The State Policy Network (SPN) is an umbrella group of right-wing think tanks across the country.

The Yankee Institute is SPNs cookie-cutter think tank in Connecticut. While the Yankee Institute claims to be focused on issues important to the citizens of Connecticut, it actually pushes an agenda dictated by its national right-wing funders and partners.

The Yankee Institute was founded in 1984 by French entrepreneur Bernard Zimmern. Today, the Yankee Institute is run by executive director Fergus Cullen, a former chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party who continues to live in New Hampshire while running the ostensibly Connecticut-based Yankee Institute. Additionally, all of the Yankee Institute's known donors are organizations based outside of Connecticut.

"They are part of a wellorchestrated and well-funded effort ... to undermine working people in this country and further enrich and empower the very few folks at the top who have rewritten the rules for their benefit.''
- Matt O'Connor, In This Together CT

Between 2004 and 2011, the Yankee Institute has received over $1.7 million from the secretive Koch-funded Donors Trust and Donors Capital Fund, known as the "dark money ATM of the conservative movement." In the three years between 2009 and 2011 alone, funding from the Donors groups made up 62% of the Yankee Institute's total revenue. The Yankee Institute's other outof-state right-wing funders include the Walton Family Foundation (of Walmart) and the Roe Foundation (of SPN founder Thomas Roe). The following are the Yankee Institute's known donors:
Funder Donors Trust/Donors Capital Fund Jaquelin Home Foundation The Roe Foundation JM Foundation The Vernon K. Krieble Foundation Walton Family Foundation Based In Virginia California South Carolina New York Massachusetts Arkansas Amount $1,733,090 $208,800 $177,500 $41,500 $30,000 $19,500 Years 2004-2011 2003-2011 2000-2011 1997-2006 2002-2008 2008

Defund and privatize Connecticut public schools through vouchers Cut, or in some cases eliminate, corporate taxes Oppose any increase in the minimum wage Block access to affordable healthcare for Connecticut citizens Cut benefits that health insurance corporations are required to provide to Connecticut customers Restrict workers' rights to organize and form a union Repeal laws that provide mandatory sick pay for Connecticut workers

The Yankee Institute's RaisingHale.com website is the state affiliate of the Franklin Center, an umbrella organization of right-wing "news" outlets in states across the country. Despite the Franklin Center's nonpartisan description, many of the websites funded by the Franklin Center have received criticism for their conservative bias. The Yankee Institute uses its Raising Hale media site to promote its right-wing agenda through statehouse reporting and agenda-driven investigations. While the Raising Hale project is fully operated and funded by the Yankee Institute, the institute has received $105,200 from the Koch-funded Donors Capital Fund specifically for the project.
[Donors Capital Fund, IRS 990s 2010-2011]

Oppose and repeal renewable energy programs and pollution protections Destroy public pensions and cut benefits by changing from a defined benefit to a defined contribution plan Limit injured CT citizens' ability to sue a corporation when at fault
Yankee Institute: 2012 Policy Guide