“Dark Money” Funds Climate Change Denial Effort
Jan 30th
This article originally appeared on The Daily Climate, the climate change news source published by Environmental Health Sciences, a nonprofit media company.
A shift to untraceable donations by organizations denying climate change undermines democracy, according to the author of a new study tracking contributions to such groups. Image: Wikimedia Commons/Carol M. Highsmith The largest, most-consistent money fueling the climate denial movement are a number of well-funded conservative foundations built with so-called “dark money,” or concealed donations, according to an analysis released Friday afternoon.The study, by Drexel University environmental sociologist Robert Brulle, is the first academic effort to probe the organizational underpinnings and funding behind the climate denial movement. It found that the amount of money flowing through third-party, pass-through foundations like DonorsTrust and Donors Capital, whose funding cannot be traced, has risen dramatically over the past five years.
In all, 140 foundations funneled $558 million to almost 100 climate denial organizations from 2003 to 2010.
Meanwhile the traceable cash flow from more traditional sources, such as Koch Industries and ExxonMobil, has disappeared.
The study was published Friday in the journal Climatic Change.
“The climate change countermovement has had a real political and ecological impact on the failure of the world to act on global warming,” Brulle said in a statement. “Like a play on Broadway, the countermovement has stars in the spotlight – often prominent contrarian scientists or conservative politicians – but behind the stars is an organizational structure of directors, script writers and producers.”
“If you want to understand what’s driving this movement, you have to look at what’s going on behind the scenes.”
Consistent funders
To uncover that, Brulle developed a list of 118 influential climate denial organizations in the United States. He then coded data on philanthropic funding for each organization, combining information from the Foundation Center, a database of global philanthropy, with financial data submitted by organizations to the Internal Revenue Service.
According to Brulle, the largest and most consistent funders where a number of conservative foundations promoting “ultra-free-market ideas” in many realms, among them the Searle Freedom Trust, the John Williams Pope Foundation, the Howard Charitable Foundation and the Sarah Scaife Foundation.
Another key finding: From 2003 to 2007, Koch Affiliated Foundations and the ExxonMobil Foundation were “heavily involved” in funding climate change denial efforts. But Exxon hasn’t made a publically traceable contribution since 2008, and Koch’s efforts dramatically declined, Brulle said.
Coinciding with a decline in traceable funding, Brulle found a dramatic rise in the cash flowing to denial organizations from DonorsTrust, a donor-directed foundation whose funders cannot be traced. This one foundation, the assessment found, now accounts for 25 percent of all traceable foundation funding used by organizations promoting the systematic denial of climate change.
Jeffrey Zysik, chief financial officer for DonorsTrust, said in an email that neither DonorsTrust nor Donors Capital Fund “take positions with respect to any issue advocated by its grantees.”
“As with all donor-advised fund programs, grant recommendations are received from account holders,” he said. “DonorsTrust and Donors Capital Fund ensure that recommended grantees are IRS-approved public charities and also require that the grantee charities do not rely on significant amounts of revenue from government sources. DonorsTrust and Donors Capital Fund do not otherwise drive the selection of grantees, nor conduct in-depth analyses of projects or grantees unless an account holder specifically requests that service.”
Matter of democracy
In the end, Brulle concluded public records identify only a fraction of the hundreds of millions of dollars supporting climate denial efforts. Some 75 percent of the income of those organizations, he said, comes via unidentifiable sources.
And for Brulle, that’s a matter of democracy. “Without a free flow of accurate information, democratic politics and government accountability become impossible,” he said. “Money amplifies certain voices above others and, in effect, gives them a megaphone in the public square.”
Powerful funders, he added, are supporting the campaign to deny scientific findings about global warming and raise doubts about the “roots and remedies” of a threat on which the science is clear.
“At the very least, American voters deserve to know who is behind these efforts.”
Editor’s Note (12/24/13): This story has been updated to reflect a late comment from DonorsTrust.
CU students will do your taxes for free
Jan 29th
tax preparation assistance
Students from the University of Colorado Boulder’s Leeds School of Business will offer free tax preparation services to individuals under the Internal Revenue Service-sponsored Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.
Members of the public who make $52,000 or less are eligible for the service, now in its fifth year at the Leeds School.
The assistance will be available only on a walk-in basis Feb. 1 through April 5 on Wednesdays from 5 to 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Koelbel Business Building, room 375. The building is located at 995 Regent Drive on the CU-Boulder campus, across from the Coors Events Center. Free parking is available after 5 p.m. and during the weekends at lot 436/494, located on Regent Drive north of the Coors Events Center and east of the Koelbel Business Building.
“Not only do student volunteers perform a much needed community service, but their work also is well received by potential employers,” said Susan Morley, senior instructor of accounting at the Leeds School.
Participating Leeds students have passed an IRS certification exam. Community volunteers who are experienced in tax law will review all student-prepared tax returns to ensure accuracy and completeness.
Last year, Leeds School students prepared approximately 380 tax returns and obtained more than $518,000 in refunds for taxpayers. The students also placed an extra $152,000 into the local economy through Earned Income Tax Credits for families.
Taxpayers who are eligible for the assistance should bring the following:
— Social Security cards or Individual Taxpayer Identification Notices/Cards for the taxpayer, the taxpayer’s spouse and dependents.
— Photo identification for the taxpayer and the taxpayer’s spouse if married and filing jointly. Both spouses must be present.
— All W-2 and 1099 forms and other income-related documents.
— Proof of mortgage interest, property taxes, daycare expenses (including provider’s tax ID number), college education expenses (e.g., 1098-T form) and all other applicable deductible expenses.
— A copy of last year’s federal tax return.
— Proof of account for direct deposit of refund (e.g., voided check).
— Proof of foreign status if applying for ITIN.
For more information about the accounting division at CU-Boulder’s Leeds School of Business visit http://leeds.colorado.edu/accounting#overview. For more information about the Leeds School visit http://leeds.colorado.edu/.
-CU-
More help for flood victims
Jan 28th
Volunteer interviewers will meet with flood survivors to help individuals connect with resources and gain a clear picture of what it will take to recover
Boulder County, Colo. – The Long-Term Flood Recovery Group of Boulder County (LTFRG) has requested the services of a national disaster recovery group to determine who in the community will not be able to rebuild and recover without assistance. A team of World Renew volunteers will conduct one-on-one interviews with flood survivors from Feb. 10-22. This process will help to prioritize individual needs and connect survivors with the LTFRG which can provide long-term support during recovery with individual case management as well as financial and construction assistance for those most in need.
The LTFRG is organizing 5 walk-in locations across the county from February 10-22. Residents affected by the flood who require assistance for flood recovery are encouraged to visit a walk-in center to complete a short interview regarding flood losses and recovery needs.
All information given at the walk-in centers is confidential and will assist designated case managers to help residents connect with available resources. The information will also help to develop a detailed estimate of the total cost for recovery in the community which helps the LTFRG as well as government agencies raise the necessary recovery funds and donations of building materials and supplies
Interview questions are straightforward and should not require residents to supply any paperwork, although if flood survivors do have a FEMA number, they are asked to bring that with them to the center. Spanish language interpreters will be onsite at the Longmont location every day and will be available at other sites during designated hours. Sites are also wheelchair accessible (with the exception of the Altona Grange site) and appointments can be made for any ASL requirements.
South Boulder
St. Paul’s United Methodist Church – 4215 Grinnell Ave, Boulder
Monday, Feb. 10, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 11, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 12, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 13, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 17, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 18, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 22, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Lyons
Walt Self Senior Center – 335 Railroad Ave, Building B, Lyons
Monday, Feb. 10, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 11, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 14, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 15, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 17, 10 a.m. -5 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 18, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 19, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Longmont
First Lutheran Church – 803 3rd Avenue, Longmont
Wednesday, Feb. 12, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 13, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 14, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 15, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 19, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 20, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 21, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 22, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
North Boulder
Boulder Friends Meeting – 1825 Upland, Boulder
Monday, Feb. 10, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 11, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 12, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 17, 10 a.m-5 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 18, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 22, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Central Boulder County
Altona Grange – 9386 N 39th Street (at Nelson Road)
Thursday, Feb. 13, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 14, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 15, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 19, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 20, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 21, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
For more information please contact the Long-Term Flood Recovery Group, at 303-895-3429 or floodrecovery@unitedwayfoothills.org.