Last year DonorsTrust, the preferred donor advised fund of the Koch political network, distributed $195.3 million in grants to the more than 300 right-wing influence groups, litigation centers, media outlets, climate deniers, pro-gun groups, and other tax-exempt organizations that underpin America’s far-right infrastructure, according to an analysis of its latest IRS filing obtained by the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD).
The donor conduit doled out $42.8 million more in funds to right-wing groups than it did in 2023, according to CMD’s calculations.
In addition, DonorsTrust sent $3.6 million to six other donor advised funds which may have been distributed to right-wing causes, including: the Bradley Impact Fund ($132,000); Donors Capital Fund ($66,557); the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund ($225,000); the National Christian Foundation ($250,000); the National Philanthropic Trust ($649,385); and the Schwab Charitable Gift Fund ($2.3 million).
At the end of 2024, DonorsTrust disclosed $1.36 billion in net assets.
$103.2 Million to Right-Wing Policy and Influence Groups
In 2024, DonorsTrust granted over $103 million to national and state-focused organizations engaged in public policy and influence operations, according to CMD’s analysis.
Once again the leading grant recipient was the State Policy Network (SPN), a web of right-wing “think tanks” and tax-exempt organizations in 49 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Canada, and the United Kingdom. SPN, the national umbrella group, received a total of $9.8 million in funding through DonorsTrust.
SPN currently has 65 state affiliates and 130 “partner” organizations. The donor advised fund sent $14.7 million to 41 (or two-thirds) of the SPN affiliates in 2024. SPN members in the states collaborate with network partners to influence public policy debates by providing academic legitimacy when called upon to testify at hearings, producing “studies” or model legislation and manufacturing media content.
The Mackinac Center for Public Policy, an anti-union group based in Michigan, topped all affiliates by receiving a $2.9-million grant.
In addition to the funds doled out to SPN and its affiliates, DonorsTrust funneled $78.7 million to 150 right-wing policy groups, CMD calculated. Consumers’ Research, a leader in the Right’s multiyear campaign to manufacture a crisis around responsible investing under the guise of attacking “woke capitalism,” received $6.1 million, the next largest grant. Consumers’ Research has received $33.9 million (2013–2024) from DonorsTrust, CMD has calculated.
In 2023, The Washington Post reported that extremist legal activist Leonard Leo is a mentor of Will Hild, CEO of Consumers’ Research, and an advisor to the anti-woke group. The Wall Street Journal reported that same year that Leo’s Marble Freedom Trust is funneling money to Consumers’ Research. The trust disclosed sending DonorsTrust $41.1 million on its 2020 IRS filing.
Legal Groups Reap Over $44 Million
DonorsTrust distributed $44.1 million to 35 right-wing litigation centers and legal advocacy groups in 2024, CMD found. This is a more than 44% increase over the $30.6 million in grants distributed in 2023.
This significant increase can be attributed to the massive $21.3 million DonorsTrust gave the reactionary America First Legal Foundation, some of which was designated for “matching the challenge to address election integrity” and “to stop election interference at the state level.”
Stephen Miller, Trump’s White House deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security advisor, launched the extremist litigation group following Trump’s loss to President Biden in 2020. In 2024, America First Legal filed over 20 lawsuits to “dismantle” diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices, challenge gender welcoming school policies, restrict voting rights, monitor election practices, and more.
Since Trump returned to office in January, Miller has been the architect of the president’s terror offensive on Black and brown communities under the guise of deporting undocumented immigrants who have committed violent crimes.
More Than $26 Million for Right-Wing Media
DonorsTrust distributed more than $26.5 million in grants to 36 right-leaning media outlets in 2024, CMD calculated.
The Koch-connected, libertarian Reason Foundation received $5 million, the largest grant. Reason publishes a long-running, online magazine that covers politics and the economy. Informing America Foundation’s $4.5-million grant placed it second among media recipients. The group founded in 2021 focuses on making grants to other right-wing media outlets, some of which are also funded by DonorsTrust. The foundation counts megadonor Diana Davis Spencer as its other major backer. Spencer also serves on the Informing America board, which also used to include Mark Meadows, Trump’s former chief of staff.
$8.2 Million for Youth Influence Groups
Sixteen organizations focused on indoctrinating young people received $8.2 million in grants from DonorsTrust in 2024. Passages America Israel (dba Passages Israel) topped all recipients with a $2.5-million grant. A former adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former US marine Robert Nicholson founded Passages in order to screen Christian youths for “leadership potential,” send them on “Christian Birthright” trips to the “Holy Land,” and “prepare and empower a new generation of Christian leaders who love God, stand with the Jewish people, and support Israel.”
$8.1 Million for Climate Misinformation
In 2024, DonorsTrust funneled $8.1 million to 10 groups peddling climate misinformation. The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) was again the top recipient with $2.8 million in funds.
CEI claims it “has been instrumental in fighting decades of climate alarmism and anti-energy policies that constrict energy supplies,” and takes credit for leading coalitions “instrumental in defeating ratification of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, defeating enactment of the 2009 Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade bill, and convincing President Trump to withdraw from the 2015 Paris climate treaty.”
$5.1 Million to Far-Right Extremists and Pro-Gun Groups
DonorsTrust distributed $5.1 million in funds to 14 right-wing extremist and gun groups last year, CMD calculated.
The largest grant — just under $3 million — went to the Foundation for Constitutional Freedom, a new group in a constellation of nonprofits working to dismantle gun laws and tied to “Undercover Pastor” Dale Sutherland. The foundation has no website or publicly available IRS filings.
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