Non-profit

Niskanen Center

Website:

niskanencenter.org

Location:

WASHINGTON, DC

Tax ID:

45-5308952

Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2019):

Revenue: $6,548,833
Expenses: $4,421,324
Assets: $3,106,098

Formation:

January 2015

Type:

Environmentalist Think Tank

Interim President:

Joe Coon

Latest Tax Filing:

2019 Form 990

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

The Niskanen Center is a nominally libertarian 501(c)(3) environmental think tank with ties to center-left environmental groups. The Center was created in January 2015 and was initially headed by Jerry Taylor, a global warming advocate and environmental activist who authored a 2015 report The Conservative Case for a Carbon Tax. 1 Taylor later resigned in 2021, amid a domestic abuse scandal.2 The Center is named for William Niskanen, a senior economic aide to President Ronald Reagan who died in 2011. 3

The Niskanen Center for Public Policy is the 501(c)(4) lobbying arm of the Niskanen Center.

Carbon Tax Advocacy

The Niskanen Center is a major proponent of a tax on carbon dioxide emissions. The group is credited with assisting then-Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) with introducing a carbon tax bill in 2018; the bill was rejected by the Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, which later introduced a successful resolution “expressing the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to the United States economy.” 4 5

Controversies

ExxonMobil/Suncor Lawsuit (2018)

In April 2018, the City of Boulder, Colorado and County of San Miguel, Colorado filed a lawsuit against oil and natural gas companies ExxonMobil and Suncor, accusing them of being “fossil fuel-producing corporations” which negatively impact the climate. 6 The Colorado communities were represented in the lawsuit by a joint climate group which included Hannon Law Firm, a group that litigates environmental lawsuits and whose founder Kevin Hannon served as chief outside legal counsel, the environmentalist nonprofit EarthRights International, and the Niskanen Center. 7 8 The joint climate group claimed that ExxonMobil and Suncor were culpable for over $100 million in climate damages—including wildfires, flooding, road maintenance, landscaping, and individuals work efficiency.9

According to two environmental experts, Randal O’Toole and Robert Bradley Jr., individuals who had known William Niskanen, the Center’s involvement in the lawsuit went directly against the memory of Niskanen and what he believed with regards to climate-policy. 10 William Niskanen stated that “the case for a global warming treaty is shockingly weak” and also that he had “never bought into climate alarmism.” 11

Criticism of Pro-Life Legislation

In May 2019, Niskanen Center’s Vice President for Research Will Wilkinson criticized a pro-life bill passed by Republican lawmakers in Georgia, calling it “so unconstitutional in so many ways.” 12 13 Commonly referred to as a “heartbeat bill,” the law prohibits performing abortions if the doctor can detect a fetal heartbeat (usually occurring six weeks into the pregnancy), except in cases of rape and incest or where an abortion could prevent the mother from dying in childbirth. 14 Wilkinson claimed that the bill was not designed to successfully take on the 1973 Roe V. Wade Supreme Court decision and restore decision making on abortion laws to the state level, but was rather purposely designed to get overturned so Republicans could energize their base and keep voter turnout high indefinitely. 15

Criticism of Trump Judicial Nominees

In May 2019, the Washington Post published an article about Trump administration judicial nominees refusing to comment on whether they support Brown v. Board of Education, the 1954 Supreme Court decision that ended segregation in schools, or any other court cases in order to avoid being led down the slope that would obligate them to answer if they support Roe v. Wade. 16 In a tweet, Niskanen Center president Jerry Taylor shared the article and characterized Republican judicial nominees as intentionally not supporting Brown v. Board, stating that any nominee who does not support that decision “has no business being on the court.” 17

El Paso v. Trump (2019)

In May 2019, a lawsuit against President Trump entitled El Paso v. Trump was filed in the Western District of Texas by El Paso County and left-of-center nonprofit Border Network for Human Rights. The suit was intended to oppose the use of emergency funds for border wall construction along the U.S.-Mexico border. The Niskanen Center joined the plaintiffs’ counsel team, which included Protect Democracy, Laurence Tribe, and Stuart Gerson.

Protect Democracy is left-of-center litigation nonprofit organization created by a former staffer in the Obama administration to oppose the policies of President Trump. 18 Laurence Tribe is a distinguished Harvard legal professor who has become well-known on Twitter for his fevered opposition to Trump, having shared multiple fabricated conspiracy theories about the President. 19 Stuart Gerson was assistant attorney general for the Civil Division of the Department of Justice under President George H.W. Bush and was acting attorney general under President Bill Clinton. Gerson currently works at a law firm representing clients in the health care industry. 20

Resignation of Jerry Taylor

On September 6, 2021, Jerry Taylor resigned as president of the Niskanen Center as a result of domestic abuse allegations made against him by his ex-wife. 21 The incident took place in June 2021, and publicly surfaced later that year when POLITICO obtained records of Taylor’s misdemeanor arrest. Taylor denied the accusations and claimed he only plead guilty in exchange for a deal that the charges against him would be dismissed after he successfully completed a domestic violence and substance abuse prevention program. 22 When the board at the Niskanen Center was made aware of the allegations, Taylor was placed on administrative leave, and Taylor resigned shortly thereafter. 23

Niskanen Center for Public Policy

Also see Niskanen Center for Public Policy (Nonprofit)

The Niskanen Center for Public Policy is the 501(c)(4) lobbying arm of the Niskanen Center created in 2016. The Center for Public Policy is also headed by Jerry Taylor.

According to a 2019 donation history document on Niskanen Center’s website, the Center for Public Policy reported three grants from funding groups on the political Left for advocacy: 24

Additionally, the left-wing Environmental Defense Action Fund reported a $10,000 grant to the Niskanen Center for Public Policy in 2015. 25

Funding

Financial Overview

The Niskanen Center’s financial overview from 2015 to 2018 is available below: 26

Niskanen Center: Financials (2015-2018)
YearRevenuesExpendituresNet Assets
2018$4,349,043$4,170,789$894,237
2017$3,529,677$3,281,090$715,983
2016$2,250,594$2,447,205$467,396
2015$1,954,786$1,665,531$664,007
Total:$12,084,100$11,564,615

Contributors

The Niskanen Center has received grants from a number of center-left foundations, funding groups, donor-advised fund providers, and at least one limited liability company (LLC), Arnold Ventures, associated with the John and Laura Arnold Foundation (also a Niskanen Center donor). The following are known grants to the Niskanen Center: 27

Niskanen Center: Known Donors (2014-2018)AmountYearGrant Description
Arnold Ventures LLC$1,000,0002019Operating support for climate change initiatives
Alex C. Walker Educational and Charitable Foundation$20,000 2018Carbon Tax Advocacy
Alex C. Walker Educational and Charitable Foundation$15,000 2018Climate Litigation
Democracy Fund$100,000 2018General Support
Energy Foundation$50,000 2018To promote education and analysis for clean, affordable energy that protects publich health
John and Laura Arnold Foundation$250,0002018To provide general operating support
Park Foundation$40,0002018Defending Constitutional rights of property owners from fossil fuel infrastructure and eminent domain claims
Rockefeller Foundation$225,0002018For use by its poverty and welfare department...
Rockefeller Brothers Fund$193,639 2018-
Silicon Valley Community Foundation$650,0002018Community Development
Alex C. Walker Educational and Charitable Foundation$10,000 2017Carbon Tax Advocacy
Carnegie Corporation Of New York$150,000 2017For Immigration Policy Research and Public Outreach
Democracy Fund$100,000 2017General Support
Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund$25,500 2017For Grant Recipient's Exempt Purposes
Foundation to Promote Open Society$250,000 2017-
Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation$25,000 2017Educational and Charitable
Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma$75,000 2017Environmental/Animals
John and Laura Arnold Foundation$300,0002017To provide general operating support
Northern Piedmont Community Foundation$10,000 2017General Support
Schwab Charitable Fund$50,250 2017Support For Education
Silicon Valley Community Foundation$250,000 2017Community Development
William and Flora Hewlett Foundation$250,000 2017For General Operating Support
William and Flora Hewlett Foundation$200,000 2017For General Operating Support
William and Flora Hewlett Foundation$200,000 2017For The Energy and Climate Program
William and Flora Hewlett Foundation$200,000 2017For Climate Policy and Litigation Program
Arnold Ventures LLC$600,0002017General operating support
Alex C. Walker Educational and Charitable Foundation$10,000 2016Carbon Tax Advocacy
Energy Foundation$150,000 2016To Support Education and Outreach About Clean Energy
Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation$15,889 2016Educational and Charitable
Greater Washington Community Foundation$50,000 2016General Support Building
Hopewell Fund$50,0002016Civil rights, social action, advocacy
Linden Trust For Conservation$200,000 2016Climate Change
Litterman Family Foundation$100,000 2016To The General Purpose Fund Of Public Charitable Organizations That Were Classified Under Section 501(C)(3) Of The Internal Revenue Code.
Rockefeller Brothers Fund$70,000 2016For Its Climate Program
Rockefeller Brothers Fund$15,000 2016For Work Related To A Special Initiative On Us Economic Integration (Free Trade) Policies and Latin America
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors$50,000 2016General Support
Sant Charitable Foundation$50,000 2016General Support
Claws Foundation$100,000 2015General Support
2040 Foundation (ClearPath Foundation)$250,0002015Support for greenhouse gas education efforts
Community Foundation Of The Eastern Shore$20,000 2015Community Development
Energy Foundation$200,000 2015To Advance Policy Solutions For A Stable Climate
Goyanes Family Foundation$25,000 2015General Support
Linden Trust For Conservation$50,000 2015Climate Change
Linden Trust For Conservation$50,000 2015Organizational Development
Litterman Family Foundation$10,000 2015General Purpose Fund
Silicon Valley Community Foundation$360,000 2015Building Community
The Beach Foundation$25,000 2015General Fund
Claws Foundation$100,000 2014General Support
Linden Trust For Conservation$100,000 2014Energy Policy
Litterman Family Foundation$50,000 2014General Purpose Fund
Steve and Lana Hardy Foundation$20,000 2014General and Unrestricted
Total:$8,160,278

A 2019 donation history published by the Niskanen Center noted $5.3 million in grants to the Center between 2017 and 2019. A later list of contributors from early 2022 brought the total known contributions to over $16 million. 28 30 In addition, Niskanen received $50,000 from the Hopewell Fund in 2016 for “civil rights, social action, [and] advocacy.” The Hopewell Fund is a left-wing nonprofit run by Arabella Advisors, a for-profit consultancy that manages three other left-wing nonprofits in a multi-billion-dollar “dark money” network. 31 The following grant data is from the Niskanen Center’s website and not every grant has been substantiated as of April 2022 (see above chart for known grants to the organization):

Niskanen Center: Grantors (2017-2021)
FunderYearAmountGrant Description
GENERAL SUPPORT
Anonymous2021 $50,000 General operating support
Anonymous2021 $250,000 General operating support
Anonymous2019 $75,000 General operating support
Anonymous, via New York Community Trust2021 $100,000 General operating support
Anonymous, via New York Community Trust2019 $100,000 General operating support
Anonymous, via Seattle Foundation2021 $50,000 General operating support
Bob Jones2021 $9,993 General operating support
Bob Jones2018 $5,000 General operating support
Claudine Schneider2021 $5,000 General operating support
Democracy Fund2021 $100,000 General operating support
Democracy Fund2018 $100,000 General operating support
Democracy Fund2018 $15,000 General operating support
Derek & Leora Kaufman Foundation2021 $15,000 General operating support
Facebook2018 $25,000 General operating support and technology policy
Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation2021 $25,000 General operating support
Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation2018 $25,000 General operating support
Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation2019 $50,000 General operating support
KHD Charitable Fund2018 $20,000 General operating support
Kristin & Michael Reed Family Foundation2021 $7,500 General operating support
Litterman Family Foundation2021 $300,000 General operating support
Litterman Family Foundation2021 $150,000 General operating support
Litterman Family Foundation2018 $100,000 General operating support
Lodestar Foundation2021 $50,000 General operating support
Lodestar Foundation2019 $25,000 General operating support
Lonsdale Family Philanthropic Fund2019 $10,000 General operating support
Open Society Foundations2019 $300,000 General operating support
Phil Harvey2021 $50,000 General operating support
Phil Harvey2018 $50,000 General operating support
Pivotal Foundation2019 $25,000 General operating support
Ray Iwanowski2021 $50,000 General operating support
Ridgely Walsh LLC2021 $5,000 General operating support
Robert Routhhouse2021 $4,000 General operating support
Roger and Vicki Sant Foundation2019 $50,000 General operating support
Sant Family Foundation2021 $50,000 General operating support
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation2021 $75,000 Organizational Effectiveness
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation2018 $400,000 General operating support
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation2019 $1,000,000 General operating support
William B. Wiener Jr. Foundation2018 $20,000 General operating support
William S. and Ina Levine Foundation2019 $25,000 General operating support
Total: $3,766,493
CAPTURED ECONOMY PROJECT
Google2022 $100,000 Tech Policy
Google Foundation2018 $100,000 Captured Economy project: intellectual property
Smith Richardson Foundation2018 $50,000 Captured Economy project
Total: $250,000
CLIMATE POLICY, LITIGATION
Alex C. Walker Foundation2018 $15,000 Eminent domain pipeline project; Common law nuisance litigation project
Alex C. Walker Foundation2021 $30,000 Pipeline eminent domain project
Alex C. Walker Foundation2021 $50,000 Research project with commissioned study
Anonymous Foundation2018 $100,000 Climate Policy Department
ClimateWorks Foundation2021 $500,000 Pipeline eminent domain project
David Rockefeller Fund2019 $150,000 Climate litigation project
Energy Foundation2018 $50,000 Eminent domain and pipeline litigation project
Energy Foundation2021 $175,000 Pipeline eminent domain project
Generation Foundation2021 $700,000 Border adjustment carbon tax and environmental justice projects
Generation Foundation2018 $200,000 Climate Policy Department
High Tide Foundation2021 $900,000 Pipeline eminent domain project
John Wolthuis2021 $100,000 Climate public policy ?carbon tax project
Linden Trust for Conservation2018 $100,000 Climate Policy Department
McQuown Trust2019 $50,000 Climate litigation project
McQuown Trust2021 $25,000 r Climate nuisance
Merck Family Fund2021 $20,000 Climate public policy ?carbon tax project
Park Foundation2021 $100,000 Pipeline eminent domain project
Park Foundation2018 $40,000 Eminent domain and pipeline litigation project
Property Rights and Pipeline Center2021 $10,000 Landowner study
Rockefeller Brothers Fund2018 $200,000 Eminent domain and pipeline litigation project
Rockefeller Brothers Fund2020 $200,000 Pipeline eminent domain project
Rockefeller Family Fund2018 $50,000 Eminent domain and pipeline program
Sall Family Foundation2021 $300,000 Climate public policy ?carbon tax project
Sall Family Foundation2018 $200,000 Climate Policy Department
Sant Family Foundation2018 $50,000 Climate Policy Department
The Laura and John Arnold Foundation2017 $600,000 Climate Policy, Eminent domain and pipeline litigation project
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation2017 $300,000 Climate Policy Department
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation2021 $750,000 r Macrogrid and transmission project and Struggling Regions Initiative project
Tortuga Foundation2018 $25,000 Eminent domain and pipeline litigation project
Tortuga Foundation2021 $60,000 Pipeline eminent domain project
William B. Wiener, Jr. Foundation2021 $20,000 Pipeline eminent domain project
Total: $6,070,000
IMMIGRATION
Anonymous2021 $25,000 Immigration public policy
Carnegie Corporation of New York2021 $170,000 Immigration public policy
Carnegie Corporation of New York2019 $150,000 Immigration Policy Department
Carnegie Corporation of New York2019 $150,000 Linda Chavez immigration policy work
Catena Foundation2021 $66,186 Immigration public policy
FWD.US Education Fund2021 $100,000 Immigration public policy
Open Philanthropy Project2018 $400,000 Immigration Policy Department
Ray Iwanowski2021 $70,000 Afghan refugee program
Shapiro Foundation2021 $10,000 Refugee policy
Total: $1,141,186
OPEN SOCIETY PROJECT
Anonymous via Silicon Valley Community Foundation2018 $250,000 Open Society Project
Linden Family Foundation2018 $25,000 Open Society Project
Linden Family Foundation2019 $25,000 Open Society Project
Paul and Laura Jost2018 $50,000 Open Society Project
Pritzker Innovation Fund2021 $35,000
Pritzker Innovation Fund2018 $50,000 Open Society Project
Total: $435,000
POVERTY AND WELFARE, SOCIAL POLICY
Rockefeller Foundation2020 $500,000 Struggling regions and opportunity zones project, and earned income
tax credit and child tax credit reform project
Annie E. Casey Foundation2021 $75,000 Child allowance and unemployment insurance modernization
Charles and Lynn Schustermann Family Philanthropies2022 $50,000 Support for rapid response child tax credit research project
Conrad Hilton Foundation2021 $1,000,000 Housing and homelessness project
David and Lucile Packard Foundation2021 $550,000 Core support of the work of the social policy team
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation2020 $400,000 Advancing transpartisan income support policies project
Rockefeller Foundation2021 $1,500,000 Struggling regions and opportunity zones project, and earned income tax credit and child tax credit reform project
Rockefeller Foundation2018 $250,000 Struggling Regions and Opportunity Zones Project
W.K. Kellogg Foundation2021 $400,000 Project on public investment in early childhood education/family support programs
Total: $4,725,000
Grand Total (2017-2021):$16,387,789

Leadership

Founder and President

Jerry Taylor was the founding president of the Niskanen Center. A self-described “libertarian,” Taylor previously worked in various senior roles with the center-right Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, where he was at various points director of natural resources studies, assistant editor of the Institute’s magazine Regulation, senior fellow, and vice president. Taylor also worked as director for energy and environment at the center-right American Legislative Exchange Center (ALEC). 32 In 2018, his total compensation was $233,464. 33

In March 2015, Taylor authored a report entitled The Conservative Case for a Carbon Tax in which he argued that “conservatives should make a carbon tax a centerpiece of their environmental policy agenda” instead of debating the merits of man-made climate change or global warming theory. Taylor wrote: 34

The political question is not whether government should act to control the emission of greenhouse gases. That question has been settled for the foreseeable future. The relevant political question is how government should control greenhouse gas emissions.

A carbon tax advocate, Taylor has stated his support for a plan proposed by the Stanford Energy Modeling Forum which would enact a $65 per ton tax on carbon dioxide emissions by 2022, rising to $296 per ton in 2045. Taylor has claimed that the total cost to the U.S. economy from this plan “would be less than 0.2 percent of GDP.” 35

Taylor’s brother, James Taylor, is senior fellow for environment and energy policy at the center-right Heartland Institute. Taylor has described a “‘revenue neutral’ carbon tax [as] a costly myth.” 36 37

Taylor resigned in September 2021 after pleading guilty to domestic abuse charges made by his ex-wife. 38 The Niskanen Center’s co-founder Joe Coon, stepped in as interim president.

Advisory Board

According to its 2018 annual report, Niskanen’s advisory board consisted of the following individuals, who were affiliated with the listed organizations at that time: 39

  • Mindy Finn, Stand Up Republic
  • Evan McMullin, Stand Up Republic
  • George P. Shultz, Hoover Institution
  • David Frum, Senior Editor of The Atlantic
  • Yuval Levin, National Affairs
  • Reihan Salam, National Review
  • Eli Lehrer, R Street Institute
  • Eliot Cohen, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Relations
  • Anat Admati, Stanford University
  • Brandon Arnold, National Taxpayers Union
  • Radley Balko, Journalist and Author
  • Tom Nichols, Author
  • Virginia Postrel, Author and Columnist
  • Stuart Butler, Brookings Institution
  • William A. Galston, Brookings Institution
  • Benjamin Wittes, Brookings Institution
  • John H. Cochrane, Hoover Institution
  • Tyler Cowen, Mercatus Center
  • J. Bradford Delong, University of California at Berkeley
  • Daniel Drezner, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University
  • Jacob T. Levy, McGill University
  • Alexander McCobin, Conscious Capitalism
  • Mark S. Weiner, Rutgers University
  • Justin Wolfers, University of Michigan
  • Matt Zwolinski, University of San Diego

Documents

The Niskanen Center’s Form 990 IRS filings for 2016 through 2019 are available here:

The Niskanen Center’s 2017-2018 annual report is available here.

The Niskanen Center’s 2020 annual report is available here.

References

  1. Jerry Taylor. “The Conservative Case for a Carbon Tax.” Niskanen Center. March 23, 2015. Accessed May 3, 2019. Original URL: https://niskanencenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/The-Conservative-Case-for-a-Carbon-Tax1.pdf. Available: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2019/05/the-conservative-case-for-a-carbon-tax.pdf
  2. Lippman, Daniel. “Think Tank President Quits after Domestic Violence Complaint.” POLITICO. POLITICO, September 29, 2021. https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/29/think-tank-president-quits-domestic-violence-514601.
  3. Jonathan Miller. “A place for the GOP to mull life after Trump.” Roll Call. May 1, 2019. Accessed May 3, 2019. http://www.rollcall.com/news/congress/place-gop-mull-life-trump
  4. Hayden Ludwig. “The Myth of a Conservative Carbon Tax: Ignoring Basic Tax Policy.” Capital Research Center. October 12, 2018. Accessed May 3, 2019. https://capitalresearch.org/article/the-myth-of-a-conservative-carbon-tax-part-2/
  5. Jonathan Miller. “A place for the GOP to mull life after Trump.” Roll Call. May 1, 2019. Accessed May 3, 2019. http://www.rollcall.com/news/congress/place-gop-mull-life-trump
  6. “After Months of Silence, Boulder to Hold Rally With Activists to Announce Climate Lawsuit.” EID Climate – A Project of IPAA. April 20, 2018. Accessed November 01, 2018. https://eidclimate.org/after-months-silence-boulder-hold-rally-with-activists-announce-climate-lawsuit/.
  7. Cooke, Amy. “High Powered Legal Team for Plaintiffs in the Boulder Climate Lawsuit.” IWF. Accessed November 01, 2018. http://iwf.org/blog/2807807/High-powered-legal-team-for-plaintiffs-in-the-Boulder-climate-lawsuit.
  8. Cooke, Amy. “High Powered Legal Team for Plaintiffs in the Boulder Climate Lawsuit.” IWF. Accessed November 01, 2018. http://iwf.org/blog/2807807/High-powered-legal-team-for-plaintiffs-in-the-Boulder-climate-lawsuit.
  9. Norton, Gale. “Climate Change Lawsuits: Boulder Can Do Better.” The Denver Post. April 20, 2018. Accessed November 01, 2018. https://www.denverpost.com/2018/04/20/climate-change-lawsuits-boulder-can-do-better/.
  10. Cooke, Amy. “Swift Condemnation for Boulder Climate Lawsuit and DC Think Tank.” Independence Institute. May 29, 2018. Accessed November 01, 2018. https://i2i.org/swift-condemnation-boulder-climate-lawsuit-and-dc-think-tank/.
  11. Cooke, Amy. “Swift Condemnation for Boulder Climate Lawsuit and DC Think Tank.” Independence Institute. May 29, 2018. Accessed November 01, 2018. https://i2i.org/swift-condemnation-boulder-climate-lawsuit-and-dc-think-tank/.
  12. Tweet (@willwilkinson). May 8, 2019. Accessed May 20, 2019. https://twitter.com/willwilkinson/status/1126235616100999169
  13. Horgos, Bonnie. “What Alabama’s Abortion Bill Could Mean for the Pro-Choice Movement.” Yahoo! May 16, 2019. Accessed May 20, 2019. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/alabamas-abortion-bill-could-mean-120048591.html.
  14. Mazzei, Patricia, and Alan Blinder. “Georgia Governor Signs One of Nation’s Most Restrictive Abortion Laws.” The New York Times. May 07, 2019. Accessed May 20, 2019. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/07/us/heartbeat-bill-georgia.html.
  15. Tweet (@willwilkinson). May 8, 2019. Accessed May 20, 2019. https://twitter.com/willwilkinson/status/1126235616100999169
  16. Meckler, Laura, and Robert Barnes. “Trump Judicial Nominees Decline to Endorse Brown v. Board under Senate Questioning.” The Washington Post. May 16, 2019. Accessed May 20, 2019. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/trump-judicial-nominees-decline-to-endorse-brown-v-board-under-senate-questioning/2019/05/16/d5409d58-7732-11e9-b7ae-390de4259661_story.html?utm_term=.8cb1880621ed&wpisrc=nl_politics&wpmm=1.
  17. Tweet (@jerry_jtaylor). May 17, 2019. Accessed May 20, 2019. https://twitter.com/jerry_jtaylor/status/1129430691614265344
  18. “About.” Protect Democracy. Accessed May 20, 2019. https://protectdemocracy.org/about/.
  19. Bernstein, Joseph. “Why Is A Top Harvard Law Professor Sharing Anti-Trump Conspiracy Theories?” BuzzFeed News. May 11, 2017. Accessed May 20, 2019. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/josephbernstein/larry-tribe-why.
  20. “Biography | Stuart M. Gerson.” Epstein Becker & Green. Accessed May 20, 2019. https://www.ebglaw.com/stuart-m-gerson/.
  21. Lippman, Daniel. “Think Tank President Quits after Domestic Violence Complaint.” POLITICO. POLITICO, September 29, 2021. https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/29/think-tank-president-quits-domestic-violence-514601.
  22. Lippman, Daniel. “Think Tank President Quits after Domestic Violence Complaint.” POLITICO. POLITICO, September 29, 2021. https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/29/think-tank-president-quits-domestic-violence-514601.
  23. Lippman, Daniel. “Think Tank President Quits after Domestic Violence Complaint.” POLITICO. POLITICO, September 29, 2021. https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/29/think-tank-president-quits-domestic-violence-514601.
  24. “Niskanen Center for Public Policy: Donation History.” Niskanen Center. Accessed May 6, 2019. Original URL: https://niskanencenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Niskanen-Center-donation-history-March-2019-3.pdf. Available here: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2019/05/Niskanen-Center-2019-Donations.pdf
  25. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Environmental Defense Action Fund. 2015. Schedule I, Part II (Grants…).
  26. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990) (multiple). Niskanen Center. 2015, 2016, 2018. Part I. Lines 12, 18, 22.
  27. Information provided by FoundationSearch. Niskanen Center. 2015-2018. FoundationSearch.com. Various Form 990 filings for 2018 were also used to accumulate grant data.

    Arnold Ventures: Grants to Niskanen Center. Accessed February 15, 2021. Original URL: https://www.arnoldventures.org/grantees/the-niskanen-center. Archived: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2021/02/Arnold-Ventures-Niskanen-Center-Grants-2021.pdf

  28. Niskanen Center Contributors, 2022. Accessed April 7, 2022. Archived: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2022/04/niskanen-center-donors-2021.pdf
  29. “Niskanen Center for Public Policy: Donation History.” Niskanen Center. Accessed May 6, 2019. Original URL: https://niskanencenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Niskanen-Center-donation-history-March-2019-3.pdf. Available here: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2019/05/Niskanen-Center-2019-Donations.pdf[/note

    Major grantors listed in the document included George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Arnold Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Sall Family Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and the Rockefeller Foundation29“Niskanen Center for Public Policy: Donation History.” Niskanen Center. Accessed May 6, 2019. Original URL: https://niskanencenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Niskanen-Center-donation-history-March-2019-3.pdf. Available here: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2019/05/Niskanen-Center-2019-Donations.pdf

  30. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Hopewell Fund. 2016. Schedule I. Archived: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2019/03/Hopewell-Fund-2016-Form-990.pdf

    See PDF page 45.

  31. “Jerry Taylor.” Niskanen Center. Accessed May 3, 2019. https://niskanencenter.org/blog/staff/jerry-taylor/
  32. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Niskanen Center. 2018. Part VII.
  33. Jerry Taylor. “The Conservative Case for a Carbon Tax.” Niskanen Center. March 23, 2015. Accessed May 3, 2019. Original URL: https://niskanencenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/The-Conservative-Case-for-a-Carbon-Tax1.pdf. Available: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2019/05/the-conservative-case-for-a-carbon-tax.pdf
  34. Jerry Taylor. “A Conservative Carbon Tax.” Milken Institute Review. January 19, 2017. Accessed May 3, 2019. http://www.milkenreview.org/articles/a-conservative-carbon-tax
  35. “James Taylor.” Heartland Institute. Accessed May 3, 2019. https://www.heartland.org/about-us/who-we-are/james-m-taylor
  36. “A ‘Revenue Neutral’ Carbon Tax is a Costly Myth.” Heartland Institute. February 23, 2019. May 3, 2019. https://www.heartland.org/news-opinion/news/a-revenue-neutral-carbon-tax-is-a-costly-myth
  37. Lippman, Daniel. “Think Tank President Quits after Domestic Violence Complaint.” POLITICO. POLITICO, September 29, 2021. https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/29/think-tank-president-quits-domestic-violence-514601.
  38. “Niskanen Center Annual Report, 2017-2018.” Niskanen Center. Accessed May 20, 2019. Original URL: https://niskanencenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/2018-Niskanen-Annual-Report-v2.pdf. Available here: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2019/05/Niskanen-Center-Annual-Reort-2017-2018.pdf

Directors, Employees & Supporters

  1. George P. Schultz
    Officer/Board Member
  2. David Bookbinder
    Chief Counsel
  3. Will Wilkinson
    Former Vice President for Research
  4. R. J. Lyman
    Senior Fellow and Board Member
  5. Robert Litterman
    Board Member
  6. Juleanna Glover
    Board Member
  7. Daniel Drezner
    Board Member
  8. Eliot Cohen
    Board Member
  9. Jerry Taylor
    Former President
  10. Evan McMullin
    Advisory Board Member
  11. Mindy Finn
    Advisory Board Member
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: September 1, 2014

  • 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
    2019 Dec Form 990 $6,548,833 $4,421,324 $3,106,098 $84,352 N $6,537,027 $0 $0 $1,777,138 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $4,349,043 $4,170,789 $989,001 $94,764 N $4,349,043 $0 $0 $1,190,671 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $3,529,677 $3,281,090 $817,954 $101,971 N $3,529,677 $0 $0 $927,579 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $2,250,594 $2,447,205 $583,618 $116,222 N $2,250,588 $0 $6 $391,751
    2015 Dec Form 990 $1,954,786 $1,665,531 $667,380 $3,373 N $1,954,786 $0 $0 $405,690 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $647,000 $272,248 $410,860 $36,108 N $647,000 $0 $0 $184,025 PDF

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