Encounter for Culture and Education

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Encounter for Culture and Education, Inc. (ECE) describes itself as "a tax exempt, non profit corporation". One of its main activities is as a publisher of conservative books by way of its Encounter Books. NB: this group has no website. It is simply a shell company to enable accounting and legal/tax benefits.

Ties to the Bradley Foundation

CMD's 2017 exposé on the Milwaukee-based Bradley Foundation[1] revealed that the foundation has given $19.47 million in grants to the media firm called Encounter for Culture and Education, which publishes and houses Encounter Books. Bradley helped found Encounter in 1998. From the exposé,

A report on Encounter Books in the Bradley documents from July 2015 by former Board Member and Bradley Prize recipient George Will details Bradley’s aim in investing millions in Encounter. The goal is "not only to provide an independent means to support books and authors whose work contributed to the educational mission of the Foundation," but also "to foster an institution whose energies could help promote the values of democratic capitalism, ordered liberty, and individual responsibility" (Report on Encounter Books, July 2015).
"Bradley has been the central force in enabling Encounter to become America’s premier publisher of serious conservative non-fiction," wrote Roger Kimball, current publisher of Encounter, in a letter to the Bradley Foundation in 2016.
[. . .]
Kimball is a strong partner in Bradley’s effort to advance a new, right-wing version of American history and culture. Between 1986 and 2015, Bradley has also given over $5.1 million to the Foundation for Cultural Review specifically to support The New Criterion edited and published by Kimball (FCR, Grant Proposal Record, 7/20/16). The New Criterion touts itself as a monthly review of arts and intellectual life “on the front lines of the battle for culture.”

Roger Kimball One of Three 2019 Bradley Prize Winners

In 2019, Encounter's president and publisher, Roger Kimball, was one of three recipients of that year's Bradley Prize.[2] In a related press release, Bradley Foundation CEO and President Rick Graber wrote, "Roger's commitment to advancing liberty and preserving democratic culture as an author, editor and publisher, is truly exceptional. The Bradley Foundation is proud to honor him fro his remarkable contributions, which have informed important debate on art and intellectual life and have fostered the ideals of a free society."[3]

Bradley Files

In 2017, the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD), publishers of SourceWatch, launched a series of articles on the Milwaukee-based Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, exposing the inner-workings of one of America's largest right-wing foundations. 56,000 previously undisclosed documents laid bare the Bradley Foundation's highly politicized agenda. CMD detailed Bradley's efforts to map and measure right wing infrastructure nationwide, including by dismantling and defunding unions to impact state elections; bankrolling discredited spin doctor Richard Berman and his many front groups; and more.

Find the series here at ExposedbyCMD.org.

Nonprofit status

Previously a 501(c)(3), starting in 2002 the group was classified as a private operating foundation and files a Form 990-PF.[1]

Its EIN is 39-1688129.[2]

Personnel

As of 2017:[4]

Board Members

Highest-Paid Non-Board Employees

  • Nola Tully, Operating Director
  • Sam Schneider, Marketing Director
  • Lauren Miklos, Director
  • Katherine Lok, Production Manager
  • Heather L. Kalischer, Production Director

Funding

According to IRS Form 990 filings between 2013 and 2017,[4][5][6][7][8] Encounter for Culture and Education's funders have included:

Media Transparency estimate that ECE has received 70 grants totalling $4.638 million between 1991 and 2002 from a handful of conservative foundations including the:

Source plus other groups involved.

Between 2001 and 2010, the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation donated $10.75 million dollars to Encounter for Culture and Education[9].

Articles and resources

Related SourceWatch

IRS Form 990 Filings

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

References

  1. ↑ David Armiak, "Bradley Foundation Funds Right Wing Media Machine", Exposed by CMD,May 31, 2017, accessed February 9, 2020.
  2. ↑ Bradley Foundation, [https://www.bradleyfdn.org/roger-kimball-2019-bradley-prize-winner 2019 Bradley Prize Winner], nonprofit website, accessed February 24, 2020.
  3. ↑ Bradley Foundation, Roger Kimball,Prominent Writer, Editor, and Publisher,Selected as a 2019 Bradley Prize Winner", press release, April 1, 2019, accessed February 24, 2020.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Encounter for Culture and Education, 2017 IRS Form 990, organizational tax filing, accessed March 18, 2020.
  5. ↑ Encounter for Culture and Education, 2016 IRS Form 990, organizational tax filing, accessed March 18, 2020.
  6. ↑ Encounter for Culture and Education, 2015 IRS Form 990, organizational tax filing, accessed March 18, 2020.
  7. ↑ Encounter for Culture and Education, 2014 IRS Form 990, organizational tax filing, accessed March 18, 2020.
  8. ↑ Encounter for Culture and Education, 2013 IRS Form 990, organizational tax filing, accessed March 18, 2020.
  9. ↑ Daniel Bice, Bill Glauber, Ben Poston. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. November 28, 2011.
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