Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions

The Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions (BIPPS) is a right-wing pressure group that promotes itself as "an independent research and educational institution offering free-market solutions to Kentucky's most pressing problems." The institute was created and initially funded by Chris Derry, a businessman from Bowling Green, Kentucky. BIPPS is a member of the State Policy Network.

Research and Agenda
Using its website, BIPPS promotes the founding ideas of liberty, free markets, limited government and secure property rights as the basis for the future of public policy in Kentucky.

In many cases the credentials or experiential background of BIPPS content contributors is unknown; and some policy documents have been created by individuals with no direct experience in the field they are critiquing. The site promotes business oriented, anti-labor positions; politically the Institute claims neutrality but the content contributors overwhelming express Republican or Libertarian political interests and issues.

BIPPS begins all of its research clearly stating its "warranty of scholarship excellence": "The Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions commits itself to delivering commentary and research on Kentucky issues with unquestionable quality and reliability. Thus we guarantee that the information we originate is true and accurate, and the sources from which we quote are accurately represented. We invite you to investigate our work and encourage you to report any material error, inaccuracy or misrepresentation you find. If you do, we will respond to your inquiry in writing. If we have made a mistake, we will prepare an errata sheet and attach it to all future distributions of the particular publication, which will be the complete and final resolution under this warranty." Any person or organization challenging the academic rigor of any of its publications can contact BIPPS at 270-782-2140.

The organization's website, as of November 2007, averages 1530 unique visitors monthly and focuses predominantly on a Kentucky based audience. The Institute acknowledges the Mackinac Center for Public Policy for assistance with the development of its website.

The largest print media outlet in the state, The Courier Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) has described BIPPS as generally having a "libertarian anti-government negativism" and downgrades the reliability of its analysis in comparison to the Kentucky Long-Term Policy Research Center.

Funding
BIPPS is a 501(c)3 non-profit group. As of January 28, 2008, it employed two people on a full-time basis and contracts with others to acquire their professional services.

When asked to reveal the sources of funding, BIPPS reports, "We accept contributions from any individual, corporation or foundation on one condition: No one tells us what to say or write." It relies on the conditions of its 501(c)(3) IRS status as a non-profit corporation and the guarantee of anonymity to its donors as reasons for not revealing the sources of funding or its member lists. It does not solicit nor accept funding from any government entity. On its website BIPPS states that it is "supported through the generous contributions of our members. No government funds are accepted and no contract research is performed." In October 2007 The Courier Journal noted that "the group's spokesman wouldn't tell our reporters the sources of its income or size of its dues-paying membership."

BIPPS 2006 IRS return states that total revenue for the group that year was $356,827. It also identifies BIPPS total income for earlier years as being $35,650 in 2003, $208,280 in 2004 and $277,865 in 2005.

Also in its 2006 IRS return, BIPPS president, Chris Derry, is listed as working 50 hours a week and was paid $59,999. The report indicates that Derry's time is split 60/40% between fundraising and "management and general." BIPPS does not provide a complete staff list but its 2006 IRS return identifies $132,872 being spent on "salaries and wages of employees" in addition to that of Derry's.

In its 2006 annual report, the libertarian Cato Institute states that it contributed $50,000 to the Bluegrass Institute.

Ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council
The Bluegrass Institute sponsored model legislation that was supported by the ALEC Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force. According to a BIPPS press release from December 5, 2012, the model legislation, the so-called "Intrastate Coal and Use Act," will now go "to the ALEC board for final approval, following which it will officially be made available to states for adaptation to their individual needs."

SPN's predecessor, the Madison Group, was "launched by the American Legislative Exchange Council or ALEC . . . and housed in the Chicago-based Heartland Institute," according to a 1991 report by the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) found in the University of California-San Francisco's Legacy Tobacco Documents.

The case is strengthened by an October 1987 ALEC directory also available via the Tobacco Documents that says, "The Madison Group is chaired by Mrs. Constance Heckman [now Constance Campanella, founder of the lobbying firm Stateside Associates], Executive Director of ALEC . . ." A speakers list also available in the Tobacco Documents says in Constance Campanella's biography, "She was a co-founder and first President of The Madison Group, the first network of free-market state think tanks."

SPN has been a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) for many years. In the mid-2000s, SPN secured funding for more of its member think tanks to join ALEC in order to help develop model legislation. By 2009, 22 SPN member think tanks were active ALEC members and participants in ALEC task forces, according to an SPN newsletter, and SPN was being rewarded for its services by ALEC. As of 2013, at least 35 SPN member think tanks have demonstrable ties to ALEC in addition to SPN's own ties, and all of SPN's member think tanks push ALEC's agenda in their respective states, according to a review by the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD)

Please see SPN Ties to ALEC for more.

Board Members

 * Kathy Gornik, Board Chair
 * Chris J. Derry, Founder
 * Warren Rogers, Vice Chair
 * Matth. Toebben
 * Dawn Cloyd
 * Tim Yessin

Staff

 * Jim Waters, President
 * Kelly Smith, Vice President of Strategic Partners
 * Logan Morford, Vice President of Transparency
 * Dick Innes, Education Analyst
 * Phil Impellizzeri, Policy Coordinator

Policy Scholars

 * Dr. John Garen, Chair, Gatton Endowed Professor of Economics, University of Kentucky
 * Dr. Cathy Carey, Professor of Economics, Western Kentucky University
 * Dr. Stephan Gohmann, BB&T Professor of Free Enterprise, University of Louisville
 * Dr. Eric D. Schansberg, Professor of Economics, Indiana University Southwest
 * Dr. Brian Strow, BB&T Professor for the Study of Capitalism, Western Kentucky University

Researchers

 * Caleb O. Brown

Core Financials
 2011   2010  :  2009  :
 * Total Revenue: $329,547
 * Total Expenses: $466,950
 * Net Assets: $77,751
 * Total Revenue: $400,403
 * Total Expenses: $374,062
 * Net Assets: $212,718
 * Total Revenue: $430,686
 * Total Expenses: $422,875
 * Net Assets: $196,526

BIPPS's first IRS return for 2003 listed Derry as the unpaid President and CEO and Morris L. Grubbs and Tommy Adams as directors.

Contact Details
Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions 400 E. Main Avenue, Suite 306 P.O. Box 51147 Bowling Green, KY 42102 Phone: (270) 782-2140 Fax: (305) 675-0220 Website: http://www.bipps.org