Donors Trust
 | It has been suggested that Donors Capital Fund be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since January 2015. |
| Formation | 1999 |
|---|---|
| Type | Nonprofit (501(c)(3) |
| 52-2166327 | |
| Location |
|
| Coordinates | 38°48′20″N 77°03′37″W / 38.8056°N 77.0603°W |
| Services | Donor advised fund |
President | Whitney Ball |
| Kimberly Dennis, James Piereson, Thomas Beach, William J. Hume, Jeffrey Zysik[1] | |
| Affiliations | Donors Capital Fund |
Revenue (2012) | $58,728,084[2] |
| Expenses (2012) | $43,106,986[2] |
| Website | www |
DonorsTrust is a 501(c)(3) donor advised fund based in Virginia.[3] According to DonorsTrust, the organization was founded "to ensure the intent of donors who are dedicated to the ideals of limited government, personal responsibility, and free enterprise."[4] As a donor advised fund, DonorsTrust can offer anonymity to donors who do not wish to make their donations publicly.[5][6][7] It is affiliated with Donors Capital Fund.
History
DonorsTrust was established in 1999 by a small group of donors and nonprofit executives with the common goal of “promoting our free society as understood in America’s founding documents.”[3][8] It relies on donors from charitable foundations and independent individuals and has provided funds to numerous projects, including the Franklin Center.[9] The organization assures donors that their donated funds will never be used to support liberal causes.[6] Since 1999, it has distributed nearly $400 million from private donors to a variety of nonprofits and charities, including conservative and libertarian causes.[10]
In February 2013, Suzanne Goldenberg, environmental correspondent for The Guardian, reported that between 2002 and 2010, DonorsTrust had distributed nearly $120 million dollars to groups "casting doubt about the science behind climate change."[6]
The State Policy Network, a national network of conservative and libertarian think tanks focused on state-level policy, was a major recipient of grant funding from the DonorsTrust, receiving $10 million between 2008 and 2013. The approximately $2 million from DonorsTrust accounted for about 40% of the State Policy Network’s 2011 annual revenue. The State Policy Network’s affiliates at the state level also received grants from DonorsTrust between 2008 and 2013.[11][12][13][14]
Board of directors
The organization's board of directors includes:[1]
- Whitney L. Ball, President & CEO of DonorsTrust
- Kimberly O. Dennis, Chairman; President of the Searle Freedom Trust.
- James Piereson, Vice Chairman; President of the William E. Simon Foundation.
- William J. Hume, Chairman of the Board of Basic American Foods.
- Jeffrey C. Zysik, Secretary-Treasurer; Chief Financial Officer & Chief of Information Technology of DonorsTrust.
References
- ^ a b "DonorsTrust Officers & Directors". DonorsTrust. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
- ^ a b "2012 IRS Form 990" (PDF). GuideStar. IRS. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
- ^ a b Abowd, Paul (February 14, 2013). "Donors use charity to push free-market policies in states". Center for Public Integrity. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
- ^ "Mission & Principles". DonorsTrust. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
- ^ Walter Hickley (February 12, 2013). "Inside The Secretive Dark-Money Organization That's Keeping The Lights On For Conservative Groups". Business Insider. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
- ^ a b c Goldenberg, Suzanne (February 14, 2013). "Secret funding helped build vast network of climate denial thinktanks". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
- ^ "The future of donor-advised funds" (PDF). Philanthropy Roundtable. September 2005. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
- ^ Zeiser, Bill (September 4, 2014). "Dark Money". National Review. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
- ^ Suzanne Goldenberg (February 15, 2013). "Media campaign against windfarms funded by anonymous conservatives". The Guardian. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ^ Connor, Steve (January 24, 2013). "Exclusive: Billionaires secretly fund attacks on climate science". The Independent. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
- ^ Abowd, Paul (February 14, 2013). "Donors use charity to push free-market policies in states; Nonprofit group lets donors fly 'totally under the radar'". Center for Public Integrity. Retrieved 2015-02-10.
- ^ Abowd, Paul (February 14, 2013). "Koch-funded charity passes money to free-market think tanks in states". NBC News. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
- ^ Kopan, Tal (November 13, 2013). "Report: Think tanks tied to Kochs". Politico.
- ^ Palmer, Roxanne (January 25, 2013). "Koch Family Uses Fund To Channel Millions To Anti-Climate Science Groups: Report". International Business Times. Retrieved February 16, 2015.