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Non-profit

The Policy Circle

Website:

thepolicycircle.org%20
Location:

Wilmette, IL
Tax ID:

47-2843650
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2018):

Revenue: $867,782
Expenses: $694,464
Assets: $388,389
Formation:

2015
Type:

Non-profit
Executive Director:

Stacy Blakeley

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The Policy Circle is a nonpartisan, nonprofit membership organization that seeks to empower women to become educated, active citizens. The Policy Circle’s goal is to support women’s ability to impact public policy, especially on policies which support free markets, personal responsibility, and entrepreneurial innovation. 1

The Policy Circle is an associate member of the right-of-center State Policy Network, a coalition of state-level policy organizations that support free-market economic policy. 2 While the Policy Circle in nonpartisan, members of its staff have affiliations with the Republican Party.

Activity

The Policy Circle is a nonpartisan, nonprofit membership organization that empowers women to become educated, active citizens. The Policy Circle supports women who advocate for public policy solutions that promote free markets, personal responsibility, and entrepreneurial innovation. 3

The Policy Circle provides a membership-based platform for women to have public policy conversations. The Policy Circle is guided in accordance with several principles, including requirements that members engage in fact-based dialogue, abstain from discussion on certain social issues, and support an open economy. Conversations had within the organization are considered “off the record” and stay within the Policy Circle. 4

In addition to hosting forums for discussion, the Policy Circle publishes policy briefs on topics like immigration, free enterprise, and economic growth.

The Policy Circle supports immigration reform, especially in the areas of border security and illegal immigration. The Policy Circle has noted that there are a wide variety of opinions on immigration policy and encourages its members to learn about the economic effects of immigration. The Policy Circle points to organizations like the restrictionist Center for Immigration Studies, the expansionist left-of-center Migration Policy Institute, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as additional resources for its members. 5

The Policy Circle advocates for a free enterprise system and claims that this is the only economic system that works for everyone. The Policy Circle has further argued that economic freedom, ownership of private property, and competition which exist in free-market societies allow individuals to be successful and be self-sufficient. The Policy Circle points its members to resources that support free markets, like the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute and the economic writings of Milton Friedman, Adam Smith, and Friedrich Hayek. 6

The Policy Circle’s brief on economic growth discusses the role of government in the U.S. economy and claims that reforms need to occur in employment, wages, taxes, and government regulations. The Policy Circle promotes organizations like the State Policy Network, the Institute for Justice, and the libertarian Cato Institute as resources for its members, all of which support free market policies and deregulation of the economy. 7

Funding

The Policy Circle is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. Tax filings show donations from the National Philanthropic Trust, a donor-advised fund which contributed $300,000 between 2015 and 2017;8 Donors Trust, which contributed $137,000 between 2017 and 2019;9 and the Schwab Charitable Fund, which contributed $136,000 between 2016 and 2018. 10

People

Staff

Stacy Blakeley is the executive director of the Policy Circle. Blakeley previously worked as a staffer for former U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-TX). 11

Nicole Cline is the director of external relations and expansion at the Policy Circle and a former public affairs manager at the Connecticut Business and Industry Association. Cline is a member of the American Enterprise Institute’s Leadership Network and on the Future 40 Committee of the right-of-center Maverick PAC. 12

Judi Willard is the associate director of engagement at the Policy Circle and formerly worked for the Illinois Policy Institute. 13

Corinne Winters is the policy editor at the Policy Circle and a former policy intern for the right-of-center Jack Kemp Foundation. 14

Kim Borchers is the associate director of civic engagement at the Policy Circle and former executive director of leadership development at the Foundation for Government Accountability. Borchers serves on the Republican National Committee, representing Kansas. 15

Anne Williams is the former executive director of the Policy Circle. Williams formerly worked as the domestic finance spokesperson for the U.S. Department of the Treasury, as associate director of private sector initiatives for the White House, and as a communications assistant for the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). 16

Board of Trustees

Sylvie Legere is a co-founder and chair of the board of the Policy Circle. Legere also sits on the board of the Bradley Impact Fund and on the national council of the American Enterprise Institute. 17 18

Angela Braly is a co-founder and secretary of the board of the Policy Circle. Braly also sits on the boards of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, ExxonMobil, and Proctor and Gamble. 19

Kathy Hubbard is a co-founder and treasurer of the board of the Policy Circle. Hubbard also sits on the board of the American Federation for Children. 20

Board member Laura Cox Kaplan sits on the boards of Running Start, All in Together, Empowered Women, and Value in Electing Women PAC. Kaplan formerly served in senior positions at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury. 21

National Advisory Council

Several members of the Policy Circle National Advisory Council have ties to right-of-center organizations as well. Jessica Dean is the senior vice president of the Bradley Impact Fund and the former vice president of external relations for the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. 22 Dean was the first associate director of Donors Trust and formerly worked as a major gifts officer for the Heritage Foundation. 23

Rebecca Walter Dunn is a trustee of the libertarian Dunn Foundation. Dunn formerly served on the boards of the James Madison Institute and the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. 24

Beth Feeley is a senior advisor at the Woodson Center and served as the launch director for its 1776 Project. 25

Troy and Elizabeth Fowler both sit on the board of the right-of-center Triad Foundation in Ithaca, New York. 26 27

Mary Beth Weiss serves on the advisory boards of American Commitment, American Transparency, and the Network of enlightened Women. 28

References

  1. “See Our Impact.” The Policy Circle, 2021. Accessed May 1, 2021. https://www.thepolicycircle.org/see-our-impact/.
  2. “The Network: Illinois.” State Policy Network, 2021. Accessed April 24, 2021. https://spn.org/directory/#IL.
  3. “See Our Impact.” The Policy Circle, 2021. Accessed May 1, 2021. https://www.thepolicycircle.org/see-our-impact/.
  4. “The Policy Circle Core Principles.” The Policy Circle, 2021. Accessed May 1, 2021. https://www.thepolicycircle.org/the-policy-circle-core-principles/.
  5. “Immigration.” The Policy Circle, 2021. Accessed May 4, 2021. https://www.thepolicycircle.org/brief/immigration/#section_4.
  6. “Free Enterprise & Economic Freedom.” The Policy Circle, 2021. Accessed May 4, 2021. https://www.thepolicycircle.org/brief/free-markets-101/#section_1.
  7. “Economic Growth.” The Policy Circle, 2021. Accessed May 4, 2021. https://www.thepolicycircle.org/brief/economic-growth/#section_4.
  8. National Philanthropic Trust, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2015-2017, Schedule I, Part II.
  9. Donors Trust, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2017-2019, Schedule I, Part II.
  10. Schwab Charitable Fund, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2016-2018, Schedule I, Part II.
  11. “The Policy Circle Team.” The Policy Circle, 2021. Accessed May 1, 2021. https://www.thepolicycircle.org/the-policy-circle-team/.
  12. “Nicole Cline.” LinkedIn, 2021. Accessed May 1, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ncline/.
  13. “The Policy Circle Team.” The Policy Circle, 2021. Accessed May 1, 2021. https://www.thepolicycircle.org/the-policy-circle-team/.
  14. “The Policy Circle Team.” The Policy Circle, 2021. Accessed May 1, 2021. https://www.thepolicycircle.org/the-policy-circle-team/.
  15. “Kim Borchers.” LinkedIn, 2021. Accessed May 1, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-borchers-8758385/.
  16. “Anne Williams.” LinkedIn, 2021. Accessed May 1, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/annekellywilliams/.
  17. “How It Started.” The Policy Circle, 2021. Accessed May 1, 2021. https://www.thepolicycircle.org/how-it-started/.
  18. “National Council.” American Enterprise Institute, 2021. Accessed May 3, 2021. https://www.aei.org/about/national-council/.
  19. “Angela Braly.” LinkedIn, 2021. Accessed May 1, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelabraly/.
  20. “How It Started.” The Policy Circle, 2021. Accessed May 1, 2021. https://www.thepolicycircle.org/how-it-started/.
  21. “About Laura Cox Kaplan.” Laura Cox Kaplan. Accessed May 1, 2021. https://lauracoxkaplan.com/.
  22. “Jessica Dean.” LinkedIn, 2021. Accessed May 1, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-dean-82ab80173/.
  23. “Jessica Dean.” Bradley Impact Fund, 2021. Accessed May 1, 2021. https://www.bradleyimpactfund.org/staff/jessica-dean.
  24. “Trustees.” Dunn Foundation. Accessed May 1, 2021. http://www.dunnfoundation.org/trustees.htm.
  25. “Beth Feeley.” The Woodson Center, 2021. Accessed May 1, 2021. https://woodsoncenter.org/team_members/beth-feeley/.
  26. “Troy Fowler.” LinkedIn, 2021. Accessed May 1, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/troy-fowler-8836599/.
  27. “Elizabeth Fowler.” LinkedIn, 2021. Accessed May 1, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-fowler-5b344b13/.
  28. “Mary Beth Weiss.” Network of Enlightened Women, 2021. Accessed May 1, 2021. https://enlightenedwomen.org/about/mary-beth-weiss/.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: August 1, 2015

    • 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
    2018 Dec Form 990 $867,782 $694,464 $388,389 $32,248 N $940,837 $0 $0 $59,187 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $508,898 $529,625 $214,226 $31,403 N $508,898 $0 $0 $0
    2016 Dec Form 990 $304,884 $359,763 $124,653 $0 N $303,684 $1,200 $0 $0
    2015 Dec Form 990 $465,118 $285,586 $179,532 $0 N $465,118 $0 $0 $0 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    The Policy Circle

    1189 WILMETTE AVENUE NO 210
    Wilmette, IL 60091-2719