National League of Cities Institute (NLCI) is the charitable arm of the National League of Cities (NLC). Many of the two organization’s training and educational programs are intertwined with the NLCI providing the funding for conferences and travel expenses. NLCI has received grants from left-of-center nonprofits to facilitate training and research.

History

The National League of Cities Institute is the charitable subsidiary of the National League of Cities. ¹ While the NLC does federal advocacy as a nonprofit under the IRS 501(c)(4) “social welfare” designation, NLCI is a public charity providing training and conducting forums, providing small grants to city programs, and using much of its income for staff salaries and travel expenses. ²

Finances

In 2020, National League of Cities and National League of Cities Institute had combined revenues of $26.9 million. ³ In 2019, National League of Cities Institute had assets of $6,318,728. ⁴ According to the organization’s tax returns, in 2019 National League of Cities Institute recorded $10,816,580 in revenue and $9,768,874 in expenses. ⁵ A majority of expenses were incurred for employee salaries and compensation. ⁶ Over a $1 million was spent on conferences and travel for local officials. ⁷ In 2019, NLCI made $951,615 in grants mainly focusing on hunger, children and nature, and addressing city fines and fees equitably. ⁸ In 2018, National League of Cities Institute had $10,841,600 in revenue and $9,983,451 in expenses. ⁹

Issues and Funding

In 2017, George Soros’ Foundation to Promote Open Society provided a 14-month, $75,000 grant to raise awareness on how state preemption impacts cities’ ability to govern. ¹⁰ The grant resulted in meetings and a municipal action guide. ¹¹ The guide deems state laws that attempt to ban sanctuary cities, discourage local enactment of tough local gun control laws, or attempt to disallow local bans on plastic bags as punitive. ¹²The plan provides three strategies of communicating the problems to state legislators, forming coalitions and campaign against state initiatives, and pursuing litigation against state laws. ¹³ Since 2010, Soros’s Open Society Foundations have given the National League of Cities Institute at least $700,000 in grant funding. ¹⁴

In 2020, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation awarded the National League of Cities Institute for Youth, Education and Families a $2.2 million grant for two years to understand and address the economic impacts of COVID-19 and develop equitable recovery plans for the future. ¹⁵

Between 1993-2022, the MacArthur Foundation awarded the National League of Cities Institute over $3.7 million. ¹⁶ Grants included a 2022 grant of $50,000 to address racial inequities, a 2021 grant of $650,000 for justice reform initiatives, a $750,000 grant in 2019 for justice reform, $800,000 grants in 2017 and 2015 on reducing the reliance on jails, and a $400,000 grant in 2013 on juvenile justice reform. ¹⁷

Leadership

Clarence E. Anthony is executive director and secretary/treasurer at the National League of Cities Institute and CEO and executive director at the National League of Cities. ¹⁸ Prior to his appointment in 2012, Anthony spent two years as director at the Palm Beach County Tourist Development Council. ¹⁹ From 1984 through 2008, Anthony was mayor of South Bay, Florida. ²⁰

1. ^[1] National League of Cities Institute, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), 2019; “About NLC.” National League of Cities. Accessed September 19, 2022. https://www.nlc.org/about/.
2. “Resource Library.” National League of Cities. Accessed September 19, 2022. https://www.nlc.org/resources-training/resource-library/; National League of Cities Institute, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), 2019.
3. National League of Cities. “Leading With Urgency: 2020 Annual Report.” 2020. Accessed September 19, 2022. https://www.nlc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2020_NLC_Annual_Report_FNLpdf.pdf.
4. National League of Cities Institute, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), 2019.
5. National League of Cities Institute, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), 2019.
6. National League of Cities Institute, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), Part I, 2019.
7. National League of Cities Institute, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), Part IX, 2019.
8. National League of Cities Institute, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), 2019.
9. National League of Cities Institute, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), 2018.
10. “Awarded Grants: National League of Cities Institute.” Open Society Foundations. Accessed September 19, 2022. https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?filter_keyword=national+league+of+cities&grant_id=OR2017-39274
11. “Restoring City Rights in an Era of Preemption: A Municipal Action Guide.” National League of Cities. 2019. Accessed September 19, 2022. https://www.nlc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Restoring-City-Rights-in-an-Era-of-PreemptionWeb.pdf.
12. “Restoring City Rights in an Era of Preemption: A Municipal Action Guide.” National League of Cities. 2019. Accessed September 19, 2022. https://www.nlc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Restoring-City-Rights-in-an-Era-of-PreemptionWeb.pdf.
13. “Restoring City Rights in an Era of Preemption: A Municipal Action Guide.” National League of Cities. 2019. Accessed September 19, 2022. https://www.nlc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Restoring-City-Rights-in-an-Era-of-PreemptionWeb.pdf.
14. Open Society Institute, Return of a Nonprofit Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2011; Open Society Institute, Return of a Nonprofit Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2014; “Awarded Grants: National League of Cities Institute.” Open Society Foundations. Accessed September 19, 2022. https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?filter_keyword=national+league+of+cities&grant_id=OR2017-39274.
15. ^[1] “Committed Grants: National League of Cities, Institute for Youth, Education, and Families.” Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. November 2020. Accessed September 20, 2022. https://www.gatesfoundation.org/about/committed-grants/2020/11/inv023946
16. “National League of Cities Institute.” MacArthur Foundation. Accessed September 20, 2022. https://www.macfound.org/grantee/national-league-of-cities-institute-17504/.
17. “National League of Cities Institute.” MacArthur Foundation. Accessed September 20, 2022. https://www.macfound.org/grantee/national-league-of-cities-institute-17504/.
18. National League of Cities Institute, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), 2019; “CEO and Executive Director.” National League of Cities. Accessed September 20, 2022. https://www.nlc.org/people/clarence-anthony/.
19. “Clarence E. Anthony.” LinkedIn. Accessed September 20, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/clarence-anthony-12010419/details/experience/.
20. “Clarence E. Anthony.” LinkedIn. Accessed September 20, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/clarence-anthony-12010419/details/experience/.