7/27/2019 UT - Who Is Behind The Sutherland Institute

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The State Policy Network (SPN) is an umbrella group of right-wing “think tanks” across the country. The

Sutherland Institute is SPN’s cookie-cutter think tank for the state of Utah. While the Sutherland Institute claimsto be focused on issues important to the people of Utah, it actually pushes an agenda dictated by its national

right-wing funders and partners.

The Sutherland Institute is not required to disclose where its funding comes from to the public, and doesnot do so voluntarily. However, available records show that the organization is funded primarily by out-of-

state right-wing organizations. Sutherland's largest known funders are two Virginia-based secretive Koch-funded groups, Donors Trust and Donors Capital Fund, known as the "dark money ATM of theconservative movement." Other funders include the Roe Foundation (of SPN founder Thomas Roe) and

the Coors family's Castle Rock Foundation (of Coors Brewing Company).

FUNDER  BASED IN  AMOUNT   YEARS 

Donors Trust/Donors Capital Fund Virginia $1,383,500 2005-2011

The Roe Foundation South Carolina $205,000 1998-2011

Jaquelin Hume Foundation California $180,620 1999-2011

JM Foundation New York $35,000 1996-2008

Castle Rock Foundation Colorado $30,000 1998-2011

The Vernon K. Krieble Foundaton Massachusetts $5,000 2002

State Policy Network Virginia $1,324 2007

Defund and privative Utah's public schoolsthrough vouchers and charter schools

Restrict Utah workers' collective bargainingrights

Deny the science behind global warming,oppose renewable energy, and repeal

pollution protections

Block access to affordable healthcare for Utah citizens

Oppose marriage equality and restrict therights of the LGBT community

Eliminate "no-fault" divorce, thereforerestricting couples' ability to make their own

decisions

Oppose the minimum wage

Sutherland Institute, accessed 9/6/2013

In July 2012, when the American LegislativeExchange Council (ALEC) held its annual meeting in

Salt Lake City, the Sutherland Institute co-sponsored ALEC's conference. Responding to

criticism for associating itself with ALEC, acontroversial right-wing organization that produces

"model" bills aimed at benefiting its corporatemembers, Sutherland released a video defending ALEC and promoting the conference. Sutherland's

parent organization, the State Policy Network, isalso a longtime member and supporter of ALEC.

The Sutherland Institute has received criticism for straddling the line of legal activity allowed for  501c3nonprofits, which are prohibited from participating in

partisan campaign activity and limited in lobbying

activity. Sutherland admits that is an active lobbyingorganization, and has been suspected of exceeding

legal lobbying limits. Additionally, Sutherland hascontributed $2,750 to the Utah Republican Party between 2002 and 2012, an apparent violation of 

their 501c3 status with the IRS. [The Salt Lake Tribune,12/31/2002