The Architecture of Big Philanthropy
“We shape our buildings,” Winston Churchill said in 1943, “and afterwards they shape us.” Foundations are not government agencies, of course, but they are meant to serve the public. Although…
David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Environmentalists Deserve to Lose Their War on Natural Gas
Make no mistake, the same environmentalists who tried to dial coal and oil out of the economy are coming for natural gas next. “Green” fundamentalism won’t be satisfied until it’s…
Marie Stopes International and Abortion, Inc.
Britain’s second-largest abortion provider is practically unheard of in the United States, yet American foundations and their tax-exempt dollars are some of its biggest cash cows. This is Marie Stopes International (MSI),…
Who Are Arabella’s Big-Dollar Donors?
The “dark money” network created and run by Arabella Advisors is perhaps the most powerful and, until recently, the least-reported-on player in Washington politics. Tracing the Arabella network’s donors is…
David Packard and AEI’s “Near-Death Experience”
“Few of the histories of the conservative movement give pride of place to David Packard as a paladin of conservative philanthropy," according to a December case study from Johns Hopkins…
The Fate of Philanthropic Funding for Faded “Blue Ribbons”
Following the 2000 election—about which, recall, there had been more than a little controversy—the private, “blue-ribbon” National Commission on Federal Election Reform was convened to study and make recommendations about…
Planned Parenthood Under Fire
(PDF here) Summary: Whatever your view of abortion, it’s hard not to be appalled by the recent undercover videos of Planned Parenthood personnel casually discussing how they can profit…
A Reaganite Entrepreneur’s Flawed Philanthropy
This co-founder of a pioneering high-tech firm was a conservative Republican who spent years supporting politicians and public intellectuals on the Right. But the eminent engineer wasn’t careful when designing…