Koch Family Foundations is the informal name for a group of charities in the United States of America associated with the family of Fred C. Koch. The most prominent of these are the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation and the David H. Koch Charitable Foundation, created by two of Fred C. Koch's sons, who own the majority of Koch Industries, an oil, gas, and chemical conglomerate, which is the U.S.A.'s second largest privately held company[1] with annual revenues of $110 billion.
In total, the Koch brothers have given more than $196 million to dozens of organizations, much of it to conservative causes and institutions, such as the Tea Party.[1][2] Tax records indicate that in 2008 the three main Koch family foundations gave money to thirty-four political and policy organizations, three of which they founded, and several of which they direct.[1]
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The Koch Family Foundations began in 1953 with the establishment of the Fred C. and Mary R. Koch Foundation. In 1980 Charles G. Koch established the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation, and in 1981 he inherited control of the Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation when he was left in charge of Claude Lambe's estate.[3] David H. Koch established the David H. Koch Charitable Foundation.
The Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation was established with the stated purpose of advancing social progress and well-being through the development, application and dissemination of "the Science of Liberty". Charles' and David's foundations have together provided millions of dollars to a variety of organizations, usually libertarian or conservative think tanks, such as Americans for Prosperity Foundation, the Cato Institute, the Mercatus Center, the Institute for Humane Studies, Citizens for a Sound Economy, the Institute for Justice, the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution, the Institute for Energy Research, the Foundation for Research on Economics and the Environment, Heritage Foundation, the Manhattan Institute, the George C. Marshall Institute, the Reason Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute.[4][5] The foundation also funds study groups called Koch Scholars who gather and read "an assortment of select books, movies, and podcasts surrounding the principles of a free society."[6] Colleges where such groups exist include the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University[7] and the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
The David H. Koch Foundation has funded cancer research and a number of arts and science organizations, including the American Ballet Theater, New York City Ballet, Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the American Museum of Natural History.[1]
Richard H. Fink, a member of the boards of directors and President of the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation and the Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation. He is also on the board of the Fred C. and Mary R. Koch Foundation.
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