The Heritage Foundation, the nation’s top conservative think tank, just broke a fundraising record to fight the growing wave of socialism and act on a new strategic plan to expand its policy influence on Capitol Hill and inside the administration.
The Washington-based institution told Secrets that the 250 who attended the Annual Leadership Conference in Orange County, Calif., last weekend donated $14.2 million, the most ever at the conference.
Donors said that they were growing concerned about the Democrats’ lurch further Left to back an agenda conservatives view as socialist and are eager for Heritage to challenge and even block the trend.
The conference at the oceanfront Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel in Dana Point opened on a renewed warning about socialism and the distribution of the new three-year Heritage strategic plan.
That document warned about socialistic trends in Washington and in education and other circles. “Your gift to Heritage can inspire America’s leaders and representatives to stay focused and stay on-message, to stop bad policies and stick their necks out for good ones, and to turn America’s flirtation with socialism into a bad memory,” said the 27-page plan.
They also debuted a new fundraising video from Heritage President Kay Coles James, seen above.
The fundraising challenge was thrown down by Board of Trustees Chairman Barb Van Andel-Gaby who announced that the trustees were donating $5.3 million. The other donors took up the challenge, and added another $8.9 million.
The total yearly Heritage budget is $80 million. They have more than 500,000 members.
James, who is focused on expanding the conservative movement among young people, minorities and women, thanked the donors for their endorsement of her agenda.
She told Secrets, “We are energized by this tremendous display of trust in Heritage. Our team is committed to working unfailingly to promote conservative principles and policies that will combat the rising threat of socialism and educate future generations about the solutions that lead to a better life for all Americans.”
The annual event featured Victor Davis Hanson, actor Gary Sinise, Reps. Dan Crenshaw of Texas and Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington, former Border Patrol chief Mark Morgan, former ICE acting Director Tom Homan, former White House deputy chief of staff Rick Dearborn, and former White House adviser Sebastian Gorka.
