<mediadc-video-embed data-state="{"cms.site.owner":{"_ref":"00000161-3486-d333-a9e9-76c6fbf30000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b93390000"},"cms.content.publishDate":1654113214111,"cms.content.publishUser":{"_ref":"00000162-07b3-de22-a173-2ffbab450000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b933a0007"},"cms.content.updateDate":1654113214111,"cms.content.updateUser":{"_ref":"00000162-07b3-de22-a173-2ffbab450000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b933a0007"},"rawHtml":"
var _bp = _bp||[]; _bp.push({ "div": "Brid_54096517", "obj": {"id":"27789","width":"16","height":"9","video":"1023706"} }); rn","_id":"00000181-20d4-d85a-a9cf-fad587f80000","_type":"2f5a8339-a89a-3738-9cd2-3ddf0c8da574"}”>Video EmbedThe Heritage Foundation is expanding its support for conservative movement leaders, creating a sizable innovation incentive for groups that work on key issues, including abortion, fair elections, immigration, and ESG demands.
On Wednesday, President Kevin Roberts dished out the first three $100,000 Heritage Innovation Prizes and promised to distribute about $1 million a year.
The program, one of the key initiatives instituted since he became president last fall, is expected to spend 10 times that over the next few years.
“This will over the next five years be a very significant investment that will probably be north of $10 million,” he told Secrets. Roberts described it as one of the key new purposes of Heritage’s endowment.
The first three winners are Alliance Defending Freedom, the Independent Women’s Forum, and the State Financial Officers Foundation. They were announced at Heritage’s annual Resource Bank meeting, held this year in Nashville, Tennessee.
“We are very much … a Tocquevillian institution,” Roberts said from Nashville. “Policy, politics, the law, they’re all important. But upstream from those are these institutions, what social scientists call mediating institutions of American life. And so, this innovation prize recognizes that history at Heritage of helping spawn some of those organizations,” he said.
“And as we have come to realize how radical the Left is, we have to fight in every arena,” he added.
The prize is expected to be awarded to Washington-based conservative groups and those in states where Heritage has its base of support.
Roberts said, “It’s about serving the movement and uniting conservatives, particularly outside the Beltway, to defeat the destructive ideology and designs of the radical Left. As we have for nearly five decades, Heritage will continue to focus on winning policy fights here in Washington, behind enemy lines. But we are also increasingly going to help the movement take the battle to the Left throughout the country as we fight to save America’s future.”
The winners had to apply for the prize and explain how it was influencing the nation.
Alliance Defending Freedom was awarded for its creation of the Viewpoint Diversity Score Business Index. It measures corporate respect for religious and ideological diversity. ADF President Michael Farris said: “CEOs and business leaders have positions of considerable power. They shouldn’t weaponize their influence or the companies they run to divide Americans or engage in speech censorship or anti-religious bigotry. We hope that our Viewpoint Diversity Score Business Index will motivate C-suite leaders to adopt policies and practices that respect the core liberties of their employees, consumers, and fellow Americans.”
The Independent Women’s Forum won for its efforts to craft the Women’s Bill of Rights. IWF President Carrie Lukas said: “With support from Heritage, we will have the capacity to go on the offensive, forcing the Left to publicly defend, or renounce, its anti-female agenda. Thank you to everyone at Heritage for supporting this critical weapon in the fight for equal opportunity, fairness, and science.”
The State Financial Officers Foundation is fighting the Left’s push for so-called environmental, social, and governance standards. CEO Derek Kreifels said: “SFOF state treasurers, auditors, and other financial officers have been working tirelessly to educate the public and key stakeholders on the dangers of ESG investing, all while corporations are trying to circumvent the democratic process and drive their own political agenda.”
