InfluenceWatch, operated by the Capital Research Center (CRC), continues to expand its online database that tracks advocacy groups, foundations, and donors involved in shaping public policy. The project aims to provide transparency into the financial sources, objectives, and networks of these organizations.
According to CRC, “The information compiled in InfluenceWatch gives news outlets and other interested parties research to use in reporting on significant topics that are often overlooked by the American public.”
Recent updates to InfluenceWatch include profiles of several notable organizations:
The Ark Foundation, based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is managed by the Dant family. As of 2023, all five trustees were unpaid family members. The foundation has supported a range of left-leaning organizations such as the Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice, Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, Earthjustice, National Network of Abortion Funds, and Santa Fe Dreamers Project.
The Boston Women’s Fund (BWF) offers grants aimed at supporting marginalized women and gender-expansive individuals. Its partners include the Barr Foundation, New York Women’s Foundation, Tides Foundation, and Women’s Funding Network. BWF has also received funding from organizations like the NoVo Foundation and Boston Foundation.
Another addition is the Tomkat Ranch Educational Foundation (TKREF), established by billionaire Tom Steyer and Katherine Taylor. TKREF promotes environmentalist agricultural practices and is part of Steyer’s network of philanthropic entities. In 2023, it received donations from foundations including Battery Foundation and San Francisco Foundation.
The Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York & Vicinity (NYC BCTC) serves as an affiliate of North America’s Building Trades Unions. It comprises local chapters from unions such as the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and United Brotherhood of Carpenters. Gary LaBarbera has led NYC BCTC since 2009 and also holds positions with other labor councils.
Speak Up for Justice is a legal advocacy group focused on defending judicial independence. It has hosted events featuring figures like former Supreme Court Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy and North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson. Federal Election Commission records show its founder Paul Kiesel has contributed to Democratic Party-aligned groups.
CRC states that “the website offers transparency into these influencers’ funding, motives, and connections while providing insight often neglected by other watchdog groups.”
