Abbreviation Civitas Institute Type 501(c)(3) nonprofit | Founder Art Pope | |
Motto "North Carolina's Conservative Voice" Formation 9 March 2005 (2005-03-09) Purpose "To facilitate the implementation of conservative policy solutions to improve the lives of all North Carolinians." | ||
The John William Pope Civitas Institute Inc., generally known as the Civitas Institute, or just Civitas, is a nonprofit conservative think tank headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Civitas Institute is primarily funded by the John William Pope Foundation, the family foundation of Art Pope.
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Purpose
The Civitas Institute advocates for limited government and free enterprise. It educates citizens, candidates and public officials about the political process and current issues.
History
Civitas was incorporated on March 9, 2005.
Initial members of the board of directors included the first president of the organization, R. Jack Hawke; businessman Robert Luddy; and Art Pope, a businessman, political figure and philanthropist. Pope resigned from the Civitas board in December 2012 to serve as Deputy Budget Director in the administration of Governor Pat McCrory.
The organization’s name honors Art Pope’s father, John William Pope, also a businessman and conservative philanthropist.
Polling
Civitas says that it commissions the only regular, live-caller opinion polling of North Carolina voters. Its polling examines public opinion on key issues and voters' views of state and national politicians.
Research and information
In late 2012, Civitas commissioned a study on the effects of lowering or eliminating state income taxes. In July 2013, the legislature passed and the governor signed into law lower corporate and personal income tax rates.
The Civitas Partisan Voting Index is a resource that resembles the Cook Partisan Voting Index, which analyzes congressional districts. The Civitas Index compares the political leanings of voters in each North Carolina House and Senate district with the voting patterns of the state as a whole. Civitas also offers online maps that show demographic and political trends.
In the fall of 2012, Civitas worked with the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice on a poll showing North Carolina residents were open to school choice options. In the next session of the state legislature, two school voucher programs were included in the state budget.
A Civitas study of the State Board of Elections led Civitas to call on top state officials for an investigation of the board and its ties to a lobbyist. The legislature in 2013 also passed measures to change the state's election laws.
Events
The annual Conservative Leadership Conference offers conservative speakers and workshops on relevant issues. CLC speakers have included Charles Krauthammer, Arthur C. Brooks, Rudy Giuliani, Fred Barnes, Stephen Moore, Elizabeth Dole, Michael Barone, Bob Novak, Grover Norquist, and others. The 2013 CLC featured speakers such as U.S. Senator Ron Johnson, Michelle Malkin, former U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, former U.S. Rep. Artur Davis, U.S. Reps. Renee Ellmers and George Holding, talk-show host Jason Lewis, Heritage Foundation President Ed Feulner, and Lt. Gov. Dan Forest.
Civitas hosts a monthly lunch series to announce poll findings and offer commentary on issues.
Publications
The Civitas Institute publishes a monthly newspaper, the Civitas Capitol Connection, an internet magazine, the Civitas Review and the Civitas Blog.
The Civitas Institute has published a number of pieces online critical of the Moral Mondays protests. In one article, William Barber Rakes in Taxpayer Dollars Leads Moral (no it is) Money Mondays! the Civitas Institute criticized Rev. William Barber, head of the state's NAACP, because a non-profit overseen by Barber's church received federal support. Barber responded, stating "People know I'm a volunteer, even with the NAACP. Other work I do, I volunteer. I am a pastor."
The Civitas Institute also released a web page which compiles data on protestors arrested in the course of the civil disobedience actions, which includes demographic information and comments on their voter registration status.