks], where he serves as chairman of the board of directors. David also serves on the board of the Cato Institute. The Koch foundations make substantial annual contributions to these organizations (more than $12 million to each between 1985 and 2002) as well as to other influential conservative think tanks, advocacy groups, media organizations, academic institutes and legal organizations, thus participating in every level of the policy process.

Charlotte and Walter Kohler Charitable Trust

Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation

For information on the Claude Lambe Charitable Foundation, along with the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation and the David H. Koch Charitable Foundation see the Koch Foundations page

David H. Koch Charitable Foundation

For information on the David H. Koch Charitable Foundation, along with the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation and the Claude Lambe Charitable Foundation see the Koch Foundations Page

Dick and Betsy Devos Foundation

One of the DeVos Family Foundations.

Earhart Foundation

F.M. Kirby Foundation

Gilder Foundation

Gordon and Mary Cain Foundation

Hickory Foundation

Jaquelin Hume Foundation

JM Foundation

John M. Olin Foundation, Inc.

[Editor's note: The John M .Olin Foundation will be closing its doors in November 2005.]

The New York-based John M. Olin Foundation, which grew out of a family manufacturing business (chemical and munitions), funds right-wing think tanks like the American Enterprise Institute, the Heritage Foundation, the Manhattan Institute for Public Policy Research, and the Hoover Institute of War, Revolution and Peace. It also gives large sums of money to promote conservative programs in the country's most prestigious colleges and universities. After Michael Joyce left to take charge of the Bradley Foundation, William Simon continued as president at Olin...(Editor's note: William Simon passed away in 2000).

John Templeton Foundation

Orville D. and Ruth A. Merillat Foundation

Philip M. McKenna Foundation, Inc.

Randolph Foundation

In 2003 a confusing deal, described in The Randolph Foundation's 2003 IRS 990, was made by The Randolph Foundation and The Smith Richardson Foundation (SRF). The deal created a new The Randolph Foundation with a new EIN (47-0892971), transferred all of the old The Randolph Foundation's assets - $49 million - to the new entity, renamed the old The Randolph Foundation to the H. Smith Richardson Charitable Trust (HSRCT), and transferred $48 million from the Smith Richardson Foundation to HSRCT (essentially replacing the money given to the new The Randolph Foundation). The agreement setup a deal whereby the HSRCT gave money to the Smith Richardson Foundation each year that the SRF would then disburse - and which would report the grants in its IRS 990. For that reason we will not be including HSRCT grants in our database.

Questions about the curious arrangement were not answered by people either at the new HSRCT or the Smith Richardson Foundation. For example, why would the SRF give $48 million to HSRCT, only to have HSRCT give it back to SRF, year by year, to dispurse as SRF sees fit?

Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation

The Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation, incorporated in 1970, ranked ninth in total assets ($97,049,407) among the top 20 conservative foundations studied and third in total grants ($26,574,754) in 2001. The foundation's grantmaking has grown dramatically in the past decade, from only $4 million in 1990 to more than $25 million in 2001. The foundation is the oldest and wealthiest of the DeVos family foundations, which also include the Dick and Betsy DeVos Foundation (1990), the Daniel and Pamela DeVos Foundation (1992), and the Douglas and Maria DeVos Foundation (1992). Richard DeVos is co-founder of Amway Corporation and owner of the Orlando Magic (2004), and served as the finance chairman of the Republican National Committee.

Rodney Fund

Roe Foundation

Ruth and Lovett Peters Foundation

Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation

Though the Noble Foundation gave away more than $63 million in 2005, it only paid $6.8 million in actual grants. Most of its money is given to three operating divisions involved in plant and agricultural research. In 2005 its Agricultural Division spent $14.6 million; the Forage Improvement Division spent $16.3 million, and the Plant Biology Division spent $23 million.

Sarah Scaife Foundation

Financed by the Mellon industrial, oil and banking fortune. At one time its largest single holding was stock in the Gulf Oil Corporation. Became active in funding conservative causes in 1973, when Richard Mellon Scaife became chairman of the foundation. In the 1960s, Richard had inherited an estimated $200 million from his mother, Sarah. Forbes magazine has estimated his personal net worth at $800 million, making him the 138th richest person in the U.S. He controls the Scaife, Carthage and Allegheny foundations. In 1993, Scaife and Carthage reportedly gave more than $17.6 million to 150 conservative think tanks. As of December 31, 1992, Scaife assets were $212,232,888 and Carthage assets were $11,937,862.

Scaife Family Foundation

Please see the Scaife Foundations page for more information on the Allegheny Foundation and Richard Mellon Scaife.

Note: The Scaife Family Foundation seems to have broken off from Richard Mellon Scaife's control. It moved to Palm Beach, and is no longer listed at the Scaife Foundations' website.

Shelby Cullom Davis Foundation

Smith Richardson Foundation

Financed by the Vicks Vaporub fortune, this foundation is estimated to have assets of about $250 million. Became active in supporting conservative caues in 1973 when R. Randolph Richardson became president. Funded the early "supply-side" books of Jude Wanniski and George Gilder. The Richardsons are estimated by Forbes to have a net worth of $870 million, making them one of the country's richest families.

The Carthage Foundation