Rethink Campaigns

Anti-Pipeline Activism Funded by Tides > 400 Payments for $35 Million

Since 2009, The Tides Foundation has granted at least $35 million to organizations involved in ant-pipeline activism in the U.S., Canada and in Europe. Of that $35 million, nearly $25 million was explicitly for anti-pipeline activity while $10.5 million went to the same organizations for general, related or unspecified purposes. For a set of tables that summarize more than 400 payments made by Tides to anti-pipeline groups, click here.

Below, here are excerpts of the U.S. tax returns of the Tides Foundation and Tides Canada Foundation showing more than 400 payments to more than 90 environmental and First Nations organizations that have been funded as part of the anti-pipeline Tar Sands Campaign.

Note: For 2014, the excerpts provided are from a list of grants published by the Tides Foundation. This list does not include the stated purpose for which the funds were granted. As such, it can not be assumed that the payments made in 2014 were necessarily for the Tar Sands Campaign.

1. 840450 Ltd. Fort Chipewayan, Alberta:

• $45,000 (2012)
• $10,000 (2012)
• $55,000 (2013)
• $75,00 (2015)

2.  Association Quebecois de Luttre Contre la Pollution Atmosphérique

• $47,724 (2015)
  

3.  Beaver Lake Cree Nation

• $28,319 (2015)
  

4.    Canadian Parks & Wilderness Society

• $12,000 (2009)

5.  Canadian Youth Climate Coalition (via the Polaris Institute):

• $15,000 (2013)
• $11,452 (2014)
  
• $26,431 (2015)
  

6.  Canadian Climate Action Network (paid through the Sierra Club of Canada)

• $60,o4oo (2010)
• $50,000 (2011)
• $19,344 (2015)
  

7.  Centre for Policy Alternatives

• $9,236 (2014)

8.  Conservation Council of New Brunswick

• $22,969 (2015)
  

9.  Conservation for Responsible Economic Development (CRED)

• $27,195 (2015)
  

10.  Council of Canadians

• $10,693 (2014)
• $27,946 (2015)
  

11.    Driftwood Foundation

• $27,000 (2009)

12.    Dogwood Initiative:

• $40,654 (2008) paid through Tides Canada Foundation
• $46,639 (2009) paid through Tides Canada Foundation
• $65,000 (2010)
• $150,000 (2011)
• $75,000 (2012)
• $75,000 (2013)
• $201,752 (2014)

13.  Ducks Unlimited Canada

Note: These payments were for the Athabasca Watershed Water Quality Research Project. These payments were for "research to document the extent of polycyclic hydrocarbon being released from Alberta tar sands operation and in support of the Taku NGO campaign."  Given the description of the purposes for which these funds were paid, it seems to me that these funds were granted as part of the Tar Sands Campaign. However, other than these payments, I have seen no evidence that Ducks Unlimited Canada is explicitly involved in the Tar Sands Campaign.

• $191,773 (2009) paid through Tides Canada Foundation
  
• NOTE: Tides Canada also paid Ducks Unlimited Canada $US-200,000 in 2008 for the same project. 

14.    Ecojustice

• $50,000 (2009)
• $150,000 (2010)
  
• $150,000 (2011)
  
• $120,000 (2012)
• $93,309 (2014)
  
• $82,071 (2015)
  

15.  Ecology Action Centre

• $12,495 (2014)
• $34,155 (2015)
  

16.  Ecology Ottawa

• $29,016 (2015)

17.  Environmental Defence Canada Inc.:

• $105,000 (2008) paid through Tides Canada Foundation
  
• $205,000 (2009)
• $250,000 (2011)
  
• $250,000 (2012)
  
• $212,500 (2013)
• $152,826 (2014)
  
• $116,063 (2015)
  

18.  Equiterre

• $60,000 (2009)
• $80,000 (2010)
  
• $50,000 (2011)
  
• $45,000 (2012)
  
• $75,000 (2013)
  
• $67,968 (2014)
• $76,563 (2015)
  

19.  Forest Ethics Advocacy

• $76,565 (2015)
  

20.  Georgia Strait Alliance

• $25,861 (2014)
• $11,606 (2015)
  

21.    Gitga'at First Nation

• $15,000 (2015)
  

22.  Global Forest Watch Canada:

• $48,000 (2012)

23.  Great Bear Rainforest Initiative (formerly The Turning Point Initiative)

• $27,000 (2009)
• $100,000 (2010)
  
• $50,000 (2011)
  
• $62,500 (2012)
  
• $67,500 (2013)
  
• $25,000 (2013)
• $61,835 (2014)
  
• $23,213 (2015)
  

24.  Greenpeace Canada

• $186,000 (2009)
• $200,000 (2010)
  
• $250,000 (2011)
  
• $250,000 (2012)
  
• $100,000 (2013)
  
• $90,000 (2013)
• $73,926 (2014)
  
• $129,357 (2015)
  

25.  Idle No More

• $75,000 (2014)
• $75,000 (2015)
  

26. Indigenous Tar Sands Campaign (paid through the Polaris Institute)

• $9,750 (2008) paid through Tides Canada Foundation
  
• $40,000 (2013)

27.  Keepers of the Athabasca:

• $40,000 (2010)
• $20,000 (2011)
  
• $50,000 (2012)
• $30,896 (2015)
  

28.  Lead Now

• $78,546 (2014)

29.  Living Oceans Society:

• $60,000 (2010)
• $120,000 (2011)
  
• $35,000 (2012)
  
• $36,000 (2013)
• $23,101 (2014)
• $19,344 (2015)

30.  Manitoba Energy Justice Coalition

• $19,344 (2015)
  

31.  Northwest Institute for Bioregional Research Society:

• $72,628 (2010)
• $75,000 (2011)
  
• $35,000 (2012)
• $35,000 (2013)
• $27,704 (2014)
  

32.  Pembina Foundation for Environmental Research

• $159,949 (2011) paid to the Pembina Foundation

33. Pembina Institute:

• $91,188 (2011)
  
• $145,000 (2012)
  
• $225,000 (2013)
  
• $91,640 (2014)
  
• $95,706 (2015)
  

34.  Pipe Up Association:

• $17,500 (2013)
• $13,763 (2014)
  
• $11,546 (2015)
  

35.  Quebec Environmental Law Centre:

• $38,282 (2015)
  

36. Raincoast Conservation Society

• $20,000 (2010)
• $10,000 (2013)
  
• $15,000 (2013)
  
• $15,000 (2014)

37.  Respecting Aboriginal and Environmental Law (RAVEN) - for the Pull Together Campaign

• $20,000 (2015)
  

38.  Saik'Uz First Nation - for the Yinka Dene Alliance

• $30,626 (2015)
  

39.  Sierra Club of British Columbia Foundation:

• $25,000 (2012)
• $30,000 (2013)
  
• $42,562 (2014)
  
• $88,319 (2015)
  

40.  Sierra Club of Canada Foundation:

• $7,450 (2008)
  
• $110,000 (2009) 
• $75,000 (2010)
  
• $120,ooo (2011)
  
• $30,000 (2012)
  
• $30,000 (2013)
  
• $29,102 (2014)
  

41.  Sisu Society:

• $90,000 (2012)
• $60,ooo (2012)
  
• $30,000 (2012)
  
• $25,000 (2013)
  
• $378,857 (2014)
  
• $975,355 (2015)

42. Transition Initiative Kenora

• $19,310 (2015)
  

43.  Tsleil-Waututh First Nation & Tsleil-Waututh Four Directions

• $79,369 (2014)
• $57,423 (2015)
  

44.  T. Buck Suzuki Foundation

• $30,000 (2010)
• $35,000 (2011)
  
• $17,500 (2012)
  
• $18,500 (2013)
  
• $13,490 (2014)
  
• $11,660 (2015)
  

45. Tanker Free B.C. Society

• $40,000 (2012)
• $27,034 (2015)
  

46. Tyee Society

• $15,000 (2010)

47.  Water Matters Society of Alberta

• $22,500 (2009)
• $60,000 (2010)
  
• $75,000 (2011)
  
• $25,000 (2012)
  

48. West Coast Environmental Law Research Foundation

• $50,000 (2010)
• $75,000 (2011)
  
• $21,000 (2012)
  
• $46,500 (2013)
  
• $50,140 (2014)
  
• $41,727 (2015)
  

49.  Western Canada Wilderness Committee

• $30,000 (2012)
• $10,000 (2014)
  
• $15,000 (2015)
  

50.  World Wildlife Fund Canada

• $160,000 (2009)

51.  European Federation of Transport & the Environment:

• $75,000 (2011)
• $60,000 (2012)
  
• $60,000 (2013)
  

52.  Friends of the Earth Europe

• $75,000 (2011)
• $45,000 (2012)
  
• $70,000 (2013)

53.  350.org

• $50,000 (2012)
• $170,000 (2013)
  
• $139,800 (2014)
  
• $25,000 (2015) &  $25,000 for Maine 350.0rg) & $10,000 for Toronto 350.org
  

54.  Backbone

• $25,000 (2013)

55.  Bold Nebraska

• $10,000 (2013)
• $75,000 (2014)
  
• $50,000 (2015)
  

56.  Boreal Songbird Initiative

• $285,000 (2009)
• $345,000 (2011)

57.  Corporate Ethics International

• $  750,000 (2009)
• $1,450,000 (2010)
• $1,480,000 (2011)
  

58.  Center for Energy Matters

• $25,000 (2010)
• $175,000 (2011)
  

59.  Ceres Inc.

• $100,000 (2009)
• $100,000 (2010)
  
• $100,000 (2011)
  

60. Earth Island Institute:

• $90,000 (2009)
• $75,000 (2010)
  
• $70,000 (2012)
  
• $50,000 (2013)
• $12,000 (2014)
  

61. Earthjustice

• $86,550 (2009)
• $100,000 (2010)
  
• $50,000 (2011)
  
• $40,000 (2012)
  
• $37,126 (2013)
  
• $101,250 (2013)
  
• $416,977 (2014)

62.  Earthworks

• $100,000 (2009)
• $50,000 (2010)
  
• $60,000 (2011)
  
• $42,000 (2012)
  
• $25,000 (2013)
  
• $40,000 (2014)
  

63.  Environment America Research & Policy, Washington DC:

• $25,000 (2010)

64. Environmental Law & Policy Center, Chicago IL:

• $60,000 (2009)
• $60,000 (2010)

65.  Environment Maine Research & Policy, Portland Maine:

• $10,000 (2012)
• $15,000 (2013)

66.  Friends of the Earth:

• $160,000 (2009)
• $50,000 (2010)
  
• $25,000 (2011)
  
• $25,000 (2012)
  
• $36,335 (2014)

67.  ForestEthics

• $250,000 (2008)
• $100,000 (2008)
  
• $10,000 (2008)
  
• $286,000 (2009)
  
• $150,000 (2010)
  
• $100,000 (2011)
  
• $185,000 (2012)
  
• $155,000 (2013)
  
• $209,135 (2014)
  
• $76,579 (2015)
  

68.  Fresh Energy

• $120,000 (2009)

69.  Indigenous Environmental Network

• $115,000 (2009)
• $140,000 (2010)
  
• $150,000 (2011)
  
• $115,000 (2012)
  
• $93,000 (2013)

70.  Honor The Earth

• $20,000 (2015)
  

71.  League of Conservation Voters

• $60,000 (2011)
• $85,000 (2012)
  

71.  Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, Saint Paul, Minnesota:

• $40,000 (2009)
• $20,000 (2010)
  

72.  Nebraska Easement Action Team, Hastings, Nebraska:

• $10,000 (2012)

73. Nebraska Farmers Union, Lincoln, Nebraska:

• $10,000 (2012)

74. Natural Resources Defense Council, New York NY:

• $200,000 (2009)
• $65,000 (2010)
  
• $200,000 (2010)
  
• $349,475 (2011)
  
• $165,000 (2012)
  
• $150,000 (2013)
  
• $100,000 (2014)
  
• $50,000 (2015)
  

75. New Venture Fund, Washington DC:

• $329,600 (2011)

76. Nextwave Foundation

• $977,118 (2011) NOTE: This was for purchase of shares in Hollyhock
• $119,274 (2015)
  

77.  National Wildlife Federation, Washington DC:

• $100,000 (2010)
• $313,000 (2011)
• $75,000 (2012)
  
• $50,000 (2013)
  
• $50,000 (2014)
  
• $48,000 (2015)
  

78.  Oil Change International:

• $30,000 (2009)
• $25,000 (2010)
  
• $50,000 (2011)
  
• $70,500 (2012)
  
• $60,000 (2013)
  
• $50,000 (2014)
  
• $30,000 (2015) and $20,000
  

79.  Plains Justice:

• $75,000 (2009)
• $75,000 (2010)

80.  Polaris Institute:

• $55,000 (2009)
• $75,000 (2010)
  
• $25,000 (2011)

81. Progress Now:

• $50,000 (2012)
  
• $80,ooo (2013)
  

82. Public Citizen:

• $20,000 (2010)
• $50,000 (2011)
• $12,000 (2012)
  
• $22,000 (2014)
  

83.  Rainforest Action Network

• $225,000 (2009)
• $50,000 (2010)
  
• $50,000 (2011)
  
• $50,403 (2012)
  
• $95,000 (2013)
  
• $49,554 (2014)

84. Riverkeeper

• $50,000 (2015) & $15,000
  
  

85.  Sierra Club Foundation

• $200,000 (2009)
• $420,000 (2010)
• $600,000 (2011) & $25,000 (2011)
• $170,000 (2012)
• $165,000 (2013)
• $105,000 (2014)
  
• $25,000 (2015)
  

86.    SumOfUs

• $358,750 (2014) NOTE: The purpose for which these funds were paid is not stated.

87.   Sustainable Markets Foundation

• $247,429 (2014) NOTE: The purpose for which these funds were paid is not stated.

88.  Texas Fund for Energy & Environment

• $10,000 (2012)

89.  Tides Canada Initiative Society

• $202,608 (2008) (specifically for the "Tar Sands Education Campaign")
• $87,713 (2014)
  

90.  Tides Center' Global Community Monitor

• $75,000 (2009)
• $63,0000 (2010)
• $10,000 (2011)
• $10,000 (2011)
• $10,000 (2012)

91. Western Organization of Resource Councils, Billings Montana:

• $175,000 (2009)
• $200,000 (2010)
• $50,000 (2011)
• $120,000 (2012)
• $30,000 (2012)

92.  UK Tar Sands Network (Platform, London):

• $60,000 (2010)
• $125,000 (2011)
• $15,000 (2012)
• $12,000 (2013)
• $30,000 (2013)
• $15,500 (2014)

Who "Funds" Vivian Krause? Nobody. Here's An Up-date

As readers of this blog will know, this blog raises fair questions about the funding of environmental activism. My goal is to raise fair questions and to do so in a fair way. Since I ask about the funding of others, it seems only fair that I answer questions about my own sources of income.

If you follow me on Twitter (I'm @FairQuestions), you will know that I am sometimes called a shill of the oil industry or it is implied that I am somehow secretly supported or funded by oil interests or conservative political interests. That is entirely untrue.

The truth is, I am not funded or directed by anyone. I write this blog entirely of my own initiative. That was the case when I first started this blog in 2010 and that is still the case four years down the road. If the research and writing that is presented here were funded by anyone, I would have no hesitation to say so.

If you do a quick search of the internet, you will find that there are two web-sites that appear to have used some of my research: Our Decision and Money Trail. Both projects invited me to participate, however since both of them have undisclosed funders, I declined.

During the first few years that I wrote this blog, I had no income whatsoever in relation to the research and writing that is presented here. That changed in 2011 when I received a couple of invitations to speak at various conferences, and I received a couple of modest honorariums. While I was writing this blog regularly during the first half of 2012, I voluntarily disclosed those honoriums. (For that, click here). I had anticipated that eventually somebody would ask "who funds you?" so I have had a post at this blog to answer this question since September of 2011.

Since June of 2012 when I thought I was done with writing this blog, I have continued to contribute occasionally to The Financial Post and have been invited to speak at several events sponsored by industry associations affiliated with the oil and gas industry, or the mining industry,  including the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association, the Pipeline Contractors Association of Canada, the Canadian Association of Geophysical Contractors, the Inuvik Petroleum Show and the Yukon Chamber of Mines. I have also spoken at several events sponsored by companies and investment firms that are invested in the Canadian oil and gas industry. It is because of these honorariums that I have been able to afford to continue writing over the past year.

During 2014, I also received several honorariums for articles that have been published by The Financial Post, for Alberta Oil magazine and Business in Calgary (<$5,000 in all). 

No doubt about it, receiving speaking fees or honorariums or funding of any kind does put a writer in a potential dilemna. I understand that. Under my current circumstances, I feel that the best that I can offer to do is to be transparent about my situation.