Conservative Foundations

While many of the leaders of the Right have amassed fortunes on their own, the lion's share of funding for the movement has come from conservative philanthropic foundations financed by a handful of the nation's wealthiest people. In July 1997, the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy completed an exhaustive report of twelve of the most active conservative foundations.

• Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation
• Carthage Foundation
• Earhart Foundation
• Charles G. Koch
• David H. Koch
• Claude R. Lambe
• Philip M. McKenna
• J.M. Foundation
• John M. Olin Foundation
• Henry Salvatori Foundation
• Sarah Scaife Foundation
• Smith Richardson Foundation

The results of the study revealed that in 1994, these foundations had assets of $1.1 billion and had given away $300 million from 1992 through 1994. Of that $300 million, $210 million was spent in support of conservative policy and institutional reform objectives.” Specifically, the $210 million was granted in the following manner:

• $88.9 million for conservative scholarships;
• $79.2 million to enhance a national infrastructure of think tanks and advocacy groups;
• $16.3 million for alternative media outlets and watchdog groups;
• $10.5 million for conservative pro-market law firms;
• $9.3 million for regional and state based think tanks and advocacy groups;
• $5.4 million to “organizations working to transform the nations social views and giving practices of the nation's religious and philanthropic leaders.”

In his presentation to the Philanthropy Roundtable's 1995 conference Richard Fink, president of the Charles G. Koch and Claude R. Lambe foundations, explained the conservative movement's goals in funding the Right. Fink said: “As grantmakers, we can and should play a role in accelerating the process of change by gauging the climate for an idea, judging its stage of development, and structuring our support accordingly.” The following chart illustrates the reality of Fink's statement.

Richard Scaife, a member of the Mellon banking and oil family, gave $100,000 to Governor Pete Wilson's political action committee supporting Prop 226. Scaife has been linked to the American Spectator Educational Foundation, affiliated with American Spectator magazine that published the initial accounts prompting the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit. Scaife also has been among the conservatives helping fund the Rutherford Institute, which is paying for Jones's sexual harassment lawsuit and appeal. It is estimated Scaife has contributed some $200 million to conservative groups. He controls both the Carthage and Sarah Scaife foundations.