Knowledge and Progress Fund

The Knowledge and Progress Fund (KPF) is a Wichita, Kansas-based foundation run by Charles Koch. The foundation gave almost $8 million to DonorsTrust (DT) between 2005 and 2011. The fund began its contributions to Donors Trust in 2005, with a $390,000 contribution. In both 2007 and 2008, the foundation gave $1.25 million per year to DT and another $2 million in 2010. News reports indicate that these funds are being used to support climate skepticism, an issue supported by the Koch brothers' fossil fuel industry interests.

Since 2005, KPF has only given money to DT. It gave DT more than $3.2 million from 2008 to 2010. According to researcher John Mashey, "This allows [Charles] Koch to provide money to Mercatus and Institute for Humane Studies, where both he and [Richard] Fink are on the boards. Mercatus has sometimes funded professors who are also Heartland Experts. This definitely ties Charles Koch to DONORS. Of course, Koch may supply less-traceable money directly to DONORS as well."

The Knowledge and Progress Fund has given the following amounts to DonorsTrust (DT) and Donors Capital Fund (DCF):

2005: $390,000 to DT 2006: $1,310,000 to DT and $1,900,000 to DCF 2007: $300,000 to DT and $825,000 to DCF 2008: $1,240,000 to DT 2009: None 2010: $2,000,000 to DT 2011: None '''TOTAL: $7,965,000 (2005-2011)

Connection to Bill of Rights Institute
Before 2004, the fund was a 501(c)(3) charitable organization based in Arlington, Virginia, but converted to a 501(c)(3) private foundation effective August 31, 2004, in addition to relocating to Wichita, Kansas at approximately the same time. During these early years, the fund was tied to the Bill of Rights Institute, a conservative organization promoting a conservative education purportedly based on American founding principles, and backed by the Koch brothers, Charles and David. The Bill of Rights Institute website says its mission is "to create a citizenry that has the knowledge, values, dispositions, and skills to exercise the rights and responsibilities needed to maintain a free society."

The fund also compensated its former president, Victoria Hughes, through her salary as president of the Institute during 2002. and 2003.

Mark Humphrey, a current director of the Bill of Rights Institute, was previously the secretary of the Knowledge and Progress Fund from 2003 to 2008. Humphrey is also a senior vice president of Koch Industries.

Contributions and Grants to the Institute
The $50,000 given to the Bill of Rights Institute by the fund in 2002 is described as for the purpose of "education on the Bill of Rights." During the next two years, while KPF was still affiliated with the Institute, there are no contributions or grants listed.

Personnel

 * Charles G. Koch, Chairman/Director
 * Richard Fink, President/Director
 * Logan A. Moore, Secretary
 * Vonda Holliman, Treasurer
 * Elizabeth B. Koch, Director
 * Charles C. Koch, Director
 * Elizabeth R. Koch, Director
 * Heather Love, officer/director/etc. to whose attention any correspondence should be directed, according to organization's 2011 form 990

Contact Information
Knowledge and Progress Fund, Inc. P.O. Box 2256 Wichita, KS 67201

Related SourceWatch Articles

 * Cato Institute
 * Charles G. Koch
 * Climate change skeptics
 * Corbin Robertson
 * David H. Koch
 * Invista
 * Invista Seaford Power Plant
 * Invista Waynesboro Power Plant
 * Koch Family Foundations
 * Koch Network
 * Koch Event 2010-06 Attendees
 * Meat & Dairy industry
 * Oil industry
 * Natural Resource Partners
 * Plants Need CO2
 * Tea Party movement funding
 * Vernon L. Smith

External Resources

 * John Mashey, Fake science, fakexperts, funny finances, free of tax 2, DeSmog Blog, October 23, 2012.

External Articles

 * Paul Abowd, "Donors use charity to push free-market policies in states: Nonprofit group lets donors fly 'totally under the radar,'" Center for Public Integrity, February 14, 2013.