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==Ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council==
The Commonwealth Foundation has ties to the [[American Legislative Exchange Council]] through its membership in various ALEC "task forces." Director of Policy Analysis for Commonwealth, Nathan Benefield, is a member of the [[Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force]].<ref>American Legislative Exchange Council, Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force meeting agenda and materials, June 30, 2011, on file with CMD</ref> Senior Fellow, Rick Dreyfuss, is a member of the [[Health and Human Services Task Force]] and policy analyst, Elizabeth Stelle, is a member of the [[Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force]].<ref>American Legislative Exchange Council, Health and Human Services Task Force meeting agenda and materials, June 30, 2011, on file with CMD</ref><ref>American Legislative Exchange Council, Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force meeting agenda and materials, June 30, 2011, on file with CMD</ref> SPN, of which Commonwealth is a member, is also an ALEC member and has strong historical ties to ALEC. Please see [[SPN Ties to ALEC]] for more.
{{about_ALEC}}
==Core Financials==
'''<big>2011</big>'''<ref>Commonwealth Foundation, [http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2011/232/473/2011-232473845-089579f2-9.pdf IRS Form 990, 2011], organizational tax filing, July 9, 2012.</ref>
* Total Revenue: $1,951,566
* Total Expenses: $1,671,566
* Net Assets: $709,983
'''<big>2010</big>'''<ref>Commonwealth Foundation, IRS form 990, 2010. [http://www.guidestar.org/ GuideStar].</ref>:
*Total Revenue: $1,369,386.00
*Total Expenses: $1,247,489.00
*Net Assets: $429,983.00
'''<big>2009</big>'''<ref>Commonwealth Foundation, IRS form 990, 2009. [http://www.guidestar.org/ GuideStar].</ref>:
*Total Revenue: $1,032,887.00
*Total Expenses: $1,125,595.00
*Net Assets: $308,086.00
update lede & ALEC ties & add SPN template
{{#badges:SPN|AEX}}The '''Commonwealth Foundationfor Public Policy Alternatives''' is a right-wing pressure group based in Pennsylvania based free-market that calls itself a "[[think tank]]. " Commonwealth says that it "crafts free-market policies, convinces Pennsylvanians of their benefits, and counters attacks on liberty."<ref>Commonwealth Foundation. , [http://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/about/ "Mission & Values"] , organizational website, accessed December 2012.</ref> The Commonwealth Foundation is a member of the [[State Policy Network]] (SPN).An August 2013 ALEC board document obtained by ''The Guardian'' lists Commonwealth as a "former SPN member,"<ref name="ALECboard">American Legislative Exchange Council, [https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.documentcloud.org/documents/841593/alec-docs.pdf ALEC 40th Anniversary Annual Meeting Board Meeting packet], organizational documents, August 6, 2013, released by ''The Guardian'' December 3, 2013.</ref> but the SPN website still lists Commonwealth as a full member as of December 2013,<ref>State Policy Network, [http://www.spn.org/directory/stid.46/organizations.asp Directory: Pennsylvania], organizational website, accessed December 2013.</ref> and a July 2013 Commonwealth fundraising proposal to [[Searle Freedom Trust]] was included in a packet of SPN proposals in August 2013.<ref>State Policy Network, [https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/842271-spn-budget-proposals-state-by-state.html Searle Tax and Budget Grant Proposals], organizational fundraising proposal packet, July 29, 2013, obtained and released by ''The Guardian'' December 5, 2013.</ref>
{{About_SPN}}
==Ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council==
The Commonwealth Foundation has ties to the [[American Legislative Exchange Council]] through its membership in various ALEC "task forces." Director of Policy Analysis for Commonwealth, Nathan Benefield, is a member of the [[Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force]].<ref>American Legislative Exchange Council, Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force meeting agenda and materials, June 30, 2011, on file with CMD</ref> Senior Fellow, Rick Dreyfuss, is a member of the [[Health and Human Services Task Force]] and policy analyst, Elizabeth Stelle, is a member of the [[Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force]].<ref>American Legislative Exchange Council, Health and Human Services Task Force meeting agenda and materials, June 30, 2011, on file with CMD</ref><ref>American Legislative Exchange Council, Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force meeting agenda and materials, June 30, 2011, on file with CMD</ref> SPN, of which Commonwealth is a member, is also an ALEC member and has strong historical ties to ALEC -- several historical documents even indicate that ALEC founded SPN.<ref>Rebekah Wilce, [http://www.prwatch.org/news/2013/12/12339/did-alec-found-spn-1991-report-suggests-so-exposes-spn-agenda Did ALEC Found SPN? 1991 Report Suggests So, Exposes SPN Agenda], ''PRWatch'', December 12, 2013.</ref> According to an August 2013 ALEC board document obtained by ''The Guardian'', Commonwealth terminated its ALEC membership on March 9, 2013 because, according to an ALEC note, it was considered a "former SPN member... - would like to join again if can fit in budget."<ref name="ALECboard"/>
'''Please see [[SPN Ties to ALEC]] for more.'''
{{about_ALEC}}
==Ties to the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity==
The Franklin Center was launched by the Chicago-based [[Sam Adams Alliance]] (SAM),<ref>Sam Adams Alliance. [http://www.samadamsalliance.org/media/5148/sam_adams_alliance_media_kit.pdf Sam Adams Alliance Media Kit]. Organizational PDF. Accessed August 19, 2011.</ref> a 501(c)(3) devoted to pushing free-market ideals. SAM gets funding from the [[State Policy Network]],<ref>Media Matters Action Network. [http://mediamattersaction.org/transparency/organization/Sam_Adams_Alliance/funders Sam Adams Alliance]. Conservative Transparency. Accessed August 19, 2011.</ref> which is partially funded by The Claude R. Lambe Foundation.<ref>Media Matters Action Network. [http://mediamattersaction.org/transparency/organization/State_Policy_Network/funders State Policy Network]. Conservative Transparency. Accessed August 19, 2011.</ref> [[Charles Koch]], one of the billionaire brothers who co-own Koch Industries, sits on the board of this foundation.<ref>Media Matters Action Network. [http://mediamattersaction.org/transparency/organization/Claude_R_Lambe_Charitable_Foundation Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation]. Conservative Transparency. Accessed August 19, 2011.</ref> SAM also receives funding from the [[Rodney Fund]].
==Lobbying Activities==
*The Carthage Foundation -$10,000.00 (1995)
*The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation -$187,000.00 (1990-2009)<ref name="CF"/>
==Core Financials==
'''<big>2011</big>'''<ref>Commonwealth Foundation, [http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2011/232/473/2011-232473845-089579f2-9.pdf IRS Form 990, 2011], organizational tax filing, July 9, 2012.</ref>
* Total Revenue: $1,951,566
* Total Expenses: $1,671,566
* Net Assets: $709,983
'''<big>2010</big>'''<ref>Commonwealth Foundation, IRS form 990, 2010. [http://www.guidestar.org/ GuideStar].</ref>:
*Total Revenue: $1,369,386.00
*Total Expenses: $1,247,489.00
*Net Assets: $429,983.00
'''<big>2009</big>'''<ref>Commonwealth Foundation, IRS form 990, 2009. [http://www.guidestar.org/ GuideStar].</ref>:
*Total Revenue: $1,032,887.00
*Total Expenses: $1,125,595.00
*Net Assets: $308,086.00
==Personnel==
*Hon. William W. Scranton III
*Hon. Patrick J. Toomey
==Contact Information==
