Open nowRolling / open intake
Proposal Coaching
Proposal writingReporting best practicesCapacity building
Who can apply: Available to SPN affiliates seeking proposal/reporting support.
About State Policy Network
State Policy Network’s mission is to catalyze thriving, durable freedom movements in every state, anchored with high-performing independent think tanks. We support state-based organizations through strategy support, targeted grants, leadership training, and network connections to advance federalism, limited government, and free-market policy solutions.
Focus Areas
K-12 education policyFiscal and regulatory reformEnergy & environmental policyElection integrityNonprofit capacity and leadership developmentState-level public policy and federalism
Funding Style
general operating / unrestricted supportcore organizational supportcapacity-sustaining fundingoperational expense coverage
Topics
About State Policy Network
State Policy Network’s recent grantmaking centers on independent state think tanks, with general operating grants repeatedly backing organizations that advance federalism, limited government, and free-market policy solutions. The largest recent award in the data is $434,000 to the Georgia Center for Opportunity, followed by $397,000 to the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy and $387,000 to the Pelican Institute for Public Policy. Those grants sit alongside a broader pattern of support for affiliated policy organizations that are expected to report on progress, communicate outcomes, and sustain ongoing policy work. The foundation also uses its platform to support organizational capacity, not only program activity. Its published programs include grant strategy assistance, proposal coaching, accelerator workshops, and targeted grant opportunities tied to policy reform campaigns. Recent grants show repeated support for groups such as the Beacon Center of Tennessee, South Carolina Policy Council, Institute for Reforming Government, and Georgia Public Policy Foundation, all receiving substantial unrestricted support across multiple years. The result is a funder profile built around recurring investment in state-level policy infrastructure rather than one-off project support.
What State Policy Network Funds
A central theme in State Policy Network’s grantmaking is state policy infrastructure. General operating grants to groups such as the Illinois Policy Institute and Commonwealth Foundation show support for organizations that carry out ongoing research, advocacy, and policy development. Capacity-building is another clear lane. The network describes advisory services for grant strategy and proposal coaching, and its LaunchPad accelerator supports startups and new CEOs inside the network. Education policy also appears in specific prize programs. Through Ed-Prize (LaunchPad), SPN funds innovative K-12 projects, while the Pathways to Prosperity Prize supports market-based responses to poverty-related challenges that can include education, health, housing, food, and criminal justice. A third area is targeted reform funding. RFP programs and State Solutions Grant Funds support state think tanks and allied organizations pursuing policy reforms identified by SPN policy working groups.
How State Policy Network Gives
State Policy Network’s typical grant size is $49,250 at the 25th percentile, $77,000 at the median, and $150,625 at the 75th percentile. The recent-grants list shows many awards well above the median, with several recipients appearing in both 2023 and 2024, which points to recurring support rather than isolated gifts. The foundation’s published structure includes general operating support, targeted RFP programs, member-access grants, advisory services, and prizes. Some programs accept unsolicited applications, including Pathways to Prosperity Prize and Ed-Prize, while RFP-based programs and member grants are invitation-based or restricted to network members.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$3.2M
Total Assets
$24.6M
Total Revenue
$25.2M
Total Expenses
$22.5M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $49K and $151K, with a median of $77K.
25th Percentile
$49K
Median
$77K
75th Percentile
$151K
Geographic Reach
National43 states funded
About 4% of grants go to recipients in TX.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
TRACIE J SHARP
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