Wikipedia

Koch family foundations

(Redirected fromCharles Koch Foundation)
For the political activities of the Koch family, seePolitical activities of the Koch brothers.

TheKoch family foundationsare a group ofcharitable foundationsin theUnited Statesassociated with thefamilyofFred C. Koch.The most prominent of these are theCharles Koch Foundationand theDavid H. Koch Charitable Foundation,created byCharles KochandDavid Koch,two sons of Fred C. Koch who own the majority ofKoch Industries,an oil, gas, paper, and chemicalconglomeratewhich is the US's second-largest privately held company.[1]Charles' and David's foundations have provided millions of dollars to a variety of organizations, includinglibertarianandconservativethink tanks. Areas of funding includethink tanks,political advocacy,climate change denial,higher education scholarships, cancer research, arts, and science.

In May 2019, the Kochs announced a major restructuring of their philanthropic efforts. Going forward, the Koch network will operate under the umbrella ofStand Together,a nonprofit focused on supporting community groups. The stated priorities of the restructured Koch network include efforts aimed at "increasing employment, addressing poverty and addiction, ensuring excellent education, building a stronger economy, and bridging divides and building respect".[2]

Foundations

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Fred C. and Mary R. Koch Foundation

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The Koch family foundations began in 1953 with the establishment of the Fred C. and Mary R. Koch Foundation. The Fred C. and Mary R. Koch Foundation was established to support non-profits inKansasfocusing on "arts,environmental stewardship,human services,enablement ofat-risk youth,and education "through the funding of diversity programs atKansas State University;the programYouth Entrepreneurs,a high-school level entrepreneurial and business program; theGilder Lehrman Institute of American History,which develops programs to enhance the schools' history curricula;[3]and theBill of Rights Institute,an organization that holds seminars and workshops for teachers and administrators to provide "educational resources on America's Founding documents and principles" to enhance the learning experience for students.[4]The foundation's environmental aid includes support for science education,[5]and donations to organizations such asThe Nature Conservancyto help preserve theTallgrass Prairie National Preserve,as well as the creation of the Koch Wetlands Exhibit in theCheyenne Bottomswetlands in Kansas.[5][6]

Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation

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The Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation was established in 1980 byCharles Koch.[7]The Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation was established with the stated purpose of advancing social progress and well-being through the development, application and dissemination of "the Science of Liberty".[7]

The Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation funded college study groups called Koch Scholars who gather and read "an assortment of select books, movies, and podcasts surrounding the principles of a free society."[8]Such groups exist at theJon M. Huntsman School of BusinessatUtah State University[8]and theUniversity of Alaska Fairbanks.[8][9]

The Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation grantedWillie Soon,a researcher at the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics who says that most global warming is driven by the sun, at least $230,000 over 14 years, according to documents obtained byGreenpeaceunder the USFreedom of Information Act.[10][11]

In 2011, the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation granted $25,000 to theHeartland Institute,an American conservative and libertarian public policythink tankbased inChicago,a prominent supporter ofglobal warming deniers.[12]

In 2011, the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation split into the Charles Koch Institute and the Charles Koch Foundation.[13]

Charles Koch Institute

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Main article:Charles Koch Institute

TheCharles Koch Institutewas established in 2011, and is active in the area of professional education, research and training programs for careers in advancing economic freedom. It runs the Koch Internship Program, the Koch Associate Program, and Liberty@Work.[14]

The Charles Koch Institute has advocated bipartisan criminal justice reforms. Among the planned reforms are reducing recidivism rates, lower barriers into the workforce for the rehabilitated, and eliminate the systemic overcriminalization and overincarceration of persons from generally low-income minority communities.[15][16]The reforms would also put an end toasset forfeitureby law enforcement, which deprives the incarcerated of, very often, the majority of their private property.[17]

The institute, steered by the Koch family, has worked closely with the Obama administration, theACLU,theCenter for American Progress,Families Against Mandatory Minimums,theCoalition for Public Safety,theMacArthur Foundationand other left-leaning organizations to promote these reforms.[18][19]Both PresidentBarack ObamaandAnthony Van Joneshave applauded the commitment to progress over party.[15][20]

Charles Koch Foundation

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The Charles Koch Foundation was established in 2011, and is focused on grants and supporting higher education programs that analyze how free societies advance the well-being of mankind. It supports the Koch Institute's programs.[21]As of 2014,the Charles Koch Foundation has given grants to almost 300 colleges and universities, according to their website.[22]Brian Hooks,who formerly led theMercatus Center,has served as the foundation's president since 2014.[23]

In 2014, Koch Industries Inc. and the Charles Koch Foundation granted $25 million to theUnited Negro College Fund(UNCF).[24]In protest of the Kochs, theAmerican Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees,a major labor union, ended its annual $50,000–$60,000 support for the UNCF, saying that the UNCF's involvement with the Charles Koch Foundation was 'a betrayal of everything the UNCF stands for' because, they said, the Koch brothers were 'the single most prominent funders of efforts to prevent African-Americans from voting'.[25]

A student campaign, spearheaded byGreenpeace,Forecast the Facts, and theAmerican Federation of Teachers,called UnKochMyCampus claimed the Charles Koch Foundation atFlorida State Universitystipulated final approval of hiring economics professors in return for their donation.Kimberley A Strasselcriticized UnKochMyCampus in her March 27, 2015 Potomac Watch column ofThe Wall Street Journal.[26]Strassel wrote that the campaigns' website directs student activists to a list of universities Koch foundations have donated to and provides instructions for how to "expose and undermine" any college thought that works against "progressive values."[27]

Between 2011 and 2018, the foundation gave $300,000 to the online magazineSpiked,which has written articles against those in opposition to Koch brothers' interests.[28]

David H. Koch Charitable Foundation

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David H. Kochestablished the David H. Koch Charitable Foundation, which, according to its website, "has given nearly $200 million to support diverse causes nationwide including science and medical research, education, the arts, and more".[29]The foundation has funded cancer research and a number of arts and science organizations, including theAmerican Ballet Theatre,New York City Ballet,Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts,theMetropolitan Museum of Art,and theAmerican Museum of Natural History.[1][30] In 2015, an open letter to museums from 36 members of the scientific community demanded that the Smithsonian and other museums cut any ties with the Kochs, because of worries that they would remove information on climate change. The Smithsonian countered by stating both exhibits in question did examine in great detail the impacts of climate change. The Koch Foundation responded they "have pledged or contributed more than $1.2 billion dollars to educational institutions and cultural institutions, cancer research, medical centers, and to assist public policy organizations."[31]

David Koch donated $35 million in 2012 to the Smithsonian'sNational Museum of Natural Historyand $20 million to theAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryinNew York City.[32]Joe Romm ofThinkProgressstated "David Koch did not personally intervene to affect the exhibit".[33]David Koch was a member of the board of trustees of the American Museum of Natural History in New York and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington.[31]

The David H. Koch Charitable Foundation is a significant funder ofAmericans for Prosperity,[34]a libertarian/conservative political advocacy group. David H. Koch chaired the board of directors of the associated AFP Foundation.[35]

Koch Cultural Trust

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The Koch Cultural Trust was founded 1986 as the Kansas Cultural Trust and renamed in 2008 as the Koch Cultural Trust closed January 2013 and filed termination with the IRS February 2014.[36]

Frederick R. Koch foundations

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Another of Fred Koch's sons, Frederick R. Koch, is associated with the Frederick R. Koch Foundation and the Sutton Place Foundation, which are involved in supporting art and other cultural activities.[37]

Other beneficiaries

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American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)

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Between 2005 and 2011, theAmerican Legislative Exchange Council(ALEC), anonprofit organizationofconservativestate legislatorsandprivate sectorrepresentatives that drafts and shares model state-level legislation for distribution among state governments in the United States, was granted $348,858 from the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation, according toGreenpeace,anon-governmentalenvironmentalorganization.[38]

Citizens for a Sound Economy

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Between 1986 and 1990, the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation, and the David H. Koch Charitable Foundation, granted a combined $4.8 million to theCitizens for a Sound Economy,a conservativepoliticalgroup.[39][page needed]

Competitive Enterprise Institute

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The Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation, and David H. Koch Charitable Foundation, were among the funders of theCompetitive Enterprise Institute,a non-profit, libertarianthink tank.[40]

Americans for Prosperity Foundation

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David H. Koch Charitable Foundation granted $1 million in 2008 and the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation granted $67,556 in 2009 to theAmericans for Prosperity Foundation.[41]

See also

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References

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  1. ^abCovert Operations: The billionaire brothers who are waging a war against Obama.,Mayer, Jane,The New Yorker,Aug 30, 2010.
  2. ^Hohmann, James (May 20, 2019)."The Koch network is reorganizing under a new name and with new priorities".Washington Post.Retrieved20 May2019.
  3. ^"About Us".Gilderlehrman.org.Retrieved17 November2014.
  4. ^"Bill of Rights Institute: About Us".Bill of Rights Institute.Retrieved17 November2014.
  5. ^ab"Fred and Mary Koch Foundation".Fmkfoundation.org. Archived fromthe originalon 29 November 2014.Retrieved17 November2014.
  6. ^"The Fred and Mary Koch Foundation".Koch Family Foundations. Archived fromthe originalon 13 August 2013.Retrieved31 July2013.
  7. ^ab"Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation".Koch Family Foundations. Archived fromthe originalon 12 November 2014.Retrieved17 November2014.
  8. ^abc"Koch Scholars".Huntsman.usu.edu.Retrieved28 April2011.
  9. ^"Koch Scholarship Program".Scholarships UNCF.UNCF.
  10. ^Justin Gillis; John Schwartz (Feb 21, 2015)."Deeper Ties to Corporate Cash for Doubtful Climate Researcher".New York Times.Retrieved2015-02-21.
  11. ^Goldenberg, Suzanne (Feb 21, 2015)."Work of prominent climate change denier was funded by energy industry".The Guardian.RetrievedMarch 13,2015.
  12. ^Gillis, Justin & Kaufman, Leslie.Leak Offers Glimpse of Campaign Against Climate Science,retrieved from NYTimes.com, Feb 16, 2012. Also published inThe New York Times,p. A23 with the title: "In Documents, a Plan to Discredit Climate Teaching".
  13. ^"Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation".Archived fromthe originalon 28 May 2013.We are pleased to announce that the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation has split into two separate entities – The Charles Koch Foundation and the Charles Koch Institute.
  14. ^"Charles Koch Institute, About".Koch Family Foundations. 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 4 July 2014.Retrieved29 July2014.
  15. ^abHorwitz, Sari (Aug 15, 2015)."Unlikely Allies".Washington Post.
  16. ^Gass Henry (Oct 20, 2015)."Congress's big, bipartisan success that might be just beginning".Christian Science Monitor.
  17. ^Hudetz, Mary (Oct 15, 2015)."Forfeiture reform aligns likes of billionaire Charles Koch, ACLU".The Topeka Capital Journal.
  18. ^Mak, Tim (Jan 13, 2015)."Koch Bros to Bankroll Prison Reform".The Daily Beast.
  19. ^Ball, Molly (Mar 3, 2015)."Do the Koch Brothers Really Care About Criminal-Justice Reform?".The Atlantic.
  20. ^Nelson, Colleen Mccain; Fields, Gary (Jul 16, 2015)."Obama, Koch Brothers in Unlikely Alliance to Overhaul Criminal Justice".Wall Street Journal.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  21. ^"Charles Koch Foundation".Koch Family Foundations. 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 12 November 2014.Retrieved29 July2014.
  22. ^"Colleges and Universities with Programs Supported by the Charles Koch Foundation April 2014"(PDF).Kochfamilyfoundations.org. April 2014. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on October 14, 2013.RetrievedNovember 17,2014.
  23. ^Levinthal, Dave (Oct 30, 2015)."Spreading the Free-Market Gospel".The Atlantic.Retrieved18 July2016.
  24. ^Sullivan, Sean (Jun 6, 2014)."Koch brothers donate $25 million to United Negro College Fund".Washington Post.RetrievedAugust 26,2014.
  25. ^"Union halts support for United Negro College Fund over Koch brothers' grant".New York Post.Associated Press.Jul 7, 2010.Retrieved2014-07-11.
  26. ^Kimberley Strassel(Mar 27, 2015)."The Campus Climate Crusade".The Wall Street Journal.RetrievedMarch 27,2015.
  27. ^Strassel, Kimberly."The Campus Climate Crusade".WSJ.The Wall Street Journal.Retrieved29 July2015.
  28. ^Monbiot, George (July 22, 2018)."How US billionaires are fuelling the hard-right cause in Britain".The Guardian.RetrievedApril 23,2019.
  29. ^"About Julia F. Koch | David H. Koch Foundation".DHK Foundation.Retrieved2020-02-05.
  30. ^"David H. Koch Charitable Foundation and Personal Philanthropy".Koch Family Foundations. Archived fromthe originalon 9 November 2014.Retrieved17 November2014.
  31. ^abColby Itkowitz (Mar 24, 2015)."Scientists to Smithsonian: Cut ties with Koch brothers".Washington Post.Retrieved23 April2015.
  32. ^Itkowitz, Colby (Mar 24, 2015)."Scientists to Smithsonian: Cut ties with Koch brothers".The Washington Post.
  33. ^"Museums' Ties To The Koch Brothers Are Not OK, Scientists Say".ThinkProgress.
  34. ^Cohen, Rick (Sep 15, 2010)."The Starfish and the Tea Party, Part II".Nonprofit Quarterly.Institute for Nonprofit News.RetrievedJune 18,2015.The Koch family does show up as a major funder of another of the national Tea Party infrastructure, Americans for Prosperity.
  35. ^Kroll, Andy; Schulman, Daniel (Feb 5, 2014)."The Koch Brothers Left a Confidential Document at Their Donor Conference".Mother Jones.RetrievedMarch 23,2015.
  36. ^"Koch Cultural Trust".Koch Family Foundations.Retrieved17 November2014.
  37. ^Schulman, Daniel (May 19, 2014)."The" Other "Koch Brother".Vanity Fair.RetrievedDecember 29,2015.
  38. ^"Koch Industries Climate Denial Front Group American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)".Greenpeace.
  39. ^Draffan, George (2003).The Elite Consensus.Apex.ISBN978-1-891843-14-3.
  40. ^"Competitive Enterprise Institute".Legacy.library.ucsf.edu.RetrievedMarch 18,2015.
  41. ^Bennett, Laurie (Mar 31, 2012)."Tracking Koch Money and Americans for Prosperity".Forbes.RetrievedMarch 3,2015.
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