State Policy Network
Encyclopedia
The State Policy Network (SPN) is a U.S. national network of free-market oriented think tank
s focused on individual U.S. state
s. SPN is based in Arlington, Virginia.
businessman and Republican Party
activist who also served as a member of the board of trustees of the Heritage Foundation
and had in 1986 founded the South Carolina Policy Council, now an SPN member group. Roe was concerned that the program of "New Federalism
" fostered under U.S. President Ronald Reagan
had transferred powers and resources to state-level bureaucrat
s who "weren’t necessarily better than" their federal government counterparts. In conversation, he told Reagan that he thought each of the states needed something like the Heritage Foundation. Reagan's reply reportedly was “Do something about it,” which led Roe to establish first the South Carolina Policy Council and later the State Policy Network. The network was an outgrowth of the Madison Group, a collection of state-level think tanks in states including South Carolina
, Colorado
, Illinois
, and Michigan
that had been meeting periodically at the Madison Hotel in Washington, DC.
and Heritage Foundation
, are associate members.
The network is registered with the Internal Revenue Service
(IRS) as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
. Mother Jones
reported that SPN is largely funded by donations from foundation
s, including the Ruth and Lovett Peters Foundation, which also supports the Cato Institute and Heritage Foundation; the Castle Rock Foundation
, a nonprofit spinoff from the Adolph Coors Foundation
; and the Bradley Foundation
, a charity devoted to financial support for conservative causes. In 2009, SPN reported revenue of $4,480,000, mostly from grants.
The network provides grants for financial support of its member groups. In 2009 its individual grant amounts ranged from a few thousand dollars up to a $260,000 grant to the Idaho Freedom Foundation. SPN also provides practical support to its members, who meet each year at SPN conferences and are required to disseminate all of their publications to other member groups. SPN member organizations also swap ideas and provide training and other support for each other. A 2008 article in Nashville Scene
quoted Peter Montgomery of the liberal
organization People for the American Way
as having said that SPN conducts training for free-market think-tank organizations "to teach these people how to run these things like franchises." The founder of Kentucky
's Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions said in 2006 that “This is like a franchise,” noting that training provided by another member organization had provided him with software, ready-made speeches, and other resources.
programs, state constitutional amendments to limit state government spending, expanded access to charter school
s and school vouchers. Another major theme in their activities has been opposition to public employee unions.
activity, both supporters and detractors of SPN have described the network and its member groups as having had significant influence on the political process and legislative action in the states.
A 2009 article in the conservative National Review
described the Mackinac Center for Public Policy
as a significant source of support for Republican John Engler
in the 1990 campaign that led to his election as governor of Michigan
. The Mackinac Center was also credited with influencing Engler's policy initiatives as governor, particularly in the promotion of charter school
s and increasing competition in state contracting. One of the Mackinac Center's founders was quoted as saying, “People used to say that the Mackinac Center was a front for Engler,” but later the governor was called "a front for the Mackinac Center."
The liberal
magazine Mother Jones identified SPN and its member organizations as having led a "war on organized labor" in the early months of 2011, when Republican initiatives to reduce the power of labor unions emerged concurrently in several U.S. state legislature
s. What the magazine described as "one of the largest assaults on American unions in recent history" included the introduction and enactment of measures to reduce or eliminate collective bargaining
for teachers and other government workers and reduce the authority of unions to collect dues from government employees. Iowa
and Nevada
are among the states where Republican elected officials cited research by SPN member groups as the basis for proposals to amend laws on collective bargaining by public employees. The Michigan legislature
passed a set of policy recommendations by the Mackinac Center that give "emergency managers" the authority to cancel municipalities' union contracts and remove local elected officials in order to resolve budget problems. After Wisconsin
Governor Scott Walker
became the target of criticism and street protests for his initiatives to eliminate the rights of public-sector unions in that state, SPN member groups in Wisconsin produced a video
attacking the protesters as communists and socialists and wrote a New York Times op-ed
piece defending Walker's proposals. In Oklahoma
, the SPN member organization Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
publicly encouraged the state legislature to "follow Wisconsin's lead" by restricting public employee collective bargaining. One SPN member group, the Tennessee Center for Policy Research "bragged on its website" that it was "lead[ing] the charge against teachers' union" in Tennessee
. Commenting on the similarities in the anti-union initiatives in multiple states, a leader of a Tennessee teachers union said: "This is not a grassroots movement to eliminate collective bargaining; this is a national movement, and it's funded by all the conservative moneyed interests."
As of 2006, three one-time presidents of SPN member groups were serving in the U.S. Congress, all elected as Republicans. National Review described them as having "used SPN organizations as political springboards."
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
s focused on individual U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s. SPN is based in Arlington, Virginia.
History
SPN was founded in 1992 by Thomas A. Roe, a South CarolinaSouth Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
businessman and Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
activist who also served as a member of the board of trustees of the Heritage Foundation
Heritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation is a conservative American think tank based in Washington, D.C. Heritage's stated mission is to "formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong...
and had in 1986 founded the South Carolina Policy Council, now an SPN member group. Roe was concerned that the program of "New Federalism
New Federalism
New Federalism is a political philosophy of devolution, or the transfer of certain powers from the United States federal government back to the states...
" fostered under U.S. President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
had transferred powers and resources to state-level bureaucrat
Bureaucrat
A bureaucrat is a member of a bureaucracy and can comprise the administration of any organization of any size, though the term usually connotes someone within an institution of a government or corporation...
s who "weren’t necessarily better than" their federal government counterparts. In conversation, he told Reagan that he thought each of the states needed something like the Heritage Foundation. Reagan's reply reportedly was “Do something about it,” which led Roe to establish first the South Carolina Policy Council and later the State Policy Network. The network was an outgrowth of the Madison Group, a collection of state-level think tanks in states including South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, and Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
that had been meeting periodically at the Madison Hotel in Washington, DC.
Activities and finances
SPN comprises 59 affiliated think-tank organizations, including at least one in every state. In addition, other institutions, such as Cato InstituteCato Institute
The Cato Institute is a libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1977 by Edward H. Crane, who remains president and CEO, and Charles Koch, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the conglomerate Koch Industries, Inc., the largest privately held...
and Heritage Foundation
Heritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation is a conservative American think tank based in Washington, D.C. Heritage's stated mission is to "formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong...
, are associate members.
The network is registered with the Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
(IRS) as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
. Mother Jones
Mother Jones (magazine)
Mother Jones is an American independent news organization, featuring investigative and breaking news reporting on politics, the environment, human rights, and culture. Mother Jones has been nominated for 23 National Magazine Awards and has won six times, including for General Excellence in 2001,...
reported that SPN is largely funded by donations from foundation
Foundation (United States law)
A foundation in the United States is a type of charitable organization. However, the Internal Revenue Code distinguishes between private foundations and public charities...
s, including the Ruth and Lovett Peters Foundation, which also supports the Cato Institute and Heritage Foundation; the Castle Rock Foundation
Castle Rock Foundation
The Castle Rock Foundation is a conservative foundation started in 1993 with an endowment of $36.6M from the Adolph Coors Foundation. It ranked as Colorado's 15th largest foundation by assets at the end of 2001...
, a nonprofit spinoff from the Adolph Coors Foundation
Adolph Coors Foundation
The Adolph Coors Foundation was founded in 1975 with funds from the Adolph Coors, Jr. Trust. Adolph Coors, Jr. was the son of the founder of the Coors Brewing Company in Golden, Colorado. The foundation has awarded $135.3 million USD since 1975 . It focuses its efforts generally within the state...
; and the Bradley Foundation
Bradley Foundation
The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a conservative foundation with about half a billion US dollars in assets. According to the Bradley Foundation 1998 Annual Report, it gives away more than $30 million per year...
, a charity devoted to financial support for conservative causes. In 2009, SPN reported revenue of $4,480,000, mostly from grants.
The network provides grants for financial support of its member groups. In 2009 its individual grant amounts ranged from a few thousand dollars up to a $260,000 grant to the Idaho Freedom Foundation. SPN also provides practical support to its members, who meet each year at SPN conferences and are required to disseminate all of their publications to other member groups. SPN member organizations also swap ideas and provide training and other support for each other. A 2008 article in Nashville Scene
Nashville Scene
Nashville Scene is an alternative newsweekly in Nashville, Tennessee. It was founded in 1989, became a part of Village Voice Media in 1999, and later joined the ranks of sixteen other publications after a merger of Village Voice Media with New Times Media early in 2006. In 2009 the paper was...
quoted Peter Montgomery of the liberal
Liberalism in the United States
Liberalism in the United States is a broad political philosophy centered on the unalienable rights of the individual. The fundamental liberal ideals of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion for all belief systems, and the separation of church and state, right to due process...
organization People for the American Way
People For the American Way
People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy group in the United States. Under U.S. tax code, People For the American Way is organized as a tax-exempt 501 non-profit organization.-Purpose:...
as having said that SPN conducts training for free-market think-tank organizations "to teach these people how to run these things like franchises." The founder of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
's Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions said in 2006 that “This is like a franchise,” noting that training provided by another member organization had provided him with software, ready-made speeches, and other resources.
Policy positions
Policy initiatives supported by SPN members have included reductions in state health and welfareWelfare
Welfare refers to a broad discourse which may hold certain implications regarding the provision of a minimal level of wellbeing and social support for all citizens without the stigma of charity. This is termed "social solidarity"...
programs, state constitutional amendments to limit state government spending, expanded access to charter school
Charter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
s and school vouchers. Another major theme in their activities has been opposition to public employee unions.
Political influence
Although their IRS status prohibits SPN and its member organizations from engaging in electioneering and severely restricts their lobbyingLobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
activity, both supporters and detractors of SPN have described the network and its member groups as having had significant influence on the political process and legislative action in the states.
A 2009 article in the conservative National Review
National Review
National Review is a biweekly magazine founded by the late author William F. Buckley, Jr., in 1955 and based in New York City. It describes itself as "America's most widely read and influential magazine and web site for conservative news, commentary, and opinion."Although the print version of the...
described the Mackinac Center for Public Policy
Mackinac Center for Public Policy
The Mackinac Center for Public Policy is a free market think tank headquartered in Midland, Michigan. It is the USA’s largest state-based free market think tank...
as a significant source of support for Republican John Engler
John Engler
John Mathias Engler is an American politician and a member of the Republican Party. He served as the 46th Governor of Michigan from 1991 to 2003....
in the 1990 campaign that led to his election as governor of Michigan
Governor of Michigan
The Governor of Michigan is the chief executive of the U.S. State of Michigan. The current Governor is Rick Snyder, a member of the Republican Party.-Gubernatorial elections and term of office:...
. The Mackinac Center was also credited with influencing Engler's policy initiatives as governor, particularly in the promotion of charter school
Charter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
s and increasing competition in state contracting. One of the Mackinac Center's founders was quoted as saying, “People used to say that the Mackinac Center was a front for Engler,” but later the governor was called "a front for the Mackinac Center."
The liberal
Liberalism in the United States
Liberalism in the United States is a broad political philosophy centered on the unalienable rights of the individual. The fundamental liberal ideals of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion for all belief systems, and the separation of church and state, right to due process...
magazine Mother Jones identified SPN and its member organizations as having led a "war on organized labor" in the early months of 2011, when Republican initiatives to reduce the power of labor unions emerged concurrently in several U.S. state legislature
State legislature
In the United States of America, a state legislature is a generic term referring to the legislative body of any of the country's 50 states. The formal name varies from state to state. In 24 states, the legislature is simply called the "Legislature", or the "State Legislature", while in 19 states,...
s. What the magazine described as "one of the largest assaults on American unions in recent history" included the introduction and enactment of measures to reduce or eliminate collective bargaining
Collective bargaining
Collective bargaining is a process of negotiations between employers and the representatives of a unit of employees aimed at reaching agreements that regulate working conditions...
for teachers and other government workers and reduce the authority of unions to collect dues from government employees. Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
and Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
are among the states where Republican elected officials cited research by SPN member groups as the basis for proposals to amend laws on collective bargaining by public employees. The Michigan legislature
Michigan Legislature
The Michigan Legislature is the legislative assembly of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is organized as a bicameral body consisting of the Senate, the upper house, and the House of Representatives, the lower house. Article IV of the state's Constitution, adopted in 1963, defines the role of the...
passed a set of policy recommendations by the Mackinac Center that give "emergency managers" the authority to cancel municipalities' union contracts and remove local elected officials in order to resolve budget problems. After Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
Governor Scott Walker
Scott Walker (politician)
Scott Kevin Walker is an American Republican politician who began serving as the 45th Governor of Wisconsin on January 3, 2011, after defeating Democratic candidate Tom Barrett, 52 percent to 47 percent in the November 2010 general election...
became the target of criticism and street protests for his initiatives to eliminate the rights of public-sector unions in that state, SPN member groups in Wisconsin produced a video
Video
Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
attacking the protesters as communists and socialists and wrote a New York Times op-ed
Op-ed
An op-ed, abbreviated from opposite the editorial page , is a newspaper article that expresses the opinions of a named writer who is usually unaffiliated with the newspaper's editorial board...
piece defending Walker's proposals. In Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, the SPN member organization Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs is the leading conservative think tank in Oklahoma, USA.-Founding, Mission, and Leadership:Founded in 1993 by Dr...
publicly encouraged the state legislature to "follow Wisconsin's lead" by restricting public employee collective bargaining. One SPN member group, the Tennessee Center for Policy Research "bragged on its website" that it was "lead[ing] the charge against teachers' union" in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. Commenting on the similarities in the anti-union initiatives in multiple states, a leader of a Tennessee teachers union said: "This is not a grassroots movement to eliminate collective bargaining; this is a national movement, and it's funded by all the conservative moneyed interests."
As of 2006, three one-time presidents of SPN member groups were serving in the U.S. Congress, all elected as Republicans. National Review described them as having "used SPN organizations as political springboards."
- U.S. Representative Jeff FlakeJeff FlakeJeffrey Lane "Jeff" Flake is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was featured in the documentary series How Democracy Works Now: Twelve Stories....
of Arizona, former president of the Goldwater InstituteGoldwater InstituteThe Goldwater Institute is a Phoenix, Arizona-based conservative public policy research organization established in 1988. The president is Darcy A. Olsen. The Goldwater Institute advances public policies with emphasis on lower taxes, limited government spending, school choice, and a reduction in... - U.S. Representative Mike PenceMike PenceMichael Richard "Mike" Pence is the U.S. Representative for Indiana's , and previously the , serving since 2001. The 6th district covers much of Eastern Indiana. He is a member of the Republican Party....
of Indiana, former head of the Indiana Policy Review Foundation - Former U.S. Representative Tom TancredoTom TancredoThomas Gerard "Tom" Tancredo is an American politician from Colorado, who represented the state's sixth congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1999 to 2009, as a Republican...
of Colorado, president of the Independence InstituteIndependence InstituteThe Independence Institute is a conservative think tank based in Golden, Colorado. Founded in 1985, the Institute " expertise education, the environment, transportation, personal freedom, government reform, local government, and criminal justice."- Current Staff :As of June 2010, the Independence...
during the 1990s
Member organizations
SPN claims more than 100 regular and associate member organizations. Membership is by invitation only and is limited to 501(c)(3) organizations that are "dedicated to advancing market-oriented public policy solutions."Regular members
Regular members are described as "full-service think tanks" operating independently within their respective states.- NOTE: Where the organization name does not clearly identify the state where it is located, the state name is given in parentheses.
- Alabama Policy InstituteAlabama Policy InstituteThe Alabama Policy Institute is a free market think tank headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, USA.-Overview:It was first established as the Alabama Family Alliance in 1989 by Gary Palmer, and was later renamed the Alabama Policy Institute...
- Alaska Policy Forum
- Arkansas Policy Foundation
- Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions (Kentucky)
- Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions (Ohio)
- Caesar Rodney InstituteCaesar Rodney InstituteThe Caesar Rodney Institute is a nonprofit free-market research and educational organization in Delaware in the United States. It is a member of the State Policy Network....
(Delaware) - Calvert Institute for Policy Research (Maryland)
- Cascade Policy InstituteCascade Policy InstituteCascade Policy Institute is a non-profit, non-partisan libertarian public policy research organization based in Portland, Oregon that focuses on state and local issues. The institute, founded in January 1991, seeks to "explore and advance public policy alternatives that foster individual liberty,...
(Oregon) - Center of the American ExperimentCenter of the American ExperimentThe Center of the American Experiment is a conservative free market think tank in Minnesota, USA.-Overview:The Center of the American Experiment was founded in 1990. Its founder and President is Michael Pearlstein, a former Reagan appointee. Annette Meeks used to serve as its CEO. It has received...
(Minnesota) - Common Sense Institute of New Jersey
- Commonwealth Foundation (Pennsylvania)
- Empire Center for New York State Policy
- Ethan Allen InstituteEthan Allen InstituteEthan Allen Institute, founded in 1993, is an independent free-market think tank with activity restricted to Vermont. It is a 501 nonprofit educational organization loosely affiliated with the State Policy Network...
(Vermont) - Evergreen Freedom FoundationEvergreen Freedom FoundationThe Freedom Foundation was founded by Bob Williams, a former Republican state legislator and gubernatorial candidate....
(Washington state) - Free State Foundation (Maryland)
- Freedom Foundation of Minnesota
- Georgia Public Policy FoundationGeorgia Public Policy FoundationThe Georgia Public Policy Foundation is a free-market think tank based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The President and Chief Executive Officer is Rogers Wade. Its board of directors currently includes twenty seven men and women from around the state....
- Goldwater InstituteGoldwater InstituteThe Goldwater Institute is a Phoenix, Arizona-based conservative public policy research organization established in 1988. The president is Darcy A. Olsen. The Goldwater Institute advances public policies with emphasis on lower taxes, limited government spending, school choice, and a reduction in...
(Arizona) - Grassroot Institute of Hawai'i
- Great Plains Public Policy Institute (South Dakota)
- Idaho Freedom Foundation
- Illinois Policy InstituteIllinois Policy InstituteThe Illinois Policy Institute is a non-profit research organization that supports free-market and liberty-based public policies in the State of Illinois...
- Independence InstituteIndependence InstituteThe Independence Institute is a conservative think tank based in Golden, Colorado. Founded in 1985, the Institute " expertise education, the environment, transportation, personal freedom, government reform, local government, and criminal justice."- Current Staff :As of June 2010, the Independence...
(Colorado) - Indiana Policy Review Foundation
- James Madison InstituteJames Madison InstituteThe James Madison Institute is a free-market think tank headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida in the United States. It is a member of the State Policy Network.Their views are that "the Institute's ideas are rooted in a belief in the U.S...
(Florida) - John Locke FoundationJohn Locke FoundationThe John Locke Foundation is a free market think tank in North Carolina started in 1990. Its mission statement says the "John Locke Foundation employs research, journalism, and outreach programs to transform government through competition, innovation, personal freedom, and personal responsibility...
(North Carolina) - John William Pope Civitas Institute (North Carolina)
- Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy (New Hampshire)
- Kansas Policy InstituteKansas Policy InstituteThe Kansas Policy Institute is a free-market think tank based in Wichita, Kansas. As a member of the State Policy Network, it primarily focuses on Kansas state and local policy issues, such as education, budget and spending, health care, and property tax...
- MacIver Institute for Public Policy (Wisconsin)
- Mackinac Center for Public PolicyMackinac Center for Public PolicyThe Mackinac Center for Public Policy is a free market think tank headquartered in Midland, Michigan. It is the USA’s largest state-based free market think tank...
(Michigan) - Maine Heritage Policy CenterMaine Heritage Policy CenterMaine Heritage Policy Center is a conservative think tank located in Portland, Maine. According to its mission statement, the MHPC is "a research and educational organization whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise; limited,...
- Maryland Public Policy Institute
- Mississippi Center for Public Policy
- Montana Policy Institute
- Nevada Policy Research InstituteNevada Policy Research InstituteThe Nevada Policy Research Institute is a private non-profit, free-market and limited-government policy research organization based in Las Vegas, Nevada...
- North Dakota Policy Council
- Ocean State Policy Research InstituteOcean State Policy Research InstituteOcean State Policy Research Institute was a Rhode Island-based think tank from July 2007 until July 2011. They were dedicated to “crafting sound public policy based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, and traditional American values”...
(Rhode Island) - Oklahoma Council of Public AffairsOklahoma Council of Public AffairsThe Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs is the leading conservative think tank in Oklahoma, USA.-Founding, Mission, and Leadership:Founded in 1993 by Dr...
- Pacific Research InstitutePacific Research InstituteThe Pacific Research Institute , or officially the Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy, is a California-based free-market think tank founded in 1979 whose stated vision is the promotion of "the principles of individual freedom and personal responsibility"...
(California) - Pelican Institute for Public Policy (Louisiana)
- Pioneer InstitutePioneer InstitutePioneer Institute, is an independent, non-partisan, privately funded think tank founded by Lovett C. Peters in 1988, a major contributor to conservative candidates and foundations such as the Club for Growth and Americans for Prosperity. James Stergios is Pioneer's Executive Director...
(Massachusetts) - Platte Institute for Economic ResearchPlatte Institute for Economic ResearchThe Platte Institute for Economic Research is a free market think tank headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.-Advocacy:In 2008, it released a study in partnership with Creighton University that showed Nebraska was the 8th most taxed states in the United States, a fact detrimental to its economy. It also...
(Nebraska) - Public Interest Institute (Iowa)
- Public Policy Foundation of West Virginia
- Rio Grande FoundationRio Grande FoundationThe Rio Grande Foundation is an economic policy advocacy group in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and affiliated with the U.S. nationwide State Policy Network....
(New Mexico) - Show-Me InstituteShow-Me InstituteThe Show-Me Institute is a free-market think tank based in St. Louis, Missouri . Founded in 2005, it focuses on economic policy issues in the state of Missouri...
(Missouri) - Solutions for New Jersey
- South Carolina Policy Council
- Sutherland InstituteSutherland InstituteSutherland Institute is a conservative public policy think tank located in Salt Lake City, Utah.The institute is an independent, non-partisan organization that produces policy research, provides award-winning educational seminars, and engages in legislative advocacy. The Institute was founded in...
(Utah) - Tennessee Center for Policy Research
- Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute
- Texas Public Policy FoundationTexas Public Policy FoundationThe Texas Public Policy Foundation is an Independent think tank based in Austin, Texas. It is a member of the State Policy Network, a network of free-market leaning think tanks....
- Thomas Jefferson Institute (Virginia)
- Virginia Institute for Public Policy
- Washington Policy Center (Washington state)
- Wisconsin Policy Research InstituteWisconsin Policy Research InstituteWisconsin Policy Research Institute is a non-profit conservative think tank advocating free market economics in the state of Wisconsin. The organization is based in Hartland, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee....
- Wyoming Liberty GroupWyoming Liberty Group-Advocacy:In 2011, it criticized the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, arguing that $400,000 had been spent for each job created....
- Yankee Institute for Public PolicyYankee Institute for Public PolicyThe Yankee Institute for Public Policy is a free market, limited government think tank based in Hartford, Connecticut that researches Connecticut public policy questions...
(Connecticut)
Associate members
SPN lists numerous associate members, including:- Accuracy in MediaAccuracy in MediaAccuracy In Media is an American, non-profit news media watchdog founded in 1969 by economist Reed Irvine. AIM describes itself as "a non-profit, grassroots citizens watchdog of the news media that critiques botched and bungled news stories and sets the record straight on important issues that...
- Acton Institute
- Advocates for Self-Government
- Allegheny Institute for Public PolicyAllegheny Institute for Public PolicyThe Allegheny Institute for Public Policy is a think tank based in Western Pennsylvania. Using its expertise in economic development, tax increment financing, and eminent domain, it works with property owners and taxpayers to bring free market solutions to local government...
- Alliance for School ChoiceAlliance for School ChoiceThe Alliance for School Choice is the largest organization in the United States promoting school choice programs. The Alliance for School choice supports the creation and expansion of school voucher, corporate tax credit, and other school choice programs...
- American Council of Trustees and AlumniAmerican Council of Trustees and AlumniThe American Council of Trustees and Alumni is a non-profit organization whose stated mission is to "support liberal arts education, uphold high academic standards, safeguard the free exchange of ideas on campus, and ensure that the next generation receives a philosophically rich, high-quality...
- American Legislative Exchange CouncilAmerican Legislative Exchange CouncilThe American Legislative Exchange Council is a politically conservative 501 non-profit Policy Organization, consisting of both state legislators and members of the private sector. ALEC's mission statement describes the organization's purpose as the advancement of free-market principles, limited...
- Americans for Prosperity Foundation
- Americans for Tax ReformAmericans for Tax ReformAmericans for Tax Reform is an advocacy group and taxpayer group whose stated goal is "a system in which taxes are simpler, flatter, more visible, and lower than they are today. The government's power to control one's life derives from its power to tax...
- Atlantic Legal FoundationAtlantic Legal FoundationEstablished in 1977, Atlantic Legal Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public interest law firm with a history of advocating for individual liberty, limited and efficient government, free enterprise, sound science in the courtroom and school choice...
- Atlas Economic Research FoundationAtlas Economic Research FoundationThe Atlas Economic Research Foundation, also known as the Atlas Network, is a non-profit organization based in the United States which organizes and convenes workshops, offers training, runs prize programs, and provides advisory services in order to continue growing and strengthening an informal...
- The Atlas SocietyThe Atlas SocietyThe Atlas Society — of which The Objectivist Center is a part — is a research and advocacy organization promoting "a culture that affirms the core Objectivist values of reason, individualism, freedom, and achievement." It is part of the Objectivist movement that split off from the Ayn Rand...
- Beacon Hill InstituteBeacon Hill InstituteThe Beacon Hill Institute is the research arm of the Department of Economics at Suffolk University in Boston. It was founded in 1991 by businessman and Republican politician Ray Shamie. The institute, considered to be fiscally conservative, draws on faculty and student resources to analyze issues...
- Cato InstituteCato InstituteThe Cato Institute is a libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1977 by Edward H. Crane, who remains president and CEO, and Charles Koch, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the conglomerate Koch Industries, Inc., the largest privately held...
- Citizens Against Government WasteCitizens Against Government WasteCitizens Against Government Waste is a 501 non-profit organization in the United States. It functions as a think-tank, 'government watchdog', and advocacy group for fiscally conservative causes...
- Claremont Institute
- Competitive Enterprise InstituteCompetitive Enterprise InstituteThe Competitive Enterprise Institute is a non-profit think tank founded on March 9, 1984 in Washington, D.C. by lobbyist Fred L. Smith, Jr to advance economic liberty and fight over-regulation by big government...
- Foundation for Excellence in EducationFoundation for Excellence in EducationThe Foundation for Excellence in Education is a national education policy organization headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida in the United States. It is an associate member of the State Policy Network....
- Heartland InstituteHeartland InstituteThe Heartland Institute is a libertarian, American public policy think tank based in Chicago, Illinois which advocates free market policies. The Institute is designated as a 501 non-profit by the Internal Revenue Service and advised by a 15 member board of directors, which meets quarterly. As of...
- Heritage FoundationHeritage FoundationThe Heritage Foundation is a conservative American think tank based in Washington, D.C. Heritage's stated mission is to "formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong...
- Jesse Helms CenterJesse Helms CenterThe Jesse Helms Center, located in Wingate, North Carolina and named for its founder Jesse Helms, is a repository of Helms' papers, letters, and speeches, transcripts of his televised editorials for WRAL-TV, and campaign materials such as polling information and advertisements...
- Manhattan Institute for Policy Research
- Moving Picture InstituteMoving Picture InstituteThe Moving Picture Institute is an American non-profit organization and film production company founded in 2005 by human rights advocate Thor Halvorssen. Its current executive director is Rob Pfaltzgraff, and its creative council includes June Arunga and David Zucker.MPI produces and collaborates...
- National Center for Policy AnalysisNational Center for Policy AnalysisThe National Center for Policy Analysis is a non-profit American conservative think tank whose goals are to develop and promote private alternatives to government regulation and control...
- National Center for Public Policy ResearchNational Center for Public Policy ResearchThe National Center for Public Policy Research, founded in 1982, is a self-described conservative think tank in the United States. Its president since its founding has been Amy Ridenour. David A. Ridenour, her husband, is vice president, and David W. Almasi is executive director...
- National Right to Work Legal Defense FoundationNational Right to Work Legal Defense FoundationThe National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation is a charitable organization that provides free legal assistance to employees who claim that their civil rights have been violated by compulsory unionism. The Foundation was founded in 1968 and has represented 20,000 employees in over 2,200 cases,...
- National Taxpayers UnionNational Taxpayers UnionNational Taxpayers Union is a taxpayers advocacy organization and taxpayers union in the United States, founded in 1969 by James Dale Davidson. NTU advertises that it is the largest and oldest grassroots taxpayer organization in the nation, with 362,000 members nationwide. It is closely...
- Pacific Legal FoundationPacific Legal FoundationPacific Legal Foundation is the first and oldest conservative/libertarian public interest law firm in the United States. PLF was established for the purpose of defending and promoting individual and economic freedom in the courts...
- Prometheus Institute
- Reason FoundationReason FoundationThe Reason Foundation is an American nonprofit think tank founded in 1978 that also publishes Reason magazine. Based in Los Angeles, Reason is self-described as nonpartisan and publishes a statement of values that can best be described as libertarian...
- We the People FoundationWe the People FoundationWe the People Foundation for Constitutional Education, Inc. also known as We the People Foundation is a non-profit education and research organization in Queensbury, New York with the declared mission "to protect and defend individual Rights as guaranteed by the Constitutions of the United States."...
- Young America's FoundationYoung America's FoundationYoung America's Foundation is a conservative youth organization, founded in 1969, with a focus on sharing conservative ideas with students through conferences, campus lectures, seminars, posters, and activism initiatives.-History:...