State Policy Network
The State Policy Network (SPN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that coordinates and supports a nationwide alliance of independent, state-focused think tanks dedicated to advancing principles of free enterprise, individual liberty, and limited government through policy research and advocacy.[1] Founded in 1992 by South Carolina businessman Thomas A. Roe at the urging of President Ronald Reagan, SPN evolved from the Madison Group, an informal coalition of state think tanks established in 1986, and has since expanded to include 64 affiliate organizations operating in all 50 states alongside over 100 national partners.[2][3] SPN's core mission is to build and mobilize a durable infrastructure for freedom by offering affiliates training in fundraising, communications, and strategy, as well as facilitating peer collaboration to drive state-level policy innovations in areas such as education, fiscal policy, and regulatory reform.[3] Among its notable achievements, SPN affiliates have secured policy victories recognized through awards like the Bob Williams Awards for Outstanding Policy Achievement, contributing to reforms that expanded school choice, reduced taxes, and lowered barriers to housing and worker mobility, impacting over 50 million Americans in recent years.[4][5] SPN has also received external recognition, such as the 2025 Atlas Network North America Liberty Award for strengthening civil society amid political polarization.[6] Critics, including progressive advocacy groups like the Center for Media and Democracy, have accused SPN of functioning as a mechanism for undisclosed donor influence on state politics, potentially blurring lines between independent research and coordinated lobbying, though SPN maintains that its members operate autonomously as separate nonprofits.[7][8][9]Foundational Overview
Mission and Objectives
The State Policy Network (SPN) states its mission as "to catalyze thriving, durable freedom movements in every state, anchored with high-performing independent think tanks."[3] This entails fostering a network of organizations dedicated to advancing principles of federalism, civil society, and free enterprise through state-level policy research and advocacy. SPN's vision envisions "an America where all people can flourish because collaborative, entrepreneurial leaders have secured lasting social change, personal freedom, and economic opportunity at the state and local level," emphasizing decentralized governance over centralized federal intervention.[3] Core objectives include incubating and accelerating the development of independent state think tanks—currently comprising 64 affiliates—via strategic planning, leadership training, coaching, and resource sharing to enhance policy research, public education, and accountability mechanisms.[9] SPN aims to connect these entities with over 110 national partners to cultivate scalable solutions, defend against threats to free speech and donor privacy, and secure enduring policy victories through its "Durable Freedom Infrastructure" framework, which operates in 34 states as of recent reports.[3][10] These efforts prioritize equipping policymakers and citizens with state-specific, evidence-based recommendations grounded in limited government and individual liberty, countering federal overreach by promoting localized problem-solving.[10] SPN positions itself as nonpartisan and mission-driven, providing grants, peer networking, and best-practice exchanges to sustain a 50-state infrastructure for free-market-oriented reforms, with member organizations collectively generating $224 million in annual revenue and participating in 244 training events yearly.[10] This structure supports objectives like restoring self-governance, defending personal rights, and enabling entrepreneurial activity, while maintaining operational independence for affiliates to tailor initiatives to regional contexts.[3][9]Organizational Framework
The State Policy Network (SPN) operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving as a coordinating hub for independent, state-focused think tanks and national partners, without exerting direct control over their operations or decisions.[9] Its structure emphasizes member autonomy, with affiliates maintaining separate legal, financial, staffing, and governance frameworks, including distinct boards and fundraising mechanisms.[11] SPN facilitates collaboration through services such as professional training, peer mentoring, resource sharing, and legal support, but explicitly refrains from dictating policy positions or endorsing member outputs.[3] Membership consists of two primary categories: affiliate organizations, which are 64 nonpartisan, state- or territory-based think tanks focused on free-market policy solutions, and over 110 national nonprofit partners.[10] Affiliates must hold 501(c)(3) status, avoid government funding, prioritize policy education over lobbying, and gain entry by invitation only following a vetting process to ensure alignment with SPN's principles of limited government and individual liberty.[3] National partners provide complementary expertise in areas like communications, litigation, or issue-specific advocacy, expanding the network's reach without state-level operational ties.[9] As of 2023, the broader network encompassed 525 organizations across all 50 states, though core affiliates form the foundation for state-level infrastructure.[11] Governance is overseen by a Board of Directors, responsible for upholding the organization's mission and fiscal integrity, with input from a President's Advisory Council on strategic management and policy matters.[3] Leadership is headed by President and Chief Executive Officer Christopher S. Dauer, appointed on August 4, 2025, succeeding Tracie J. Sharp, who transitioned to a strategic advisory role after over two decades in the position.[12] The board-driven model prioritizes affiliate feedback through surveys to shape SPN's support programs, ensuring responsiveness to member needs while preserving operational independence.[9]Historical Development
Origins in the 1980s
The State Policy Network's roots lie in the mid-1980s, amid a broader conservative push to decentralize policy advocacy beyond national institutions like the Heritage Foundation. In 1986, the Madison Group emerged as an informal alliance of state-level think tanks and their backers, convened at the Madison Hotel in Washington, D.C., to foster coordination on free-market reforms tailored to state contexts.[2] This grouping addressed the fragmented nature of early state policy efforts, enabling participants to exchange research, strategies, and fundraising tactics during the Reagan administration's era of federalism and limited government.[2] Central to this initiative was Thomas A. Roe, a Greenville, South Carolina, businessman and Heritage Foundation trustee who had established the South Carolina Policy Council earlier in the decade as a model for state-specific conservative scholarship.[2] Roe, who advised President Ronald Reagan and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher on policy matters, acted on Reagan's suggestion—made during a 1980s conversation—to build "mini-Heritage Foundations" at the state level, thereby amplifying grassroots influence on legislation and public opinion.[1] [2] The Madison Group's activities emphasized practical support, such as assisting nascent think tanks with public relations and idea dissemination, reflecting a causal focus on leveraging state sovereignty to counter centralized progressive policies without relying on federal mandates.[2] By the late 1980s, the Madison Group had solidified informal ties among a handful of pioneering organizations, setting the stage for institutionalization. Its emphasis on empirical policy analysis and donor alignment prefigured the network's later growth, though it operated without formal structure until the 1990s transition to the State Policy Network.[2] This origin underscores a deliberate strategy rooted in Reagan-era conservatism, prioritizing state-level innovation over top-down directives.[1]Formal Establishment and Early Growth (1990s-2000s)
The State Policy Network (SPN) was formally incorporated in 1992 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization, transitioning from the informal Madison Group of state think tanks that had convened since 1986. Founded by philanthropist Thomas A. Roe at the urging of President Ronald Reagan, SPN aimed to foster collaboration among independent, state-focused think tanks advancing free-market principles and limited government. At its inception, the network included 12 member organizations dedicated to policy research at the state level.[2][3] During its initial years from 1992 to 1997, SPN primarily supported member cooperation through annual meetings, resource sharing, and advisory services on operational best practices, while establishing the Roe Awards in 1992 to honor excellence among free-market think tanks. The 1990s marked a period of rapid maturation for the broader state policy research ecosystem, with SPN's board recognizing the need for enhanced institutional capacity; in September 1998, the existing board dissolved to form a transitional structure focused on expanding services such as training and networking. This growth reflected increasing demand for decentralized, state-level alternatives to national policy advocacy amid shifting political dynamics.[2][3] Leadership transitions bridged the network into the early 2000s: Roe passed away in January 2000, succeeded as chairman by Carl Helstrom in 1999, while founding executive director Byron Lamm yielded to Tracie Sharp as president in January 2000. Under this continuity, SPN intensified capacity-building efforts, including peer-to-peer consulting and strategic guidance, which propelled further affiliate recruitment and programmatic development through the decade, solidifying its role as a hub for conservative state policy innovation.[2][13]Modern Expansion and Transitions (2010s-Present)
During the 2010s, the State Policy Network expanded its affiliate base under the long-serving leadership of President Tracie Sharp, who had assumed the role in 2000, growing from approximately 59 state think tanks in 2012 to over 65 by 2015, achieving full coverage across all 50 states.[8][13] This period saw increased emphasis on capacity-building for members, including training in fundraising, communications, and policy development, as the network positioned itself as a counter to centralized federal policymaking by promoting state-level alternatives rooted in limited government principles.[3] By the late 2010s and into the 2020s, SPN further diversified its support mechanisms, launching the Thomas Roe Legacy Society in 2018 to cultivate sustained donor commitments for initiatives advancing individual liberty and free markets.[2] Network activities scaled accordingly, with the 2024 annual meeting drawing 1,571 leaders from 525 organizations and generating 115,000 media mentions, while affiliates contributed to policy outcomes impacting over 90 million Americans, particularly in areas like education choice and energy policy.[3] By 2021, the network reported 68 affiliates alongside 99 associate organizations, reflecting ongoing recruitment and partnerships that extended beyond state borders to over 110 national entities by 2025.[13][10] A significant transition occurred in 2025, when Christopher S. Dauer succeeded Sharp as President and CEO on September 29, after her 25-year tenure that oversaw the network's maturation into a 50-state infrastructure. Sharp transitioned to a strategic advisory role, crediting her era with foundational expansion, while Dauer—drawing from his experience as Chief Operating Officer at the Hoover Institution, where he drove revenue and research growth—committed to amplifying federalism-focused efforts and collaborative policy advancement.[14][3] This leadership shift coincided with enhanced metrics, including Durable Freedom Infrastructure established in 34 states by 2024, underscoring SPN's evolution toward deeper operational integration among members.[3]Policy Agenda
Ideological Foundations
The State Policy Network (SPN) draws its ideological foundations from conservative and libertarian traditions, emphasizing limited government, free-market economics, and individual liberty as essential to fostering prosperity and self-governance.[3] These principles align with classical liberal ideals adapted to contemporary policy challenges, prioritizing empirical evidence and market-driven solutions over centralized intervention.[2] SPN's framework rejects expansive federal authority, viewing it as a barrier to innovation and accountability, and instead promotes federalism as a mechanism for states to serve as laboratories for liberty.[3] Central to SPN's philosophy is the advancement of personal freedom and economic opportunity through decentralized decision-making, rooted in the belief that local governance better reflects diverse needs and incentivizes responsible citizenship.[15] This approach traces to influences from the Reagan era's emphasis on free enterprise and reduced regulation, which inspired the network's origins in countering perceived liberal dominance in policy discourse.[2] SPN's nonpartisan structure facilitates market-oriented reforms, such as tax reductions and deregulation, grounded in the causal link between voluntary exchange and societal flourishing rather than coercive redistribution.[3] The network's commitment to durable freedom infrastructure—encompassing think tanks, litigation, and leadership training—operationalizes these foundations by building capacity for fact-based advocacy that safeguards individual rights against overreach.[15] By focusing on self-governance and free enterprise, SPN posits that true progress emerges from bottom-up reforms, enabling states to experiment with policies that enhance liberty without uniform national imposition.[3] This ideology underscores a meta-awareness of institutional biases, favoring independent, state-level analysis over narratives from centralized academia or media often skewed toward expansive government roles.[2]Principal Policy Domains
The State Policy Network (SPN) concentrates its efforts on policy domains that promote limited government, free-market principles, and individual liberty through state-level think tanks, with a focus on empirical outcomes such as improved economic growth, educational attainment, and access to services.[16] Core areas include K-12 education reform, fiscal and regulatory policy, energy and environmental issues, healthcare, and social welfare, where member organizations develop tailored solutions like school choice expansions and regulatory rollbacks to address local needs over federal mandates.[17] These domains are advanced via policy working groups that facilitate collaboration, resource sharing, and best practices among affiliates, emphasizing measurable impacts like reduced tax burdens and enhanced energy reliability.[18] In education policy, SPN prioritizes empowering parents through universal education savings accounts (ESAs), open enrollment, and personalized learning options to decentralize control from government bureaucracies and foster competition among providers. For instance, affiliates advocate for ESA expansions in states like Tennessee and Texas, alongside microschool zoning reforms in Utah and vocational access improvements in Massachusetts, aiming to boost student outcomes via market-driven innovation rather than centralized mandates.[17] [16] Fiscal and regulatory policy efforts target tax relief, spending restraint, and deregulation to restore economic vitality, including indexing tax brackets to inflation in Ohio, property tax caps in Kansas and Nebraska, and REINS Act-style oversight for regulations in Oklahoma.[17] These initiatives seek to lower barriers to business formation, reform occupational licensing, and balance state budgets, with working groups providing toolkits and analysis to demonstrate causal links between reduced government intervention and job growth.[19] [16] SPN's energy and environmental policy domain stresses reliable, secure, and affordable energy supplies, advocating for nuclear advancements, natural gas utilization, and grid security measures over restrictive mandates that inflate costs. Examples include easing nuclear regulations in Delaware and promoting small modular reactors for data centers in Ohio, countering supply shortages evidenced by rising household energy prices in multiple states.[17] [20] In healthcare policy, the network pushes for expanded provider scopes of practice, such as for pharmacists and nurse practitioners, and repeal of certificate-of-need (CON) laws to increase competition and access without expanding entitlements. Affiliates in Tennessee and Alabama, for example, highlight how CON reforms reduce barriers to entry, correlating with lower costs and broader service availability in empirical state studies.[17] [21] Social welfare policy focuses on work preparation, community stability, and opportunity expansion, including eligibility verifications and requirements for able-bodied adults to transition from dependency to self-reliance. Working groups support reforms that prioritize empirical data on employment outcomes, such as frequent Medicaid checks to curb fraud and promote fiscal sustainability.[18] [22]Network Composition
Core Member Think Tanks
The core member think tanks of the State Policy Network comprise independent, state-level organizations that conduct research, analysis, and advocacy on policies emphasizing limited government, free markets, and individual responsibility. These affiliates, numbering 71 as of the latest directory listing, operate autonomously in their respective states while benefiting from SPN's capacity-building, networking, and resource-sharing services to amplify local impact.[23] Unlike national partners, core members focus primarily on state-specific issues such as tax reform, regulatory reduction, education choice, and welfare alternatives, often producing empirical studies and model legislation tailored to regional contexts.[9] SPN affiliates are present in every U.S. state, with multiple organizations in select states like Arizona, Arkansas, California, and Wisconsin to address diverse policy landscapes. They collectively advance a shared ideological framework rooted in federalism, prioritizing solutions developed closer to affected communities over centralized mandates.[10] Funding for these think tanks derives from private donations, foundations, and grants, enabling nonpartisan operations independent of government support.[3] The following table enumerates the core affiliates by state, reflecting their geographic distribution and organizational focus on state-level policy innovation:| State | Core Member Think Tank(s) |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama Policy Institute |
| Alaska | Alaska Policy Forum |
| Arizona | AZ Liberty Network; Goldwater Institute |
| Arkansas | Arkansas Policy Foundation; Opportunity Arkansas Foundation |
| California | California Policy Center; Pacific Research Institute |
| Colorado | Independence Institute |
| Connecticut | Yankee Institute for Public Policy |
| Delaware | Caesar Rodney Institute |
| Florida | The Foundation for Government Accountability; The James Madison Institute |
| Georgia | Georgia Center for Opportunity; Georgia Public Policy Foundation |
| Hawaii | Grassroot Institute of Hawaii |
| Idaho | Idaho Freedom Foundation; Mountain States Policy Center |
| Illinois | Illinois Policy Institute |
| Indiana | Indiana Policy Review Foundation |
| Iowa | Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation |
| Kansas | Kansas Policy Institute |
| Kentucky | Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions |
| Louisiana | Pelican Institute for Public Policy |
| Maine | Maine Policy Institute |
| Maryland | Free State Foundation |
| Massachusetts | Pioneer Institute |
| Michigan | Mackinac Center for Public Policy |
| Minnesota | Center of the American Experiment; Freedom Foundation of Minnesota |
| Mississippi | Empower Mississippi Foundation; Mississippi Center for Public Policy |
| Missouri | Show-Me Institute |
| Montana | Frontier Institute |
| Nebraska | Platte Institute |
| Nevada | Nevada Policy Research Institute |
| New Hampshire | Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy |
| New Jersey | Garden State Initiative; New Jersey Policy Institute |
| New Mexico | Rio Grande Foundation |
| New York | Empire Center for Public Policy |
| North Carolina | John Locke Foundation |
| North Dakota | Roughrider Institute |
| Ohio | The Buckeye Institute |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs |
| Oregon | Cascade Policy Institute |
| Pennsylvania | Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity |
| South Carolina | Palmetto Promise Institute; South Carolina Policy Council |
| South Dakota | Great Plains Public Policy Institute |
| Tennessee | Beacon Center of Tennessee |
| Texas | Texas Public Policy Foundation |
| Utah | Libertas Institute; Sutherland Institute |
| Virginia | Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy; Virginia Institute for Public Policy |
| Washington | Freedom Foundation; Washington Policy Center |
| West Virginia | Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy |
| Wisconsin | Badger Institute; Institute for Reforming Government; MacIver Institute for Public Policy; Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty |
| Wyoming | Wyoming Liberty Group |