SPN Members

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SPN Members:

This article is a breakout from the main article on the State Policy Network (SPN).

SPN is a web of right-wing “think tanks” and tax-exempt organizations in 48 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom. As of June 2024, SPN's membership totals 167. Today's SPN is the tip of the spear of far-right, nationally funded policy agenda in the states that undergirds extremists in the Republican Party. SPN Executive Director Tracie Sharp told the Wall Street Journal in 2017 that the revenue of the combined groups was some $80 million, but a 2022 analysis of SPN's main members IRS filings by the Center for Media and Democracy shows that the combined revenue is over $152 million.[1] Although SPN's member organizations claim to be nonpartisan and independent, the Center for Media and Democracy's in-depth investigation, "EXPOSED: The State Policy Network -- The Powerful Right-Wing Network Helping to Hijack State Politics and Government," reveals that SPN and its member think tanks are major drivers of the right-wing, American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)-backed corporate agenda in state houses nationwide, with deep ties to the Koch brothers and the national right-wing network of funders.[2]

In response to CMD's report, SPN Executive Director Tracie Sharp told national and statehouse reporters that SPN affiliates are "fiercely independent." Later the same week, however, The New Yorker's Jane Mayer caught Sharp in a contradiction. In her article, "Is IKEA the New Model for the Conservative Movement?," the Pulitzer-nominated reporter revealed that, in a recent meeting behind closed doors with the heads of SPN affiliates around the country, Sharp "compared the organization’s model to that of the giant global chain IKEA." She reportedly said that SPN "would provide 'the raw materials,' along with the 'services' needed to assemble the products. Rather than acting like passive customers who buy finished products, she wanted each state group to show the enterprise and creativity needed to assemble the parts in their home states. 'Pick what you need,' she said, 'and customize it for what works best for you.'" Not only that, but Sharp "also acknowledged privately to the members that the organization's often anonymous donors frequently shape the agenda. 'The grants are driven by donor intent,' she told the gathered think-tank heads. She added that, often, 'the donors have a very specific idea of what they want to happen.'"[3]

A set of coordinated fundraising proposals obtained and released by The Guardian in early December 2013 confirm many of these SPN members' intent to change state laws and policies, referring to "advancing model legislation" and "candidate briefings." These activities "arguably cross the line into lobbying," The Guardian notes.[4]

Please see State Policy Network for more.

There are 62 "Affiliate Members" and 105 "Associate Members" in SPN as of June 2024.[5] Below are lists of SPN member state think tanks, associate members, and former members. In the past, SPN had a list of other organizations listed in its directory, but it no longer displays this on its website.

The SPN website states, "Membership in State Policy Network is voluntary and by invitation-only."[6] There are regular members and associate members.

Affiliate Members: "A regular member operates as a full-service think tank, addressing a variety of relevant policy issues, not just a single-issue. They will operate independently with their state, and not as part of a state chapter, franchise, other effort of a separate organization. Their primary goal is to provide educational materials to the citizenry, public officials, and members of the media with a state-based focus. They refuse to accept or solicit government funding, and are IRS approved 501(c)(3)s."[6]

Associate Members: "Like regular members, associate members are organizations that display a commitment to a market-oriented foundational public policy. They are also IRS approved 501(c)(3) organizations primarily focused on education and operate independently of all government funding. However, unlike regular members, SPN Associate Members can be national in scope and are not necessarily oriented towards a single state."[6]

"Affiliate Members"

"Affiliate Members" include, as of June 2024:[5]

Alabama
Alabama Policy Institute
http://www.alabamapolicy.org
205-870-9900

Alaska
Alaska Policy Forum
http://www.alaskapolicyforum.org
907-334-5853

Arizona
Goldwater Institute
http://www.goldwaterinstitute.org
602-462-5000

Arkansas
Opportunity Arkansas
https://www.opportunityarkansas.org/
501-500-1075

Arkansas Policy Foundation
http://www.arkansaspolicyfoundation.org
501-537-0825

California
California Policy Center
http://californiapolicycenter.org
714-573-2201

Pacific Research Institute
http://www.pacificresearch.org
415-989-0833

Colorado
Independence Institute
http://www.i2i.org
303-279-6536

Connecticut
Yankee Institute for Public Policy
http://www.yankeeinstitute.org
860-282-0722

Delaware
Caesar Rodney Institute
http://www.caesarrodney.org
302-273-0080

Florida
Foundation for Government Accountability
https://thefga.org
239-244-8808

James Madison Institute
http://www.jamesmadison.org
866-340-3131

Georgia
Georgia Public Policy Foundation
http://www.georgiapolicy.org
404-256-4050

Georgia Center for Opportunity (formerly Georgia Family Council)
http://www.GeorgiaOpportunity.org
770-242-0001

Hawaii
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
http://new.grassrootinstitute.org
808-591-9193

Idaho
Idaho Freedom Foundation
http://idahofreedom.org
208-258-2280

Mountain States Policy Center
https://www.mountainstatespolicy.org/
208-295-9525

Illinois
Illinois Policy Institute
https://www.illinoispolicy.org
312-346-5700

Indiana
Indiana Policy Review Foundation
http://www.inpolicy.org
260-417-4094

Iowa
Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation
https://itrfoundation.org
563-264-8080

Kansas
Kansas Policy Institute (formerly the Flint Hills Center for Public Policy)
http://www.kansaspolicy.org
316-634-0218

Kentucky
Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions
http://www.bipps.org
270-782-2140

Louisiana
Pelican Institute for Public Policy
pelicaninstitute.org
504-267-9404

Maine
Maine Policy Institute
http://www.mainepolicy.org
207-321-2550

Massachusetts
Pioneer Institute
http://www.pioneerinstitute.org
617-723-2277

Michigan
Mackinac Center for Public Policy
http://www.mackinac.org
989-631-0900

Minnesota
Center of the American Experiment
http://www.americanexperiment.org
612-338-3605

Freedom Foundation of Minnesota
http://freedomfoundation.publishpath.com
612-354-2160

Mississippi
Empower Mississippi
http://empowerms.org
601-980-1897

Mississippi Center for Public Policy
http://www.mspolicy.org
601-969-1300

Missouri
Show-Me Institute
http://www.showmeinstitute.org
314-454-0647

Montana
Frontier Institute
https://frontierinstitute.org

Nebraska
Platte Institute for Economic Research
http://www.platteinstitute.org
402-452-3737

Nevada
Nevada Policy Research Institute
http://www.npri.org
702-222-0642

New Hampshire
Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy
http://www.jbartlett.org
603-224-4450

New Jersey
Garden State Initiative
http://gardenstateinitiative.org/
908-400-9688

New Mexico
Rio Grande Foundation
http://www.riograndefoundation.org
505-264-6090

New York
Empire Center for Public Policy
http://www.empirecenter.org
518-434-3100

North Carolina
John Locke Foundation
http://www.johnlocke.org
919-828-3876

North Dakota
Roughrider Policy Center
https://www.roughriderpolicy.org
701-354-3934

Ohio
The Buckeye Institute
http://www.BuckeyeInstitute.org
614-224-4422

Oklahoma
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
http://www.ocpathink.org
405-602-1667

Oregon
Cascade Policy Institute
http://www.CascadePolicy.org
503-242-0900

Pennsylvania
Commonwealth Foundation
http://www.commonwealthfoundation.org
717-671-1901

Rhode Island
Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity
http://www.rifreedom.org
401-429-6115

South Carolina
Palmetto Promise Institute
https://palmettopromise.org
803-708-0673

South Carolina Policy Council
http://scpolicycouncil.org
803-779-5022

South Dakota
Great Plains Public Policy Institute
greatplainsppi.org
605-334-9400

Tennessee
Beacon Center of Tennessee
http://www.beacontn.org
615-383-6431

Texas
Texas Public Policy Foundation
http://www.texaspolicy.com
512-472-2700

Utah
Libertas Institute
http://libertasutah.org
801-901-0310

Sutherland Institute
http://www.sutherlandinstitute.org
801-355-1272

Virginia
Thomas Jefferson Institute
http://www.thomasjeffersoninst.org
703-440-9447

Virginia Institute for Public Policy
http://www.virginiainstitute.org
540-245-1776

Washington
Freedom Foundation
http://www.freedomfoundation.com
360-956-3482

Washington Policy Center
http://www.washingtonpolicy.org
360-705-6543

West Virginia
Cardinal Institute
http://www.cardinalinstitute.com
304-561-7634

Wisconsin
Badger Institute
http://www.badgerinstitute.org
414-225-9940

Institute for Reforming Government
https://www.reforminggovernment.org
608-441-5007

MacIver Institute for Public Policy
http://www.maciverinstitute.com
608-237-7290

Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty
http://www.will-law.org
414-727-9455

Wyoming
Wyoming Liberty Group
http://www.wyliberty.org
307-632-7020[7]

"Associate Members"

"Associate Members" include, as of June 2024:[5]

Former Members



Other organizations in its directory

As of August 2016, SPN no longer maintains a directory of other organizations on its website.

Contact Information

State Policy Network
1655 N. Fort Myer St., Suite 360
Arlington, VA 22209
Phone: (703) 243-1655
Fax: (703) 740-0314
Email: info@spn.org
Web: http://www.spn.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StatePolicy
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StatePolicy

References

  1. ↑ David Armiak, State Policy Network and Affiliates Raises $152 Million Annually to Push Right-Wing Policies, ExposedbyCMD, September 30, 2022.
  2. ↑ Rebekah Wilce, Center for Media and Democracy, EXPOSED: The State Policy Network -- The Powerful Right-Wing Network Helping to Hijack State Politics and Government, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
  3. ↑ Jane Mayer, Is IKEA the New Model for the Conservative Movement?, The New Yorker, November 15, 2013.
  4. ↑ Ed Pilkington and Suzanne Goldenberg, State conservative groups plan US-wide assault on education, health and tax, The Guardian, December 5, 2013.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 State Policy Network, Directory, organizational website, accessed June 2024.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 State Policy Network, SPN Membership Information, organizational site, accessed August 2011
  7. ↑ State Policy Network, Directory, organizational member directory, accessed August, 2016
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