August 10, 2022

Think Tank Leaders Don't Lack for Ideas, But Fundraising Can Still Be Brutal

August 10, 2022/ Celia Wexler

Think tanks play a vital role in philanthropy’s efforts to incubate ideas and affect the course of policy. But on the left at least, many think tank leaders find themselves perennially chasing grants.

February 02, 2021

Neera Tanden on Building a Progressive Think Tank and Influencing Policy

February 02, 2021/ David Callahan

IP’s David Callahan talks with Neera Tanden—who leads the Center for American Progress and has been tapped to head OMB—on the center’s work, the donors who support its $50 million budget, and the role of think tanks in shaping policy.

August 20, 2020

How the RAND Corporation Became One of Philanthropy’s Most Important Partners

August 20, 2020/ Mike Scutari

Having reinvented itself after the Cold War, the RAND Corporation now has the ears of the country’s biggest foundations. We dig into its fascinating evolution, a $400 million fundraising campaign, and a new racial equity initiative.

March 03, 2014

Here's the Funder Who Created One of the Most Important Think Tanks in Washington

March 03, 2014/ David Callahan

Conservative foundations have been famously successful in funding strong think tanks that changed the direction of national and state policy. But some liberal funders have also understood the key role of think tanks, including Richard Boone of the Field Foundation who started the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. Boone died last week.