The Ethan Allen Institute (EAI) is a non-partisan, free-market think tank based in Vermont. EAI produces research and education aimed to influence public policy that supports free enterprise, limited government, and individual liberty. ¹ It is an affiliate member of the State Policy Network, a coalition of state-level right-leaning policy organizations. ²

EAI sponsors the “Common Sense Radio” show, a program conducting interviews with political figures in Vermont. ³

Activity

The Ethan Allen Institute maintains a website containing educational material which it calls “issue briefs,” analysis of Vermont legislators’ voting records, and a blog which is open to posts by its members and followers. ⁴ Additionally, EAI features public policy commentaries by Rob Roper, John McClaughry, and David Flemming, which are also published in various newspapers and online venues throughout Vermont. ⁵

EAI researches free enterprise, government finances, the effects of state and local regulations on citizens’ rights, school choice, and the protection of local governments from federal mandates. ⁶

In issue briefs published in 2020, EAI argued the risks of raising Vermont’s minimum wage to $15, ⁷ the infeasibility of establishing a government-controlled single payer health care system in Vermont, ⁸ and to show that expanding school choice programs would correct challenges faced by Vermont’s current public education system. ⁹

EAI sponsors the “Common Sense Radio” show, hosted by board member Bill Sayre. The program conducts interviews with political figures in Vermont and takes calls from listeners. ¹⁰

Funding

The Ethan Allen Institute is funded by individual donations and grants from organizations like Donors Capital Fund ($248,500 between 2008 and 2010), ¹¹ the Cato Institute ($50,000 in 2006), ¹² and the Chicago Community Trust (CCT) ($48,000 in 2016). ¹³

People

Staff

Rob Roper works as president of EAI and formerly was the executive director of FreedomWorks Vermont and the chair of the Vermont Republican Party. Roper is the former host of EAI’s “Common Sense Radio” program. ¹⁴

David Flemming works as a policy analyst for Ethan Allen Institute. Flemming formerly worked in public policy with organizations like the Economic and Policy Resources, the Independent Institute, Campaign for Vermont, and the American Legislative Exchange Council. Flemming is an alumnus of the Charles Koch Institute Koch Internship Program and Koch Summer Fellow Program. ¹⁵

Board of Directors

John McClaughry founded the Ethan Allen Institute in 1993 and works as its vice president, after he served as president until August 2009. He is a former member of the Vermont House and Senate and was a senior policy advisor in the Reagan Administration. ¹⁶

Board chair and businessman Jack McMullen formerly taught business strategy at Harvard Law School, served as an informal advisor to then-U.S. Senator Bill Bradley (D-NJ), ¹⁷  and was Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in 2004, and for Vermont Attorney General in 2012. ¹⁸

Anne McClaughry formerly served as the commissioner of the Vermont Commission on Women and as the vice chair of the Vermont Republican Party. ¹⁹

Bill Sayre is the former chair of the board of Associated Industries of Vermont, a former economist for the Federal Reserve, a former chair of the Vermont Coalition for Employment and Prosperity, and a former Vermont delegate to the White House Conference on Small Business. ²⁰ Sayre hosts the “Common Sense Radio” program. ²¹

Milt Eaton is the former Vermont Secretary of Economic Development and Community Affairs and a former senior official for the Department of Energy. ²²

Other board members include John Goodrich, Tom Breuer, and Catherine Clark. ²³

1. “About.” The Ethan Allen Institute, 2020. Accessed September 25, 2020. https://www.ethanallen.org/.
2. “Directory: Vermont.” State Policy Network, 2020. Accessed September 25, 2020. https://spn.org/directory/#VT.
3. “Common Sense Radio.” The Ethan Allen Institute, 2020. Accessed September 25, 2020. https://www.ethanallen.org/common-sense-radio.
4. “Ethan Allen Institute.” Accessed October 6, 2020. https://www.ethanallen.org/.
5. “EAI Commentary.” Ethan Allen Institute. Accessed October 6, 2020. https://www.ethanallen.org/commentary.
6. “Ethan Allen Institute.” Accessed October 6, 2020. https://www.ethanallen.org/.
7. ^[1] Flemming, David and Roper, Rob. “Issue Brief: What a $15 Minimum Wage Would Do to Vermont.” The Ethan Allen Institute, 2020. Accessed September 25, 2020. https://www.ethanallen.org/issue-brief-what-a-15-minimum-wage-would-do-to-vermont.
8. “Issue Brief: Healthcare & Single Payer.” The Ethan Allen Institute, 2020. Accessed September 25, 2020. https://www.ethanallen.org/issue-brief-healthcare-single-payer.
9. “Issue Brief: Education Finance & Property Taxes.” The Ethan Allen Institute, 2020. Accessed September 25, 2020. https://www.ethanallen.org/issue-brief-education-finance-property-taxes.
10. “Common Sense Radio.” The Ethan Allen Institute, 2020. Accessed September 25, 2020. https://www.ethanallen.org/common-sense-radio.
11. ^[1] Donors Capital, Inc., Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2008-2010, Schedule A, Part I, Line 1.h.
12. Cato Institute, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2006, Schedule I, Part II.
13. ^[1] The Chicago Community Trust, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2016, Schedule I, Part II.
14. “About Us.” The Ethan Allen Institute, 2020. Accessed September 25, 2020. https://www.ethanallen.org/.
15.  “About Us.” The Ethan Allen Institute, 2020. Accessed September 25, 2020. https://www.ethanallen.org/.
16. “About Us.” The Ethan Allen Institute, 2020. Accessed September 25, 2020. https://www.ethanallen.org/.
17. “Jack McMullen.” LinkedIn, 2020. Accessed September 25, 2020. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-mcmullen-492441/.
18. “Jack McMullen.” Ballotpedia. Accessed September 25, 2020. https://ballotpedia.org/Jack_McMullen.
19. “Douglas names head of VCW.” The Rutland Herald, April 11, 2005. Accessed September 25, 2020. https://www.rutlandherald.com/news/douglas-names-head-of-vcw/article_40ee11fa-9a7e-5b99-8d99-7a9061c2e3dc.html.
20. “William R. Sayre.” Property Rights Foundation of America, 1999. Accessed September 25, 2020. https://prfamerica.org/biography/Biography-Sayre-William.html.
21. “Common Sense Radio.” The Ethan Allen Institute, 2020. Accessed September 25, 2020. https://www.ethanallen.org/common-sense-radio.
22. ^[1] “Vermont’s ability to affect climate change is a mirage.” The Ethan Allen Institute, 2020. Accessed September 25, 2020. https://www.ethanallen.org/vermonts-ability-to-affect-climate-change-is-a-mirage.
23. Ethan Allen Institute, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2019, Part VII, Section A, Line 1a. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/223092292/08_2021_prefixes_20-23%2F223092292_201912_990_2021081718733554