The Howard Charitable Foundation was formed in 1999 in Seattle, Washington. ¹ The foundation’s namesake, Robert S. Howard, was the president of Howard Publishing, a family-owned publisher of 16 daily newspapers. Although Howard’s total wealth is unknown, in 2002, the Howard family sold Howard Publishing for $694 million. ^{2 3} The Howard Charitable Foundation also has invested in Howard Energy, an oil and gas field services company directed by Howard’s son, William E. Howard. ^{4 5}

Howard Charitable Foundation primarily gives grants to health care, educational, and humanitarian nonprofits in California. Howard Charitable Foundation also gives funding to national conservative and libertarian organizations, including the Heritage Foundation, the Hoover Institution, the Fund for American Studies, and the Ayn Rand Institute. ⁶⁷

Founding and History

Howard Charitable Foundation was formed in 1999 by Robert S. Howard, the president of Howard Publications, a family-owned publisher of 16 daily newspapers. In 2002, the Howard family sold their publication company to Lee Enterprises for $694 million. ^{8 9} Howard also held investments in cable TV as well as the oil and gas industry. Inside Philanthropy, a left-leaning philanthropic news outlet, has reported that Howard “keeps an exceptionally low profile.” ¹⁰

Howard’s son, William E. Howard, has worked as a director of Howard Energy, an oil and gas field services company formed in 1983. The annual revenue of Howard Energy for 2021 has been estimated at $6.58 million. ¹¹ According to tax documents, Howard Charitable Foundation has invested in Howard Energy stock. ¹²

Richard D. Newell has served as a governor of the Howard Charitable Foundation as well as the organization’s secretary and treasurer. ¹³ Newell also worked as the secretary for Howard Energy. ¹⁴

Grantmaking

Non-Ideological Charities

Howard Charitable Foundation provides grants to health care, education, and humanitarian nonprofits in California. Some of these organizations include: United Way of San Diego, Barbara Sinatra Child Center, Brother Benno’s, Coachella Valley Repertory, Teen Adolescent Placement Services, Aqua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation, Criminal Justice Legal Foundation, College of the Desert Foundation, Rancho Mirage Writers Festive Foundation, and Big Horn Behind a Miracle. ¹⁵

Robert S. Howard served in World War II, and his foundation also supports American Legion Post #80. ¹⁶¹⁷ The foundation also supports The Salvation Army. Howard Charitable Foundation also supports Flathead Lakers, an environmentalist organization dedicated to protecting the Flathead Watershed in Montana. Flathead Lakers supports greater government regulation on the transportation of oil tankers near the watershed. ¹⁸

Advocacy Grantmaking

Howard Charitable Foundation also supports national conservative and libertarian organizations, including the Heritage Foundation, the Hoover Institution, the Fund for American Studies, and the Ayn Rand Institute. ^{19 20}

1. “Howard Charitable Foundation.” Washington Corporations and Charities Filing System. Accessed June 16, 2021. https://ccfs.sos.wa.gov/#/BusinessSearch/BusinessFilings.
2. “Robert Howard.” Inside Philanthropy. February 24, 2020. Accessed June 16, 2021. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/glitzy-giving/robert-howard.
3. Steinberg, Brian. “Lee Enterprises Reaches Deal to Buy Family-Owned Howard Publications.” Wall Street Journal. February 13, 2002. Accessed June 16, 2021. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB1013552085333620320.
4. Howard Charitable Foundation Form 990. 2003. Accessed June 16, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/911952040/2004_05_PF%2F91-1952040_990PF_200312.
5. “Howard Energy Co. Inc.” Open Corporates. Accessed June 16.com. https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_wy/2001-000427772.
6. Howard Charitable Foundation Form 990. 2018. Accessed June 16, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/911952040/05_2019_prefixes_86-91%2F911952040_201812_990PF_2019050816277802.
7. “Howard Charitable Foundation.” Conservative Transparency. Accessed June 16, 2021. http://conservativetransparency.org/donor/howard-charitable-foundation/.
8. Steinberg, Brian. “Lee Enterprises Reaches Deal to Buy Family-Owned Howard Publications.” Wall Street Journal. February 13, 2002. Accessed June 16, 2021. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB1013552085333620320.
9. Bergen, Kathy. “Lee Enterprises to add 16 papers.” Chicago Tribune. February 13, 2002. Accessed June 16, 2021. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2002-02-13-0202130363-story.html/.
10. “Robert Howard.” Inside Philanthropy. February 24, 2020. Accessed June 16, 2021. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/glitzy-giving/robert-howard.
11. “Howard Energy Co., Inc.” D&B Business Directory. Accessed June 16, 2021. https://www.dnb.com/business-directory/company-profiles.howard_energy_co_inc.241e367c3b07c14a6a8d232c1b79f9ac.html.
12. Howard Charitable Foundation Form 990. 2003. Accessed June 16, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/911952040/2004_05_PF%2F91-1952040_990PF_200312.
13. “Howard Charitable Foundation.” Open Corporates. Accessed June 16, 2021. https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_wa/601931936.
14. “Howard Energy Co. Inc.” Open Corporates. Accessed June 16.com. https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_wy/2001-000427772.
15. Howard Charitable Foundation Form 990. 2018. Accessed June 16, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/911952040/05_2019_prefixes_86-91%2F911952040_201812_990PF_2019050816277802.
16. “Robert Howard.” Inside Philanthropy. February 24, 2020. Accessed June 16, 2021. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/glitzy-giving/robert-howard.
17. Howard Charitable Foundation Form 990. 2018. Accessed June 16, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/911952040/05_2019_prefixes_86-91%2F911952040_201812_990PF_2019050816277802.
18. “Protecting Our Headwaters.” Flathead Lakers. Accessed June 16, 2021. https://www.flatheadlakers.org/protecting-our-headwaters.
19. Howard Charitable Foundation Form 990. 2018. Accessed June 16, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/911952040/05_2019_prefixes_86-91%2F911952040_201812_990PF_2019050816277802.
20. “Howard Charitable Foundation.” Conservative Transparency. Accessed June 16, 2021. http://conservativetransparency.org/donor/howard-charitable-foundation/.