GRANT PROPOSAL RECORD ?amers Trust ABDRESS: ?109 North Henry Street Alexandria, VA 2.2314?ng GQNTAQT: Ms. Whitney L. Ball AMQUNT REQUESTEQ: $450,000 STAF RECQMMENDATEQN: $20,000 PRGJECT TETLE: To support a project in Pennsyivania MEMBERS WITH REQUEST: STAFF: Mike Hartmann MEETING DATE: 11/1212013 PROPOSAL 20130674 BACKGROUND: The Commonwealth Foundation for Pubiic Policy Alternatives, American Majority, and Media Trackers request $450,000 in support for a project in through a grant to a Donors Trust account. Commonwealth, American Majority, and Media Trackers are working together to create a permanent, alternative ?infrastructure" that they say mimics Wisconsin?s. Bradley already supports both American Majority?s and Media Trackers? work in Wisconsin. Commonweatth is a member of the Bradley?supported Interstate Policy Atliance and State Policy Network (SPN). Representatives of the organizations have visited Wisconsin and attended the Capital Research Center?s Bradleyws?upported conference conference on state labor policy (about which see the report in the employee?rights section of these materials). For their first collective project, the groups want to educate policymakers and the public about the effects of government unions on the heavily unionized state?s public policies and its economic growth and prosperity. The context for this project includes the fact that reforms that might be prOposed by Gov. Tom Corbett later this year or early next to alter the way in which government unions in the state coilect dues and politicai?action-committee contributions from their members through automatic withholding. Corbett's fellow Republicans control both houses of the state legislature. To the effort, according to the organizations? jointly submitted request, Commonwealth brings "inteliectual ammunition,? American Majority brings candidate recruitment and training, and Media Trackers brings "opposition research.? Other organizations, including some groups, are also part'of the effort. SPN is offering public-relations support for the project as part its larger campaign to better ?brand" freedom. Budget information: The groups? overall budget for the larger infrastructure project is $5.3 million, of which it has raised $3 million from in-state donors. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Earlier this year, government unions played a large part in preventing reform in the public-pension and liquor~privatization contexts. School vouchers have failed to pass four times there with the prospects for success being unsophisticatediy oversold by advocates each of the test three times. Corbett is quite unpopular, moreover, with an approval rating hovering around 25% in the Franklin Marshall poll, and he hasn?t yet made a decision made about whether to try harder on public-pension reform (about which see the report to the implementation impact Committee) or paycheck-protection reform. Some reformers are even thinking he may be able to try both as a lame duck at the end of next year Finally, if it?s adopted, there seems to be a need for some clari?cation about the way in which "branding" effort will be linked to the specific contemplated reform proposal. To supplement Brad iey?s already?existing, albeit-indirect support of Commonwealth through IPA and SPN, staff thus recommends a modest, $20,000 grant for the project given Commonwealth's history, the potential national importance of as a place for policy to pivot, and the groups? desire to learn fromthe experience of those who helped further reform in Wisconsin. Donoro Trust Gratn History Fund Project Titre Grant Amount Approved To support the Broom}! (some Education Fund $655,565 .12/6r2e12 Regular To support litigation by the Project on Fair $100,000 606/2012 Regutar Representation To support the Colorado Freedom Project $250,000 Reguiar To support the Bradley Gifted Education Fund $600,000 Reguiar To support the Program at Furman $25,000 2f22i?201 1 Regular University To support The Program for the Study of $25,000 20102010 Regular Value in Politics at Furmon University To support. the Health Freedom ?30116} $500,000 8/ 1212009 Regular To support the 'l?ocqoeville Program at Fur-man $25,000 324/2009 Regular University To support the Center for College Affordability and $25,000 2/202?200?? Regular Productivity To support The Program for the Study of $40,000 320.2200? Regular Value in Politics at Forman University To support genera} operations $5,0 00 32f i0r?2003 Donor Intent Program To support generai operations $5,000 i2f?t~f2002 Donor Intent Program To support general. operations $25,000 8f28/2001 Regu?3r Grand Totals (13 items) $2,281,565 M'P?ge 15H