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Texas Public Policy Foundation

This is a logo for Texas Public Policy Foundation. (link)
Location:

AUSTIN, TX
Tax ID:

74-2524057
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2017):

Revenue: $12,107,649
Expenses: $11,303,061
Assets: $14,487,960

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The Texas Public Policy Foundation is a conservative-leaning think tank based in Austin, TX. The organization was founded in 1987 and states its mission is to defend liberty, personal responsibility and free enterprise in Texas and across the United States. 1

Background

The Texas Public Policy Foundation is a conservative-leaning think tank based in Austin, Texas. 1 James Leininger, a major Republican donor whose company, Kinetic Concepts, sold specialty medical beds, founded the organization in 1987. 2

The organization hosts an annual event known as the “Policy Orientation for the Texas Legislature.” 3 TPPF also established an office in Washington, D.C. 4

The foundation is a member of the State Policy Network, a national coalition of state-based conservative-leaning think tanks. 5 It also participates in forming policy for the American Legislative Exchange Council. 6

Financial Backers

Among the donors to the TPPF have been Koch Industries, the electric utility firm Luminant, 7 Exxon, and State Farm. 8 Pew Charitable Trusts has also contributed to the foundation’s criminal justice reform efforts. 4

The foundation states it is “funded by thousands of individuals, foundations, and corporations” but does not accept any government funding or contributions.” 9

Leadership

Kevin Roberts is the executive director of the Texas Public Policy Foundation. He was previously president of Wyoming Catholic College. Before that he founded his own K-12 school, John Paul the Great Academy in Louisiana. 10

Chuck DeVore is the vice president of national initiatives of the Texas Public Policy Foundation. DeVore was previously an executive in the aerospace industry and a California State Assemblyman. DeVore is also a lieutenant in the U.S. Army, and was activated during the Los Angeles riots in 1992. 11

Sarah Atnipp Partin is the vice president of development for the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

She previously worked as the corporate relations development officer at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston. 12

John N. Hostettler is the vice president for federal affairs for states trust with the Texas Public Policy Center. He represented Indiana’s 8th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2007. 13

Thomas Lyles is the chairman of the board of directors for the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Lyles is a lawyer and CPA. He is a manager with MedCare Holdings GP and was previously a briefing attorney for the chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court in 1983 and 1984. 14

Policy

The foundation’s “Right on Crime” initiative promotes criminal justice reform from a conservative perspective to focus on effective rehabilitation to avoid recidivism of prisoners. 3

After President Joe Biden came to office, The Texas Public Policy Foundation said it was preparing federal lawsuits against the administration focused on executive overreach. The Biden administration began its early days with energy regulations that had a negative impact on the state of Texas. At the same time, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) announced he was bringing lawsuits. 15

In January 2021, U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) and TPPF Executive Director Kevin Roberts announced the Election Protection Project. The goal of the project was to promote best practices to combat voter fraud, protect legitimate votes, and ensuring proper voter ID to cast a vote in-person and by mail. 16

Trump Administration Ties

Brooke Rollins, a former CEO of the TPPF, served in the Trump administration, first as head of the White House Office of American Innovation and later as director of the Domestic Policy Council. 4

In 2011, then-Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) donated the proceeds of his book, “Fed Up,” to the TPPF. Trump appointed Perry as his first Secretary of Energy. 4

Doug Domenech, who was head of the TPPF Fueling Freedom Project, was the head of Trump’s transition team for the Interior Department. 4

Mario Loyola, who founded the TPPF’s Center for Tenth Amendment Action, became associate director of regulatory reform at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. 4

References

  1. Texas Public Policy Foundation. Cause IQ. Accessed January 28, 2021. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/texas-public-policy-foundation,742524057/
  2. Staff. “The Skinny: James Leininger.” The Texas Tribune. August 26, 2011. Accessed January 30, 2021. https://www.texastribune.org/2011/08/26/who-perry-supporter-james-leininger/
  3. Events. Texas Public Policy Foundation. Accessed January 29, 2021. https://www.texaspolicy.com/events/
  4. Hand, Mark. “Think tank in the ‘king of the red states’ assumes power in Trump’s Washington.” Think Progress. July 31, 2018. Accessed January 29, 2021. https://archive.thinkprogress.org/texas-right-wing-think-tank-tppf-perry-cruz-trump-washington-dc/
  5. Texas Public Policy Foundation. State Policy Network. Accessed January 30, 2021. https://spn.org/organization/texas-public-policy-foundation/
  6. Surgey, Nick. “ExxonMobil Top Sponsor at ALEC Annual Meeting.” Center for Media and Democracy. July 27, 2016. Accessed January 28, 2021. https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2016/07/27/exxonmobil-top-sponsor-alec-annual-meeting/
  7. May, Melissa and Okwu, Michael. “Why is Texas changing its mind about wind power?” Al Jazeera. May 7, 2015. Accessed January 29, 2021. http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/america-tonight/articles/2015/5/7/texas-wind-subsidies.html
  8. Wilder, Forrest. “Revealed: The Corporations and Billionaires that Fund the Texas Public Policy Foundation.” Texas Observer. August 24, 2012. Accessed January 28, 2021. https://www.texasobserver.org/revealed-the-corporations-and-billionaires-that-fund-the-texas-public-policy-foundation/
  9. About. Texas Public Policy Foundation. Accessed January 28, 2021. https://www.texaspolicy.com/about/?utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&utm_term=texas%20public%20paolicy&utm_campaign=Google+Grant&hsa_cam=758993190&hsa_acc=8904014856&hsa_mt=b&hsa_grp=57156752156&hsa_tgt=kwd-299313530817&hsa_ver=3&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ad=282109140605&hsa_src=g&hsa_kw=texas%20public%20policy&gclid=Cj0KCQiAmL-ABhDFARIsAKywVaeZL4UVRXcKENpSJBiduCoelqe3gg_R6nZsvxy5vxuAJPQ7VKXsb4kaAnHfEALw_wcB
  10. Kevin Roberts. Texas Public Policy Foundation. Accessed January 28, 2021. https://www.texaspolicy.com/about/staff/kevin-roberts-ph-d/
  11. Chuck DeVore. Texas Public Policy Foundation. Accessed January 29, 2021. https://www.texaspolicy.com/about/staff/the-honorable-chuck-devore/
  12. Sarah Atnipp Partin. Texas Public Policy Foundation. Accessed January 28, 2021. https://www.texaspolicy.com/about/staff/sarah-atnipp-partin/
  13. John N. Hostettler. Texas Public Policy Foundation. Accessed January 29, 2021. https://www.texaspolicy.com/about/staff/the-honorable-john-n-hostettler/
  14. Press Release. “TPPF Announces Appointment of Thomas Lyles as Chairman of the Board.” October 1, 2019. Accessed January 30, 2021. https://www.texaspolicy.com/press/tppf-announces-the-appointment-of-thomas-lyles-as-chairman-of-the-board
  15. Sanders, Jennifer. “Texas conservatives prepare to file lawsuits against Biden administration.” KXAN. January 21, 2021. Accessed January 29, 2021. https://www.kxan.com/news/texas-politics/texas-conservatives-prepare-to-file-lawsuits-against-biden-administration/
  16. Press Release. “McCaul, Texas Public Policy Foundation Lead Election Protection Project.” January 5, 2021. Accessed January 29, 2021. https://mccaul.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/mccaul-texas-public-policy-foundation-lead-election-protection-project
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: October 1, 1989

    • 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
    2017 Dec Form 990 $12,107,649 $11,303,061 $14,487,960 $110,528 N $11,978,414 $28,074 $91,386 $1,086,201 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $18,290,935 $8,681,038 $14,084,435 $627,775 N $18,029,964 $242,701 $256 $717,844 PDF
    2015 Dec Form 990 $10,821,798 $7,286,003 $10,664,754 $6,365,927 N $10,658,748 $153,644 $21 $1,801,019 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $8,887,301 $5,636,703 $10,616,040 $5,928,198 N $8,568,131 $311,869 $0 $329,292 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $5,288,989 $4,731,140 $8,355,336 $809,407 N $5,341,794 $385,112 $469 $272,696 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990 $7,612,280 $4,364,605 $8,527,984 $1,539,904 N $7,271,035 $303,719 $1,069 $1,003,315 PDF
    2011 Dec Form 990 $5,756,074 $4,948,598 $4,550,572 $314,692 N $5,520,526 $207,013 $2,012 $1,196,736 PDF
    2010 Dec Form 990 $4,674,836 $3,390,188 $3,691,066 $262,662 N $4,099,459 $415,596 $7,853 $983,222 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Texas Public Policy Foundation

    901 CONGRESS AVE
    AUSTIN, TX 78701-2421