The Institute for Policy Innovation (IPI) is a right-leaning think tank that researches, develops, and promotes innovative public policy solutions based on the ideals of individual liberty, limited government, and free markets. ¹

The Institute for Policy Innovation focuses its efforts on policy issues related to economic growth, energy, entitlements, health care, intellectual property, tax policy, trade, and technologies and communication. ²

The Institute for Policy Innovation is a former associate member of the State Policy Network, a coalition of free-market state-level policy organizations. ³

Activities

The Institute for Policy Innovation advocates for economic policy that promotes growth, which in turn creates jobs and raises living standards, all while maintaining global competitiveness. IPI claims that self-imposed limitations placed on economic growth, like ineffective tax policy, unnecessary regulations, bad monetary policy, and trade protectionism will only prevent the U.S. economy from prospering. ⁴

The Institute for Policy Innovation supports tax policy changes to stimulate long-term economic growth. IPI advocates for a tax policy that is simple, transparent, neutral, and competitive. IPI claims that the current tax system fails to incentivize investment, which drives economic growth, and makes it difficult for U.S. companies to compete internationally. ⁵

The Institute for Policy Innovation advocates for trade liberalization, which would include lowering U.S. trade barriers, whether or not other countries reciprocate. IPI supports bilateral agreements in addition to multilateral agreements, like the Trans-Pacific Partnership, in order to promote freer trade. IPI claims that liberalized trade policies benefit U.S. workers by facilitating the export of more American products worldwide, which would in turn lower prices on consumer goods. ⁶

Funding

The Institute for Policy Innovation is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. While IPI does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm donations from the Hatton W. Sumners Foundation for the Study & Teaching of Self-Government ($225,000 in 2016), ⁷ Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America ($80,000 in 2019), ⁸ and the Motion Picture Association of America ($50,000 in 2016). ⁹

People

Staff

Merrill Matthews is a resident scholar at the Institute for Policy Innovation and sits on the Texas Advisory Committee of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Matthews is a former president of the Health Economics Roundtable for the National Association for Business Economics. ¹⁰

Addie Crimmins is the director of development and events at IPI. Crimmins is the former program coordinator of the Women’s Leadership Forum at the National Rifle Association. ¹¹

Board

Marv Bramlett is the chair of the board of the Institute for Policy Innovation and a co-founder of 100 Men Who Give a Damn Dallas. ¹²

Layne de Alvarez formerly worked as a source analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency and as a counterintelligence specialist in the CIA’s Counterterrorism Center. ¹³

Wayne Stoltenberg is the executive vice president and CFO of Vine Energy Inc. and formerly the CFO of Cinco Oil and Gas. ¹⁴

Tom Giovanetti is the president of IPI. ¹⁵

1. “About the Institute for Policy Innovation.” Institute for Policy Innovation, 2022. Accessed May 15, 2022. https://www.ipi.org/about_ipi/.
2. “IPI Issues.” Institute for Policy Innovation, 2022. Accessed May 15, 2022. https://www.ipi.org/ipi_issues/
3. “The Network: Texas.” State Policy Network, 2019. Archived from the original August 31, 2019. Accessed May 15, 2022. http://web.archive.org/web/20190831182856/https://spn.org/directory/#TX.
4. “Economic Growth.” Institute for Policy Innovation, 2022. Accessed May 15, 2022. https://www.ipi.org/ipi_issues/cf/detail/economic-growth.
5. “Tax Reform.” Institute for Policy Innovation, 2022. Accessed May 15, 2022. https://www.ipi.org/ipi_issues/cf/detail/tax-reform.
6. “Trade.” Institute for Policy Innovation, 2022. Accessed May 15, 2022. https://www.ipi.org/ipi_issues/cf/detail/trade.
7. Hatton W. Sumners Foundation for the Study & Teaching of Self-Government, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2016, Part XV, Line 3a.
8. Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2019, Schedule I, Part II.
9. Motion Picture Association of America, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2016, Schedule I, Part II.
10. “Merrill Matthews.” Institute for Policy Innovation, 2022. Accessed May 15, 2022. https://www.ipi.org/authors/detail/merrill-matthews.
11. “Addie Crimmins.” LinkedIn, 2022. Accessed May 15, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/addie-crimmins-b6951b28/.
12. ^[1] “Board of Directors.” Institute for Policy Innovation, 2022. Accessed May 15, 2022. https://www.ipi.org/about_ipi/page/board-of-directors.
13. “Board of Directors.” Institute for Policy Innovation, 2022. Accessed May 15, 2022. https://www.ipi.org/about_ipi/page/board-of-directors.
14.  “Board of Directors.” Institute for Policy Innovation, 2022. Accessed May 15, 2022. https://www.ipi.org/about_ipi/page/board-of-directors.
15.  “Board of Directors.” Institute for Policy Innovation, 2022. Accessed May 15, 2022. https://www.ipi.org/about_ipi/page/board-of-directors.