How much money does Big Tech give out to think tanks?
While Big Tech companies like Google, Amazon, and Facebook disclose the nonprofit policy groups they fund (Apple does not disclose), we generally don’t know the amounts they give out unless individual groups disclose them or they get leaked to the press. These contributions can range into the seven figures annually, but as far as we can tell they are more typically in the low to mid six figures.
In aggregate, contributions from Big Tech usually eclipse other kinds of corporate donations. They are also inherently transactional rather than charitable, with full-time staff and consultants dedicated to disseminating talking points and tracking deliverables.
To give you a sense of the scale, here are a few examples of what we do know:
In 2020, the Center for Democracy and Technology reported receiving over $500K from Google; and between $100-500K from Amazon, Facebook, and Microsoft; and between $50-100K from Apple.
In 2020, the New America Foundation reported receiving between $250K-$1 million from Google; and between $100-250K from Amazon and Microsoft; and between $50-100K from Apple and Facebook.
In 2017, the R Street Institute received $500K from Google’s foundation (in addition to grants from Google and other tech companies which it did not disclose).
In 2020, the Brookings Institution reported receiving over $2 million from Microsoft; between $250-500K from Google and Facebook; between $100-250K from Amazon; and between $25-50K from Apple.
In 2021, the Heritage Foundation reportedly rejected annual contributions of $225K from Google and $150K from Facebook.
In other cases, not knowing amounts can make it difficult to evaluate potential conflicts. For instance, a $10,000 grant (such as for sponsoring a conference) presents a different level of conflict than a $500,000 grant. And even the latter may not be a reason for concern at a large NGO or academic center with an endowment.
On the other hand, there are front groups that have their entire budget funded by one or two Big Tech companies. We recognize this makes it tough to figure who’s on the level, but it’s the best we can offer without forcing these companies to abide by stricter lobbying disclosure rules.