Roe Foundation

The Roe Foundation is a 501(c)(3) private foundation started by Thomas A. Roe (1927-2000), founding chairman of the State Policy Network (SPN) and founder of the South Carolina Policy Council. It "continues to provide financial support to free-market policy groups across the country," according to SPN. Roe was also an early funder of the Heritage Foundation, joining Joseph Coors, Samuel Roberts Noble, and Richard Mellon Scaife. He led Heritage's finance committee. This article is a breakout of the State Policy Network article. Please see State Policy Network for more.

In 2011, the organization reported $1,599,873 in total revenue, $1,769,891 in total expenses, and $29,545,157 in total assets (fair market value).

No "Collectivist World" or Organized Musicians: Strict Instructions for Endowment at Roe Foundation

The main characters in Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead also take a stand against a "collectivist world."

According to the conservative "opposition research" think tank Capital Research Center (CRC), Roe believed in maintaining "donor intent," so the foundation his personal wealth endowed, the Roe Foundation, has explicit by-laws and requires grantees to "sign a document promising to uphold" the following principles:

"First, 'the maximum potential of a free people is achieved when they are free to control their own destiny'; second, 'the greatest threat to these freedoms is intrusive government'; and third, 'the Judeo-Christian tradition represents the underpinnings of a just society.' Furthermore, recipients of the foundation’s support must recognize 'the importance of state and local organizations functioning alongside national organizations in the pursuit of a free society.' Finally, they must 'educate the public at large and all public policy makers to a better understanding of these fundamental values and practical ways to achieve the goals of expanding human freedom.'"

A few grants can go to "nonprofit organizations in the metropolitan area of Greenville until such time as there are no descendents [sic] of Tom or Shirley Roe living there, but one such grant, to the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, "stipulates that its musicians cannot unionize. 'Tom didn’t like unions,' says [his widow] Shirley Roe."

Roe gave Mont Pelerin Society and the Philadelphia Society "standing to sue" the Roe Foundation if, after his death, the Roe Foundation makes a grant to an organization “whose activities or public statements reflect a belief in a collectivist world or any view inconsistent” with the foundation’s announced principles (emphasis added), according to Chicago lawyer Paul Rhoads, who has written for the Philanthropy Roundtable.

Ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council

The Roe Foundation has granted $28,500 to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) between 2000 and 2011, according to a review of the foundation's IRS filings by the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD).

About ALEC

ALEC is a corporate bill mill. It is not just a lobby or a front group; it is much more powerful than that. Through ALEC, corporations hand state legislators their wishlists to benefit their bottom line. Corporations fund almost all of ALEC's operations. They pay for a seat on ALEC task forces where corporate lobbyists and special interest reps vote with elected officials to approve “model” bills. Learn more at the Center for Media and Democracy's ALECexposed.org, and check out breaking news on our PRWatch.org site.

Groups Funded

Funding SPN and SPN State Think Tanks

TOTAL to SPN and SPN State Think Tanks 1998-2012: $10,678,000, broken down as follows:

• State Policy Network: $1,092,000 (1998-2012)
• Advance Arkansas Institute: $10,000 (2012)
• Alabama Policy Institute: $119,000 (2000-2012)
• Arkansas Policy Foundation: $25,000 (1998-2009)
• Kentucky's Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions: $140,000 (2004-2012)
• Ohio's Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions: $330,000 (1998-2012)
• Maryland's Calvert Institute for Policy Research: $25,000 (1998-2007)
• Oregon's Cascade Policy Institute: $350,000 (1998-2012)
• Center for Policy Research of New Jersey: $67,500 (2003-2009)
• Minnesota's Center of the American Experiment: $185,000 (1998-2012)
• New Jersey's Common Sense Institute: $15,000 (2012)
• Pennsylvania's Commonwealth Foundation: $228,000 (1998-2012)
• Empire Center for New York State Policy: $110,000 (2005-2012)
• Vermont's Ethan Allen Institute: $100,000 (1998-2011)
• Washington's Evergreen Freedom Foundation: $400,000 (1998-2012)
• Freedom Foundation of Minnesota: $75,000 (2008-2012)
• Georgia Public Policy Foundation: $125,000 (1999-2012)
• Arizona's Goldwater Institute: $302,500 (1998-2012)
• Grassroot Institute of Hawaii: $130,000 (2005-2012)
• South Dakota's Great Plains Public Policy Institute: $27,500 (2003-2009)
• Idaho Freedom Foundation: $45,000 (2010-2012)
• Illinois Policy Institute: $145,000 (2004-2012)
• Colorado's Independence Institute: $287,500 (2001-2012)
• Indiana Policy Review Foundation: $291,000 (1998-2012)
• Florida's James Madison Institute: $335,000 (1998-2012)
• North Carolina's John Locke Foundation: $270,000 (1998-2012)
• New Hampshire's Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy: $168,500 (1998-2012)
• Kansas Policy Institute (formerly Flint Hills Center for Public Policy): $92,500 (1998-2012)
• Michigan's Mackinac Center for Public Policy: $390,000 (1998-2012)
• Maine Heritage Policy Center: $160,000 (2004-2012)
• Maryland Public Policy Institute: $205,000 (2002-2012)
• Mississippi Center for Public Policy: $190,000 (2004-2012)
• Montana Policy Institute: $60,000 (2009-2012)
• Nevada Policy Research Institute: $220,000 (1998-2012)
• North Dakota Policy Council: $55,000 (2008-2012)
• Rhode Island's Ocean State Policy Research Institute: $30,000 (2009-2011)
• Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs: $300,000 (1998-2012)
• California's Pacific Research Institute: $211,000 (1998-2012)
• Louisiana's Pelican Institute for Public Policy: $60,000 (2009-2012)
• Massachusetts' Pioneer Institute: $103,000 (1998-2012)
• Nebraska's Platte Institute for Economic Research: $70,000 (2008-2012)
• Iowa's Public Interest Institute: $1,000 (1998)
• Public Policy Foundation of West Virginia: $40,000 (2008-2012)
• New Mexico's Rio Grande Foundation: $140,000 (2002-2012)
• Missouri's Show-Me Institute: $65,000 (2007-2012)
• South Carolina Policy Council: $1,386,000 (1998-2012)
• Utah's Sutherland Institute: $230,000 (2008-2012)
• Beacon Center of Tennessee (formerly Tennessee Center for Policy Research): $135,000 (2007-2012)
• Texas Public Policy Foundation: $262,000 (1998-2012)
• Virginia's Thomas Jefferson Institute: $183,000 (1998-2012)
• Virginia Institute for Public Policy: $190,000 (1998-2012)
• Washington Policy Center: $117,500 (2001-2012)
• Wisconsin Policy Research Institute: $161,000 (1998-2010)
• Wyoming Liberty Group: $25,000 (2010-2012)
• Connecticut's Yankee Institute for Public Policy: $197,500 (2000-2012)

Forms 990

• Roe Foundation, 2012 Form 990, foundation's IRS filing, May 6, 2013.
• Roe Foundation, 2011 Form 990, foundation's IRS filing, May 9, 2012.
• Roe Foundation, 2010 Form 990, foundation's IRS filing, May 9, 2011.
• Roe Foundation, 2009 Form 990, foundation's IRS filing, April 13, 2010.
• Roe Foundation, 2008 Form 990, foundation's IRS filing, May 12, 2009.
• Roe Foundation, 2007 Form 990, foundation's IRS filing, May 8, 2008.
• Roe Foundation, 2006 Form 990, foundation's IRS filing, April 24, 2007.
• Roe Foundation, 2005 Form 990, foundation's IRS filing, May 8, 2006.
• Roe Foundation, 2004 Form 990, foundation's IRS filing, May 11, 2005.
• Roe Foundation, 2003 Form 990, foundation's IRS filing, April 22, 2004.
• Roe Foundation, 2002 Form 990, foundation's IRS filing, April 1, 2003.
• Roe Foundation, 2001 Form 990, foundation's IRS filing, May 9, 2002.
• Roe Foundation, 2000 Form 990, foundation's IRS filing, May 14, 2001.
• Roe Foundation, 1999 Form 990, foundation's IRS filing, May 10, 2000.
• Roe Foundation, 1998 Form 990, foundation's IRS filing, May 12, 1999.

Key Personnel

Board of Directors

The Roe Foundation's board of directors, as of its 2011 tax filing, consists of:

• Shirley W. Roe (Roe's widow), Chairman
• Edwin J. Feulner, Jr., Vice Chairman (President, Heritage Foundation)
• Carl O. Helstrom, III (Executive Director, JM Foundation, and Board Member, State Policy Network)
• Tracie Sharp (Executive Director, State Policy Network)
• Thomas L. Willcox (Board Member, State Policy Network)
• Byron S. Lamm (former Executive Director and Board Member, State Policy Network)

Contact Information

301 N Main St Ste 1735
Greenville , SC 29601
Phone: (864) 242-5007

Articles and Resources

Related SourceWatch Articles

• State Policy Network:
  • SPN Portal
  • SPN Political Activity
  • SPN Funding
    • SPN 2011 Funding
    • SPN 2010 Funding
    • SPN 2009 Funding
  • SPN Agenda
  • SPN Founders, History, and Staff
  • SPN Members
  • SPN Ties to ALEC
  • Thomas A. Roe
  • Tracie Sharp
  • Byron S. Lamm
  • Roe Foundation
• American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)
  • ALEC Non-Profits
• DonorsTrust
• Donors Capital Fund
• Koch Family Foundations
• Koch Industries
• Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity
• Heritage Foundation
• Think tanks
• Whitney Ball
• Adam Meyerson
• Bridgett Wagner
• Edwin J. Feulner

Related PRWatch Articles

• Brendan Fischer, Why Are the Franklin Center's "Wisconsin Reporter" and "Watchdog.org" Attacking the John Doe?, PRWatch.org, December 19, 2013.
• Rebekah Wilce, The State Policy Network's Cozy Relationship with Big Tobacco, PRWatch.org, December 16, 2013.
• Rebekah Wilce, Did ALEC Found SPN? 1991 Report Suggests So, Exposes SPN Agenda, PRWatch.org, December 12, 2013.
• Rebekah Wilce, Guardian Documents Expose State Policy Network Groups' Intent to Lobby, PRWatch.org, December 5, 2013.
• Rebekah Wilce, State Policy Network: The Stealth Network Dramatically Influencing State Law, PRWatch.org, December 5, 2013.
• Rebekah Wilce, Tracie Sharp: Bursar of Mystery Money and "IKEA Model" Materials to Stink Tanks, PRWatch.org, November 19, 2013.
• Center for Media and Democracy, Reports Expose Extreme Pressure Groups Masquerading as Think Tanks, press release, November 13, 2013.
• Rebekah Wilce, A Reporters’ Guide to the "State Policy Network": the Right-Wing Think Tanks Spinning Disinformation and Pushing the ALEC Agenda in the States, PRWatch.org, April 4, 2013.
• Sara Jerving, ALEC and Heartland Aim to Crush Renewable Energy Standards in the States, PRWatch.org, November 27, 2012.
• Connor Gibson, Meet the Network Hiding the Koch Money: "Donors Trust" and "Donors Capital Fund", PRWatch.org, October 29, 2012.
• Brendan Fischer, Koch-Funded Mackinac Center Brings Wisconsin Act 10 Provisions to ALEC, PRWatch.org, May 2, 2012.
• Sara Jerving, Franklin Center: Right-Wing Funds State News Source, PRWatch.org, October 31, 2011.

External Resources

• Guidestar.org, Roe Foundation, online foundation profile and IRS documents.
• Bridge Project, Roe Foundation, online funder profile and right-wing connections database.
• Wall Street Journal, The Spoils of the Republican State Conquest, December 9, 2016, archived by CMD here.
• DeSmog Blog, Stink Tanks: Historical Records Reveal State Policy Network Was Created by ALEC, December 9, 2013.
• The Guardian, State conservative groups plan US-wide assault on education, health and tax, December 5, 2013.
• Portland Press Herald, "Washington County residents have mixed reactions to plan to eliminate taxes," December 5, 2013.
• The Texas Observer, "The Money Behind the Fight to Undermine Medicaid," December 5, 2013.
• Media Matters, North Carolina Newspapers Largely Ignore Conservative Funding Of Sham Think Tanks, December 3, 2013.
• Shepherd Express, Masters of Manipulation: Right-wing Billionaires, Corporations and the Bradley Foundation Pay for Junk Studies that Prop up Their Agenda, November 27, 2013.
• "Moyers & Company," How a Shadowy Network of Corporate Front Groups Distorts the Marketplace of Ideas, November 19, 2013.
• MSNBC "Rachel Maddow Show," November 18, 2013.
• Free Speech TV "Ring of Fire," Facebook, Microsoft, AT&T and Others Supporting Right Wing Propaganda Machine, November 18, 2013.
• Topeka Capital-Journal, Trabert dismisses report tying KPI to Koch agenda, November 16, 2013.
• The New Yorker (Jane Mayer), Is IKEA the New Model for the Conservative Movement?, November 15, 2013.
• Salon, Ted Cruz and Koch brothers embroiled in shadowy Tea Party scheme, November 15, 2013.
• St. Louis Business Journal, Beyond Sinquefield: Who else is funding the Show-Me Institute?, November 15, 2013.
• The Guardian, Facebook and Microsoft help fund rightwing lobby network, report finds, November 14, 2013.
• Huffington Post, Meet The Little-Known Network Pushing Ideas For Kochs, ALEC, November 14, 2013.
• CBS St. Louis, Show-Me Institute’s Ties Questioned in New Report, November 14, 2013.
• Talking Points Memo, Florida Conservative Group Helping Muck Up Obamacare In Alaska, November 14, 2013.
• Mint Press News, Reports Reveal SPN’s Secret Corporate Agenda Through Use ‘Expert’ Testimony, November 14, 2013.
• Media Matters, Shadowy Right-Wing Group Generates Media Coverage For Conservative Policy From Coast To Coast, November 14, 2013.
• The Institute for Southern Studies, Are conservative think tanks breaking lobbying laws?, November 14, 2013.
• Nonprofit Quarterly, Corporate Money in Network of Right-Wing State Policy Think Tanks, November 14, 2013.
• The Progressive, Right-Wing Think Tanks Push Privatization in the States, November 13, 2013.
• Politico, Report: Think tanks tied to Kochs, November 13, 2013.
• Lawrence Journal-World, Reports released by progressive groups are critical of Kansas Policy Institute, November 13, 2013.
• Maine Insights, Report: Maine Heritage Policy Center’s funding connection to Koch Brothers, November 13, 2013.
• The Florida Current, Liberal groups bemoan lobbying by conservative think tanks, November 13, 2013.
• The Oregonian, Cascade Policy Institute benefits from secretive donor group but says it operates independently, November 13, 2013.
• Center for Media and Democracy, EXPOSED: The State Policy Network, The Powerful Right-Wing Network Helping to Hijack State Politics and Government, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
• Arizona Working Families and CMD, A Reporter’s Guide to the Goldwater Institute: What Citizens, Policymakers, and Reporters Should Know, organizational report, updated November 13, 2013.
• Progress Florida and CMD, Lawmaking Under the Influence of Very Special Interests: Understand the role of Florida ‘think tanks’ in driving a Koch-fueled, ALEC-allied corporate agenda, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
• Maine's Majority Education Fund, Fooling Maine: How national conservative groups infiltrated Maine politics by founding and funding the Maine Heritage Policy Center, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
• Progress Michigan, Who's Running Michigan? The Far-Right Influence of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
• Alliance for a Better Minnesota, Who's in Charge: How Nationalized Corporate-Run Think Tanks Influence Minnesota Politics, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
• Progress Missouri, What Missourians Need to Know About the Show-Me Institute, organizational report, updated November 13, 2013.
• Granite State Progress, Bad Bartlett: The Josiah Bartlett Center and NH Watchdog Answer the Call of the Koch Brothers, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
• ProgressOhio, Smoke Screen: The Buckeye Institute, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
• Keystone Progress, Think tanks or corporate lobbyist propaganda mills?, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
• Progress Texas, TPPF + ALEC, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
• One Wisconsin Now, S is for Shill: Inside the Bradley Foundation's Attack on Public Education, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
• Muncie Voice, Pence and Right-Wing Are Taking Over Public Education, November 13, 2013.
• The Spokesman-Review, Shawn Vestal: Idaho Freedom Foundation pushes limits of word ‘charity’, November 2, 2013.
• AZ Central, When this ‘watchdog’ pitches, taxpayers strike out, October 12, 2013.
• IndyStar, Daniels says speech to partisan group was a mistake, October 10, 2013.
• Muncie Voice, Indiana Policy Review: Not an Independent News Source, October 2, 2013.
• The Spokesman-Review, Idaho Freedom Foundation's charitable status scrutinized, September 15, 2013.
• CounterSpin, Lee Fang on 'The Right Leans In', April 5, 2013.
• FireDogLake, State Policy Network, an umbrella coordinating ALEC, Heritage, Heartland and others, April 4, 2013.
• Thom Hartmann with Lee Fang on MSNBC, The conservative State Policy Network is sneaking into your state & will change America, March 29, 2013.
• Current TV "War Room", Lee Fang discussing the State Policy Network, March 28, 2013.
• The Nation, The Right Leans In, March 26, 2013.
• Democracy Now, Donors Trust: Little-Known Group Helps Wealthy Backers Fund Right-Wing Agenda in Secret, February 19, 2013.
• Paul Abowd, Center for Public Integrity, Donors use charity to push free-market policies in states, Consider the Source, February 14, 2013.
• John R. Mashey, Fake science, fakexperts, funny finances, free of tax 2, DeSmog Blog report, updated October 23, 2012, p. 74.
• Urban Milwaukee, Stealth Conservatives, October 11, 2012.
• Rome News-Tribune, ANALYSIS: Georgia leaders depend on the same well for ideas, October 2012.
• Andy Kroll, The Right-Wing Network Behind the War on Unions, Mother Jones, April 25, 2011.
• Guidestar, State Policy Network, IRS filings and other organizational information about SPN.
• Center for Policy Alternatives, ALEC and the Extreme Right-Wing Agenda, organizational brochure about ALEC and SPN.
• John J. Miller, Fifty Flowers Bloom: Conservative think tanks — mini–Heritage Foundations — at the state level, National Review, November 19, 2007.
• Bridge Project, State Policy Network, online resource listing grants to SPN and SPN's connections to other groups.
• People for the American Way, State Policy Network, RightWingWatch.org, organizational resource.
• Greenpeace, Koch Industries Climate Denial Front Group: State Policy Network (SPN), organizational resource.

External Articles

• John J. Miller, "Safeguarding a Conservative Donor’s Intent: The Roe Foundation at 39," Foundation Watch, Capital Research Center publication, May 2007.