Knowledge and Progress Fund
Background
The Knowledge and Progress Fund (KPF) is one of several Koch Family Foundations, and is controlled by Koch company director Richard Fink (President). Charles Koch, his wife Elizabeth B Koch, and his son, Charles (Chase) Koch, are all on the KPF board. The Koch brothers are co-owners of Koch Industries, the largest privately-owned energy company in the United States. SourceWatch describes the Koch brothers as “key funders of the right-wing infrastructure, including the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and the State Policy Network (SPN).”1“Koch Family Foundations,” SourceWatch.
A report by the Center for Public Integrity found that the Knowledge and Progress Fund was one of the largest known contributors to the secretive Donors Trust. Donors Trust and its sister organization Donors Capital Fund (DCF) obscure the identity of individual donors through “donor-advised funds,” allowing donors to anonymously give to conservative causes. Mother Jones magazine described the groups as “the dark-money ATM of the conservative movement.” In recent years, KPF’s only activity has been to make donations to either DT or DCF.2Andy Kroll. “Exposed: The Dark-Money ATM of the Conservative Movement,” Mother Jones, February 5, 2013. Archived September 19, 2015. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/aPKnG
KPF donated over $13 million from 2001 to 2014 to DT/DCF, according to public tax records. A 2015 investigation by Desmog found that DCF and DT reported an income of more than $511 million between 2005 and 2011, with some $479 million of that income coming from individuals who do not have to declare their donations.3Paul Abowd. “Donors use charity to push free-market policies in states,” The Centre for Public Integrity, February 14, 2013. Archived September 19, 2015. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/O412s 4Graham Readfearn. “Exclusive: Major Climate Denial Funders Donors Trust and Donors Capital Fund Handled 9 Million Of Dark Money,” Desmog, May 12, 2015.
Bill of Rights Institute
According to public tax records, before 2004, the Knowledge and Progress Fund operated as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization in Arlington, Virginia. According to KPF’s 2004 form 990, “Prior to 9-1-2004, Knowledge and Progress Fund, Inc. filed a form 990, converted to a private foundation and made a change in accounting period 9-1-2004.” In 2004, KPS also moved to new location in Wichita, Kansas.
Sourcewatch notes that until its move in September of 2004, the Knowledge and Progress Fund was tied to the Bill of Rights Institute, another organization backed by the Koch brothers. When the Knowledge and Progress fund converted to a private foundation in 2004, it ended its official relationship with the Bill of Rights Institute.5“Knowledge and Progress Fund,” Sourcewatch. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/Kp1tb 6“The Koch Brothers Sneak Into School,” The Huffington Post, January 18, 2015. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/tgsW0
The Knowledge and Progress Fund also compensated The Bill of Rights Institute’s former president, Victoria Hughes, through her salary in 2002 and 2003.
Mark Humphrey, a current director of the Bill of Rights Institute, was the secretary of the Knowledge and Progress Fund from 2003 to 20087“Board of Directors,” Bill of Rights Institute. Archived September 13, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/pPKQz (see 990 forms below) and a senior vice president of Koch Industries. 8“The Koch Brothers Sneak Into School,” The Huffington Post, January 18, 2015. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/tgsW0
Funding
Donations to DCF and DonorsTrust
According to publicly-available 990 forms:
| Recipient & Year | Totals |
| Bill of Rights Institute | $150,000 |
| 2001 | $100,000 |
| 2002 | $50,000 |
| Donors Capital Fund | $2,725,000 |
| 2006 | $1,900,000 |
| 2007 | $825,000 |
| Donors Trust | $11,000,000 |
| 2005 | $390,000 |
| 2006 | $1,310,000 |
| 2007 | $300,000 |
| 2008 | $1,240,000 |
| 2010 | $2,000,000 |
| 2012 | $800,000 |
| 2013 | $4,850,000 |
| 2014 | $110,000 |
| Grand Total | $13,875,000 |
990 Forms – (EIN 54-1899251
Key People
| Name | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | Position |
| Charles C Koch | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Director | |||||
| Charles G Koch | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Director |
| Dale Gibbens | Y | Executive Vice President | |||||||||||||
| Dustin Perry | Y | Former Secretary/Treasurer | |||||||||||||
| Elaine Marshall | Y | Y | Y | Former Director | |||||||||||
| Elizabeth B Koch | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Director | ||||||
| Elizabeth Koch | Y | Y | Y | (Former?) Director | |||||||||||
| Elizabeth R. Koch | Y | Y | Y | Y | Former Director | ||||||||||
| Gerald O’Shaughnessy | Y | Y | Former Director | ||||||||||||
| Heather Love | Y | Y | Y | Treasurer | |||||||||||
| Leslie Rudd | Y | Y | Former Director | ||||||||||||
| Logan Moore | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Former Secretary | |||||||
| Manbeth Kovank | Y | Former Secretary/Treasurer | |||||||||||||
| Mark Humphrey | Y | Y | Y | Former Secretary/Director | |||||||||||
| Michael Hartz | Y | Former Director | |||||||||||||
| Richard H Fink | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | President/Director |
| Robert Perez | Y | Former Director | |||||||||||||
| Roger D Silk | Y | Y | Former Director | ||||||||||||
| Tadd Wilson | Y | Former Secretary/Treasurer | |||||||||||||
| Victoria Hughes | Y | Y | Y | Former President | |||||||||||
| Vonda Holliman | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Former Treasurer | |||||
| William Pomierski | Y | Former Director |
Contact Information & Location
As recording on KPF’s 2014 990 form:
Knowledge and Progress Fund, Inc.
P.O. Box 2256
Wichita, KS 67201
Phone: (703) 875-1658
The Knowledge and Progress fund was originally located at the below address, until it moved in 2004:
Knowledge and Progress Fund, Inc.
200 N. Glebe Road
Suite 1050 Arlington, VA 22203-3728
Phone: (703) 894-1776
Related Organizations
John R. Mashey notes in his 2012 report that the Knowledge and Progress fund provides a clear link between Donors Trust/DCF and Charles G. Koch. He also notes several organizations who share key people with KPF:9John R Mashey. “Fake science, fakexperts, funny finances, free of tax 2 SEPP, Heartland, CSCDGC, allies & DONORS,” Desmog, October 23, 2012.
- Charles G. Koch Foundation
- Claude R. Lambe Foundation
- Mercatus Center, George Mason University
- Institute for Humane Studies, George Mason University
Koch Family Foundations
Other members of the Koch Family of Foundations include:
- The David H. Koch Foundation
- The Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation
- The Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation (disbanded as of 2013)
- Koch Cultural Trust (formerly the Kansas Cultural Trust)
- The Fred and Mary Koch Foundation
- The Charles Koch Institute
Other Resources
- “Koch Family Foundations,” Desmog.
- EXXONSECRETS FACTSHEET: KNOWLEDGE AND PROGRESS FUND.
- “Knowledge and Progress Fund” (Donor Profile), Conservative Transparency.
- “Knowledge and Progress Fund,” Sourcewatch.
Resources
- 1“Koch Family Foundations,” SourceWatch.
- 2Andy Kroll. “Exposed: The Dark-Money ATM of the Conservative Movement,” Mother Jones, February 5, 2013. Archived September 19, 2015. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/aPKnG
- 3Paul Abowd. “Donors use charity to push free-market policies in states,” The Centre for Public Integrity, February 14, 2013. Archived September 19, 2015. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/O412s
- 4Graham Readfearn. “Exclusive: Major Climate Denial Funders Donors Trust and Donors Capital Fund Handled 9 Million Of Dark Money,” Desmog, May 12, 2015.
- 5“Knowledge and Progress Fund,” Sourcewatch. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/Kp1tb
- 6“The Koch Brothers Sneak Into School,” The Huffington Post, January 18, 2015. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/tgsW0
- 7“Board of Directors,” Bill of Rights Institute. Archived September 13, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/pPKQz
- 8“The Koch Brothers Sneak Into School,” The Huffington Post, January 18, 2015. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/tgsW0
- 9John R Mashey. “Fake science, fakexperts, funny finances, free of tax 2 SEPP, Heartland, CSCDGC, allies & DONORS,” Desmog, October 23, 2012.
