Leadership Program of the Rockies

The Leadership Program of the Rockies (LPR) is a Colorado-based, non-partisan training program that focuses on America’s founding principles to promote free-market capitalism and create leaders who will influence public policy. 1

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3)
Issue Areas: Economic Policy
Website: leadershipprogram.org%20
Formation:

2003

President:

Shari Williams

President’s Salary:

$138,2502

Location: Denver, CO View on map
Tax ID: 52-0945376
Most Recent Filing: 2024
Budget (2024): Assets: $6,520,025 Revenue: $3,051,775 Expenses: $3,490,078

Contents

    The Leadership Program of the Rockies is an associate member of the State Policy Network, a coalition of free-market state-level policy organizations. 3 While LPR is non-partisan, members of its staff and board have affiliations with the Republican Party.

    Activity

    The Leadership Program of the Rockies is a Colorado-based, non-partisan training program that focuses on America’s founding principles to promote free-market capitalism and create leaders who will influence public policy. 1

    The Leadership Program of the Rockies selects up to 65 Colorado students annually to attend its training, with curriculum based on Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand and Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt. 4 LPR has a secondary program where students study the Federalist Papers, the Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence. 5

    The Leadership Program of the Rockies includes a lecture series called Defenders of the Declaration, which studies original source materials in order to better understand constitutional government. The lectures teach that the Declaration of Independence supports individual freedom and limited constitutional government. 6

    Part of LPR’s curriculum is provided by Defenders of Capitalism, a non-profit educational organization that claims capitalism is under attack. 7 Defenders of Capitalism further claims that taxation and inflation are an attack on personal capital and that culture and intellectualism are an attack on constitutional government. 8 Defenders of Capitalism teaches that individual rights, not human, civil, or constitutional rights, are the underlying principle of capitalism. 9

    LPR alumni have been able to influence public policy by becoming elected officials, state leaders, federal judges, and presidential cabinet members. 1 Some alumni have become elected members of Colorado school boards and advocated for school choice and educational choice. 5

    Funding

    The Leadership Program of the Rockies is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. While LPR does not disclose its donors, tax filings show donations from the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation,10 the Vernon K. Krieble Foundation, 11 and Donors Trust. 12

    People

    Staff

    Shari Williams is the president of the Leadership Program of the Rockies, serves on its board, and is the executive director of the Vernon K. Krieble Foundation. Williams serves on the board of the National Taxpayers Union and on the advisory boards of the Atlas Economic Research Foundation and the Heritage Foundation Colorado Committee. 13

    Stephanie Muth is the director of outreach for LPR, the grant manager of the Vernon K. Krieble Foundation, and the political director of the Denver Metro Young Republicans. Muth formerly worked as a consultant to the Colorado Women’s Alliance and Americans for Prosperity. 14

    Board of Directors

    Bob Schaffer is chair of the Leadership Program of the Rockies, on the board of the Colorado League of Charter Schools, and as the former chair of the Colorado State Board of Education. Schaffer is a former Republican member of both the Colorado State Senate and the United States House of Representatives. 15

    Cheri Carsten is an ex officio board member of the Steamboat Institute. Carsten formerly worked for the U.S. Department of Defense. 16

    Alex Cranberg is the chair of the ACE Scholarship Foundation. 17

    Mark Hillman is the executive director of the Colorado Civil Justice League. Hillman, a Republican, formerly served as Majority Leader in the Colorado State Senate, as Colorado State Treasurer, and as representative of Colorado on the Republican National Committee. 18

    Jeannie Reeser formerly served as a Republican Colorado State Representative and as president of the Adams County Republican Women. Reeser currently serves as a director of the Colorado Federation of Republican Women. 19

    Michael Williams sits on the national advisory board of the Steamboat Institute. 20

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2024 $6,520,025 $3,051,775 $3,490,078 View
    2023 $6,038,576 $3,236,440 $2,468,010 View
    2022 $5,246,017 $2,865,388 $2,136,743 View
    2021 $4,717,813 $3,704,042 $1,798,233 View
    2020 $2,830,985 $1,722,211 $1,122,614

    Prior year filings: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011

    Revenue Detail

    Expenses Detail

    Employee Compensation

    • Number of Employees: 8

    Highest Earning Employees

    EmployeeTitleTotal Compensation
    Robert SchimenzPRESIDENT$110,542

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $12,658,831
    • Number of Grants: 148
    • Number of Funders: 39

    Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $1,555,0002023 Vanguard CharitableFOR RECIPIENT'S EXEMPT PURPOSE
    $1,406,5002025 Vanguard CharitableFOR RECIPIENT'S EXEMPT PURPOSE
    $1,213,0002022 Vanguard CharitableFor recipient's exempt purpose
    $1,079,0002021 Vanguard CharitableFOR RECIPIENT'S EXEM
    $652,0002024 Vanguard CharitableFOR RECIPIENT'S EXEMPT PURPOSE
    $552,0002020 Donors Trust Incfor general operations
    $351,0002021 Donors Trust Incfor general operations
    $250,0002025 Melvin S Cohen Foundation IncOPERATING FUNDS
    $250,0002022 Donors Trust Incfor general operations and a litigation project
    $200,0002024 Liberty Ears IncIT SEEKS TO EXPAND AWARENESS OF INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY, FREE MARKETS AND PEACE.
    $200,0002022 Donors Trust Incfor freedom of speech in the social media space
    $200,0002020 Melvin S Cohen Foundation IncOperating funds
    $150,0002022 The Searle Freedom TrustEDUCATION AND OUTREACH
    $150,0002021 The Searle Freedom TrustEDUCATION AND OUTREACH
    $133,0002022 Donors Trust Incfor Stossel TV
    $125,0002024 The Searle Freedom TrustFELLOWSHIPS
    $125,0002023 The Searle Freedom TrustEDUCATION AND OUTREACH
    $125,0002020 The Searle Freedom TrustEDUCATION AND OUTREACH
    $100,0002023 Liberty Ears IncIT SEEKS TO EXPAND AWARENESS OF INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY, FREE MARKETS AND PEACE.
    $100,0002023 Jewish Communal FundIN FURTHERANCE OF GRANTEE'S TAX-EXEMPT PURPOSE
    $100,0002022 Jewish Communal FundGENERAL SUPPORT
    $100,0002022 Donors Trust Incfor John Stossels television programming and academic outreach
    $100,0002021 Jewish Communal FundGeneral support
    $100,0002020 Jewish Communal FundGeneral support
    $75,7282022 Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift FundFor grant recipient's exempt purposes

    All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $2,593,660
    • Number of Grants: 27
    • Number of Recipients: 15

    Selection of highest value grants given from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $975,9102024 Ludlow InstituteNBTV
    $300,0002023 FREEDOM WORKS FOUNDATIONJT PROJECTJT PROJECCT
    $200,0002021 Cato InstituteGENERAL OPERATIONS
    $100,0002024 Cato InstituteGENERAL OPERATIONS
    $100,0002023 Cato InstituteGENERAL OPERATIONS
    $100,0002022 Cato InstituteGENERAL OPERATIONS
    $100,0002022 HEARTLAND INSTITUTELEGAL SUPPORT
    $100,0002020 Cato InstituteGeneral operations

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    Contact Us

    Financials, employee compensation, and grant information provided by Candid.

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. “Home.” Leadership Program of the Rockies, 2021. Accessed May 24, 2021. https://www.leadershipprogram.org/.
    2. Center for Independent Thought, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2019, Part VII, Section A, Line 1a.
    3. “The Network: Colorado.” State Policy Network, 2021. Accessed May 19, 2021. https://spn.org/directory/#CO.
    4. “About the Program.” Leadership Program of the Rockies, 2021. Accessed May 24, 2021. https://www.leadershipprogram.org/about-the-program/.
    5. “Quick Facts & Talking Points.” Leadership Program of the Rockies, 2021. Accessed May 24, 2021. https://www.leadershipprogram.org/quick-facts-talking-points/.
    6. “Defenders of the Declaration.” Leadership Program of the Rockies, 2021. Accessed May 24, 2021. https://www.leadershipprogram.org/defenders-of-declaration/.
    7. “Defenders of Capitalism.” Leadership Program of the Rockies, 2021. Accessed May 24, 2021. https://www.leadershipprogram.org/defenders-of-capitalism/.
    8. “Defend and Grow Your Capital.” Defenders of Capitalism, 2021. Accessed May 24, 2021. https://www.defendersofcapitalism.com/content/defend-and-grow-your-capital.
    9. “Individual Rights.” Defenders of Capitalism, 2021. Accessed May 24, 2021. https://www.defendersofcapitalism.com/content/individual-rights.
    10. Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2014-2019, Part XV, Line 3a.
    11. Vernon K. Krieble Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2003-2018, Part XV, Line 3a.
    12. Donors Trust, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2018-2019, Schedule I, Part II.
    13. “Shari D. Williams.” Leadership Program of the Rockies, 2021. Accessed May 19, 2021. https://www.leadershipprogram.org/bio/shari-williams/.
    14. “Stephanie Muth.” The Steamboat Institute, 2021. Accessed May 21, 2021. https://www.steamboatinstitute.org/person/stephanie-muth/.
    15. “The Hon. Bob Schaffer.” Leadership Program of the Rockies, 2021. Accessed May 19, 2021. https://www.leadershipprogram.org/bio/bob-schaffer/.
    16. “Cheri Carsten.” Leadership Program of the Rockies, 2021. Accessed May 19, 2021. https://www.leadershipprogram.org/bio/?smid=1080.
    17. “Alex M. Cranberg.” Leadership Program of the Rockies, 2021. Accessed May 19, 2021. https://www.leadershipprogram.org/bio/alex-cranberg/.
    18. “The Hon. Mark Hillman.” Leadership Program of the Rockies, 2021. Accessed May 19, 2021. https://www.leadershipprogram.org/bio/mark-hillman/.
    19. “The Hon. Jeannie Reeser.” Leadership Program of the Rockies, 2021. Accessed May 19, 2021. https://www.leadershipprogram.org/bio/jeannie-reeser/.
    20. “National Advisory Board.” The Steamboat Institute, 2021. Accessed May 21, 2021. https://www.steamboatinstitute.org/department/national-advisory-board/.