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Non-profit

Market Research Foundation

Tax ID:

20-4155641
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2018):

Revenue: $1,347,490
Expenses: $1,161,885
Assets: $237,027
Website:

marketresearchfoundation.org
Location:

Fairfax, VA
Formation:

2006
Type:

Non-Profit
President:

William Wilson
President's Salary:

$210,000 1

References

  1. Market Research Foundation, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2020, Part VII, Section A, Line 1a.

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Market Research Foundation (MRF) is a right-leaning organization that uses data research and predictive analytics to encourage civic engagement by providing information to the public through a combination of microtargeting and voter activation efforts. MRF supports right-of-center campaigns by providing relevant information using its modern contact techniques, with a strong focus on Generation Z and non-college white voters. 1

Activities

Market Research Foundation focuses much of its research on non-college white voters, which it reports as being 44% of all voters in the U.S. MRF claims that non-college white voters played a crucial role in the 2020 elections and that there are still millions of non-college white Americans whose concerns need to be understood and addressed in upcoming campaigns to turn them into voters. 2

In a 2021 memo, Market Research Foundation notes that non-college white voter turnout played a crucial role in the election of President Donald Trump in 2016. MRF goes on to say that non-college white voter turnout was even higher in the 2020 elections in the Rust Belt states. While there has been a demographic shift due to an increase in education among white Americans, Market Research Foundation reports that non-college whites still make up more than half of eligible voters in states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. 3

Market Research Foundation has shifted its youth vote research and analysis from Millennials to Generation Z, which it defines as individuals born after 1995 and reports to be 26% of the population. MRF claims that because Generation Z has the potential to greatly impact the 2024 elections, much research is needed to understand its motivations in order to reach them with messaging. Market Research Foundation points to the success of the Obama 2012 presidential campaign in capitalizing on Millennial voters and urges conservatives to do the same with Generation Z in order to win elections. 4

Funding

Market Research Foundation is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. While MRF does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm significant donations from Donors Capital Fund ($3.7 million in 2016) 5 and Donors Trust ($1 million in 2018). 6

People

Staff

Shelby Smith is the lead data scientist at Market Research Foundation and a data scientist software engineer at Young Americans for Liberty. 7

Board of Directors

Bill Wilson is a founding member of Americans for Limited Government, the former vice president of operations of the National Right to Work Committee, and a former advisor at U.S. Term Limits. 8

Annette Glenn is a member of the Michigan House of Representatives. 9 Glenn is a former vice-chair of the College Republican National Committee and former member of the Idaho Republican Party executive committee. 10

Peter Conlin is an attorney for the California State Assembly and the California Senate GOP caucus. 11

References

  1. “About.” Market Research Foundation, 2022. Accessed January 31, 2022. https://marketresearchfoundation.org/about/.
  2. “White Non College.” Market Research Foundation, 2022. Accessed January 31, 2022. https://marketresearchfoundation.org/non-college/.
  3. “Record Turnout of Non-College Whites Continues to Upend Political Forecasts.” Market Research Foundation, June 29, 2021. Accessed January 31, 2022. https://marketresearchfoundation.org/2021/06/29/record-turnout-of-non-college-whites-continues-to-upend-political-forecasts/
  4. “Generation Z.” Market Research Foundation, 2022. Accessed January 31, 2022. https://marketresearchfoundation.org/genz/.
  5. Donors Capital Fund, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2016, Schedule I, Part II.
  6.  Donors Trust, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2018, Schedule I, Part II.
  7. “Shelby Smith.” LinkedIn, 2022. Accessed January 28, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelby-smith-b0632612b/.
  8. Shane, Scott. “A Critic Finds Obama Policies a Perfect Target.” The New York Times. The New York Times, September 26, 2009. https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/26/us/politics/26activist.html.
  9. “Annette Glenn.” Ballotpedia. Accessed January 28, 2022. https://ballotpedia.org/Annette_Glenn.
  10.  “Meet Our Board.” Market Research Foundation, 2022. Accessed January 25, 2022. https://marketresearchfoundation.org/board/.
  11. “Meet Our Board.” Market Research Foundation, 2022. Accessed January 25, 2022. https://marketresearchfoundation.org/board/.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: August 1, 2006

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2018 Dec Form 990 $1,347,490 $1,161,885 $237,027 $0 Y $0 $1,347,490 $0 $305,000 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $683,830 $1,100,642 $79,110 $0 Y $0 $683,830 $0 $291,667 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $4,647,600 $4,558,283 $495,922 $0 Y $4,479,000 $168,161 $0 $235,368 PDF
    2015 Dec Form 990 $2,301,677 $2,107,109 $406,605 $0 Y $2,216,788 $84,889 $0 $200,000 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $2,650,298 $2,960,531 $210,928 $0 N $2,650,000 $0 $298 $321,000 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $3,250,467 $2,729,676 $520,791 $0 N $3,250,250 $0 $217 $205,167 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)