The Heritage Foundation
Tracked receipts exceed tracked giving by
$62,300,000
Conservative policy research and advocacy organization founded in 1973.
Tracked direct giving
$0
Tracked donations to candidate
$62,300,000
Connections
20
How money flowed to The Heritage Foundation
Richard Mellon Scaife Foundation directed $25.0M to The Heritage Foundation. Richard Mellon Scaife Foundation advocates for Loper Bright v. Raimondo (Chevron overturned).
Bradley Foundation directed $15.0M to The Heritage Foundation. Bradley Foundation advocates for Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Extension.
DonorsTrust directed $10.0M to The Heritage Foundation. DonorsTrust advocates for Loper Bright v. Raimondo (Chevron overturned).
Koch Industries directed $10.0M to The Heritage Foundation across 2 contributions. Koch Industries opposes EPA Power Plant Emissions Rule.
Robert Mercer directed $5.0M to The Heritage Foundation. Robert Mercer advocates for Loper Bright v. Raimondo (Chevron overturned).
The Heritage Foundation also received from 2 other entities totaling $3.1M.
Dark Money Spending
Election spending by organizations that do not disclose their donors. Dark money flows through 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations, 501(c)(6) trade associations, and similar entities that are not required to reveal their funders. Figures below are never combined with disclosed-donor totals.
IRS 990 Schedule I Grant Chain
Grants between nonprofits reported on IRS Form 990 Schedule I. These inter-organizational transfers are a key pathway in dark money flows — a nonprofit may receive a grant from one entity and then spend that money on election ads.
IRS 990 Schedule I grants received
$278,761
| Grantor | Amount | Tax Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN ENDOWMENT FOUNDATION | $166,200 | 2024 | PUBLIC AFFAIRS |
| AMERICAN GIFT FUND | $63,750 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| ARIZONA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | $6,611 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AYCO CHARITABLE FOUNDATION | $42,200 | 2023 | COMMUNITY & HUMAN SERVICES |
Source: IRS Form 990 Schedule I (Grants and Other Assistance to Organizations) via ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer and IRS 990 XML e-files. Grant amounts represent the most recent filing year available.
IRS 990 data lags a year or more behind filing. Grants shown are for the stated tax year and do not establish current-cycle funding.
Methodology Disclosure
Dark money figures are derived from FEC Form 5 (independent expenditures by non-committee organizations) and Form 9 (electioneering communications). These filings capture spending on ads and election communications but do not reveal the identity of the organization's donors. QPQ totals may differ from benchmarks like the Brennan Center's estimates because QPQ includes all Form 5 filers, while some benchmarks count only a subset of non-disclosing nonprofits. Grant chain data is from IRS Form 990 Schedule I and may not include all years or all grantee organizations.
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Donations Received
| Donor | Amount | Date | Cycle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Mellon Scaife Foundation | $25,000,000 | Jan 1, 1985 | 1986 |
| Bradley Foundation | $15,000,000 | Jan 1, 2000 | 2000 |
| DonorsTrust | $10,000,000 | Jan 1, 2010 | 2010 |
| Koch Industries | $5,000,000 | Jan 1, 2015 | 2016 |
| Robert Mercer | $5,000,000 | Jan 1, 2014 | 2014 |
| ExxonMobil | $1,500,000 | Jan 1, 2010 | 2010 |
| Chevron | $800,000 | Jan 1, 2015 | 2016 |
Relationships
| Type | Connected To | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Published research for | Repeal of EPA Methane Rule (CRA) | Published research supporting CRA repeal of EPA methane rule | Editorial |
| shaped_policy | Project 2025 executive order implementations | Heritage Foundation's Mandate for Leadership provided the blueprint for first-term executive actions. | Editorial |
| Hosts research funded by | Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) | PhRMA funds Heritage health policy research | Editorial |
| Hosts research funded by | Koch Industries | Major donor to Heritage Foundation via Koch family foundations | Editorial |
| Hosts research funded by | ExxonMobil | Corporate donor to Heritage Foundation energy program | Editorial |
| Hosts research funded by | Chevron | Corporate donor to Heritage energy and environment program | Editorial |
| Hosts research funded by | Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM) | ADM donor to Heritage Foundation agricultural policy | Editorial |
| Hosts research funded by | American Petroleum Institute | Trade association member funding energy policy research | Editorial |
| Hosts research funded by | CONOCOPHILLIPS | Corporate donor to Heritage Foundation | Editorial |
| Hosts research funded by | EDISON ELECTRIC INSTITUTE | Edison Electric Institute donor to Heritage energy policy | Editorial |
| Hosts research funded by | Southern | Southern Company donor to Heritage Foundation energy research | Editorial |
| Hosts research funded by | Richard Mellon Scaife Foundation | Richard Mellon Scaife Foundation donated ~$25.0M to The Heritage Foundation (1985-2014) | Editorial |
| Hosts research funded by | Bradley Foundation | Bradley Foundation donated ~$15.0M to The Heritage Foundation (2000-2023) | Editorial |
| Hosts research funded by | Robert Mercer | Robert Mercer donated ~$5.0M to The Heritage Foundation (2014-2020) | Editorial |
| Hosts research funded by | DonorsTrust | DonorsTrust donated ~$10.0M to The Heritage Foundation (2010-2023) | Editorial |
| Hosts research funded by | Eli Lilly & | Eli Lilly donor to Heritage Foundation | Editorial |
| Received money from | AMERICAN ENDOWMENT FOUNDATION | IRS 990 Schedule I grant of $166,200 (tax year 2024). Purpose: PUBLIC AFFAIRS | Source |
| Received money from | AMERICAN GIFT FUND | IRS 990 Schedule I grant of $63,750 (tax year 2024). Purpose: OPERATIONS | Source |
| Received money from | ARIZONA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | IRS 990 Schedule I grant of $6,611 (tax year 2023). Purpose: GENERAL SUPPORT | Source |
| Received money from | AYCO CHARITABLE FOUNDATION | IRS 990 Schedule I grant of $42,200 (tax year 2023). Purpose: COMMUNITY & HUMAN SERVICES | Source |