Think Freely Media

Think Freely Media (TFM) is a media organization that supports individual liberty and free enterprise. TFM advocates for these ideas in both law and culture1 by producing content, making grants, and sponsoring tournaments. 2

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3)
Issue Areas: Multi-Issue Advocacy
Website: thinkfreelymedia.org
Formation:

2010

President:

Eric Tubbs

President’s Salary:

$89,2833

Location: Chicago, IL View on map
Tax ID: 27-1110796
Most Recent Filing: 2024
Budget (2024): Assets: $25,198 Revenue: $5,320 Expenses: $34,884

Contents

    Think Freely Media is a former associate member of the State Policy Network (SPN) and continues to have a presence on SPN’s website. 4

    Activity

    TFM hosts an annual Great Communicators Summit, which in 2019 featured speakers like John Tillman, CEO of the Illinois Policy Institute; Melissa Mann, vice president of communications of the Atlas Network; and Richard Lorenc, executive vice president of the Foundation For Economic Education. 2

    TFM produces the web series “American + Will” which features short documentary-style videos highlighting Americans who work hard and overcome obstacles in order to achieve their goals and improve their communities. 5 The videos are intended to show people who have achieved success through free enterprise, individual liberty, and less dependence on government. 6

    The Great Communicators Tournament has been held since 2014 in order to find speakers who can persuasively discuss and defend the benefits of the free market and individual liberty. TFM seeks speakers to advance its pro-liberty agenda in public policy and political debates. Criteria to participate include hopefulness, addressing issues of fairness, putting opponents of free enterprise on the defensive, persuading the audience to want more freedom, and “taking the moral high ground.” 7  TFM defines this as positioning free enterprise as better for everyone by using personal stories as a way to appeal to an audience’s emotions instead of arguments based on facts and figures. 8

    The Think Freely Marketing program creates partnerships with other pro-liberty organizations to help amplify TFM’s message. 9

    Funding

    Think Freely Media does not disclose its donors as is its right under federal tax law; however tax filings show the following donors:

    People

    President Eric Tubbs works as the secretary and treasurer of Think Freely Media and formerly served on the boards of the Sam Adams Alliance and the Sanilac County Economic Development Corporation. 16
    Board chair John Tillman is the CEO of the Illinois Policy Institute, co-founder and former president and COO of the Sam Adams Alliance, and the former president of Americans for Limited Government. 17 Tillman came under scrutiny in 2018 for alleged non-profit federal tax code violations to which he stated that all transactions were appropriate, “fully disclosed,” and at fair market value. Tillman also stated that he recused himself from any decisions involving any organizations with which he was affiliated. 18

    Scott Barbee serves on the boards of the Atlas Network, Young Voices, and the Donald and Paula Smith Family Foundation. 19 Other board members include Barry Burdiak and Carol Winfrey. 20

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2024 $25,198 $5,320 $34,884 View
    2023 $34,715 $10,060 $22,251 View
    2022 $63,545 $62,482 $140,568 View
    2021 $196,051 $6,243 $249,248 View
    2020 $385,016 $364,652 $775,457 View

    Prior year filings: 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012

    Revenue Detail

    Expenses Detail

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $4,164,405
    • Number of Grants: 66
    • Number of Funders: 32

    Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $260,0002022 Donors Trust Incfor general operations
    $254,0002021 Donors Trust Incfor general operations
    $205,0002022 Vanguard CharitableFor recipient's exempt purpose
    $100,0002022 Bradley Impact Fund IncGENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
    $35,0002020 Taube Foundation for Jewish Life and CultureGeneral support
    $20,0002022 Triad Foundation Incgeneral operating support during 2022
    $20,0002021 Taube Foundation for Jewish Life and CultureTHINK TANK TRAINING PROGRAM
    $18,3852021 Charles Koch FoundationEducational Programs
    $15,0002020 Adolph Coors FoundationGeneral operating
    $12,0002021 Charles Koch InstituteEDUCATION
    $8,5342022 Triad Foundation Incgeneral operating support during 2022
    $5,0002022 Barbee Family FoundationGENERAL
    $5,0002021 Lovett & Ruth Peters FoundationGENERAL SUPPORT
    $4,4622022 Charles Koch FoundationEducational Programs
    $2,0002022 Chiavacci Family FoundationGENERAL PURPOSE
    $2,0002021 Chiavacci Family FoundationGENERAL PURPOSE
    $1,0002021 The Randolph FoundationIron Light Labs – Brigh Lights Project
    $502024 Garvey Kansas FoundationGENERAL OPERATIONS
    $502023 Garvey Kansas FoundationGENERAL OPERATIONS
    $502022 Garvey Kansas FoundationGENERAL OPERATIONS
    $502021 Garvey Kansas FoundationGENERAL OPERATIONS
    $502020 Garvey Kansas FoundationGENERAL OPERATIONS

    All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $313,534
    • Number of Grants: 8
    • Number of Recipients: 8

    Selection of highest value grants given from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $75,0002022 Bradley Impact Fund IncRESEARCH GRANT
    $28,5342022 Iron Light LabsRESEARCH GRANT

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    Contact Us

    Financials, employee compensation, and grant information provided by Candid.

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. “About Us.” Think Freely, 2020. Accessed October 27, 2020. https://thinkfreelymedia.org/.
    2. “Great Communicators Summit.” Think Freely, 2020. Accessed October 27, 2020. https://thinkfreelymedia.org/great-communicators-summit/.
    3. Think Freely Media, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2018, Part VII, Section A, Line 1a.
    4. “Think Freely Media.” State Policy Network, 2020. Accessed October 22, 2020. https://spn.org/organization/think-freely-media/.
    5. “About Us.” American + Will, 2020. Accessed October 27, 2020. https://americanwill.com/about-us/.
    6. “Think Freely Media Launches New Web Series.” State Policy Network, October 25, 2019. Accessed October 27, 2020. https://spn.org/think-freely-media-launches-new-web-series/.
    7. “Great Communicators Tournament.” Think Freely, 2020. Accessed October 27, 2020. https://thinkfreelymedia.org/great-communicators-tournament/.
    8. “Great Communicators Tournament: Frequently Asked Questions.” Think Freely, 2020. Accessed October 27, 2020.  https://thinkfreelymedia.org/great-communicators-tournament/faq/.
    9. “Programs.” Think Freely, 2020. Accessed October 27, 2020. https://thinkfreelymedia.org/.
    10. “Grants Awarded in 2016.” The JM Foundation, 2020. Accessed October 26, 2020. http://fdnweb.org/jm/grants/category/grants-awarded/.
    11. The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2017, Schedule I, Part II.
    12. Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2014-2016, Part XV, Item 3b.
    13. Donors Trust, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2012-2017, Schedule I, Part II.
    14. Illinois Policy Institute, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2012-2017, Schedule I, Part II.
    15. Ed Uihlein Family Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2014-2016, Part XV, Item 3b.
    16. “Eric Tubbs.” LinkedIn, 2020. Accessed October 26, 2020. https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-tubbs-3437824/.
    17. “John Tillman.” LinkedIn, 2020. Accessed October 26, 2020. https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-tillman-7762234/.
    18.  Dumke, Mick and Sfondeles, Tina. “As Conservative Group Grows In Influence, Financial Dealings Enrich Its Leaders.” ProPublica, February 8, 2018. Accessed October 30, 2020. https://www.propublica.org/article/illinois-policy-institute-john-tillman-transactions.
    19. “Our People.” Atlas Network, 2020. Accessed October 26, 2020. https://www.atlasnetwork.org/about/people/board.
    20. “About Us.” Think Freely, 2020. Accessed October 26, 2020. https://thinkfreelymedia.org/.