Helen Flannery

Researcher on U.S. philanthropy & inequality for the Institute for Policy Studies. Mostly only posting now on

[Dan Petegorsky @DanPetegorsky]

You want to make dark money darker? Schwab is in the game.
How One Donor-Advised Fund Helps Leonard Leo Weaponize Philanthropy - via @inequalityorg https://t.co/Oo11t5PIKQ
@birnbaum_e @HeidiReports @kenvogel @Fahrenthold @duboo @andrewperezdc

[Helen Flannery @HelenofIPS]

This is a great new piece by my colleague @DanPetegorsky. Conservative dark money kingpin Leonard Leo is "weaponizing" U.S. philanthropy to achieve his goals, and Schwab Charitable helps by laundering the money stream.
#DAFs #DarkMoney @IPS_DC

[Dan Petegorsky @DanPetegorsky]

You want to make dark money darker? Schwab is in the game.
How One Donor-Advised Fund Helps Leonard Leo Weaponize Philanthropy - via @inequalityorg https://t.co/Oo11t5PIKQ
@birnbaum_e @HeidiReports @kenvogel @Fahrenthold @duboo @andrewperezdc

[Helen Flannery @HelenofIPS]

Welcome to the world of Fossil Fuel Philanthropy! Where donors pour hundreds of millions in taxpayer-subsidized dollars into US nonprofits to spread #climate disinformation.
@inequalityorg @bdevaan @Chuck99to1 @IPS_DC

[Institute for Policy Studies @IPS_DC]

NEW: Billionaires invested in fossil fuels are quietly funding groups actively spreading climate misinformation — and getting massive tax breaks for doing so.

It's time to end this abuse of philanthropy. REPORT: https://t.co/ic8lMQGe4B

[Institute for Policy Studies @IPS_DC]

Billionaires aren’t only avoiding fair taxes by tipping elections — they’re weakening enforcement by watering down tax policies and underfunding the IRS.

The sooner we tax them, the sooner we can break this cycle. @AZBobLord in @inequalityorg: https://t.co/OLhjwi3bTy

[Institute for Policy Studies @IPS_DC]

Wall Street is warping charity into dark-money funds. This distorts philanthropy itself, says IPS scholar @HelenofIPS.

“The reason we have agreed to give tax deductions for charitable giving is because, in exchange, that money is supposed to be used for a common public benefit.”

[Bella DeVaan @bdevaan]

Donor-advised funds are channeling significant $ to Heritage/Project 2025. Why? "Appealing design for those wishing to avoid public scrutiny."

@ktyschwnk, Helen Santoro, & @freddy_brewster @LeverNews ft. @HelenofIPS, @Al_Cantor, @CountingCharity, & me:
https://t.co/ubxKOkeyKT

[Helen Flannery @HelenofIPS]

@Al_Cantor @thelever Retweeted by @JaneMayerNYer: https://t.co/2GFVPt6bws

[Jane Mayer @JaneMayerNYer]

How Big Donors hide their fingerprints: New Report says Wall Street Helped Fund Project 2025 https://t.co/UZhmzjhhX4

[Helen Flannery @HelenofIPS]

Proud to have my study with @CountingCharity cited in this @LeverNews story about how Wall Street helped fund Project 2025...through charitable giving.

[Jane Mayer @JaneMayerNYer]

How Big Donors hide their fingerprints: New Report says Wall Street Helped Fund Project 2025 https://t.co/UZhmzjhhX4

[Institute for Policy Studies @IPS_DC]

Billionaires are molding philanthropy into a web of private donor-advised funds — eating into the revenue that working nonprofits rely on.

“This sort of transfer shouldn’t count as charity,” says @HelenofIPS. New from @michaelkavate in @InsidePhilanthr:
https://t.co/yh4TbaohhC

[Inside Philanthropy @InsidePhilanthr]

Who are the Black Box Billionaires?
Discover America's most secretive mega-donors and their impact on philanthropy.
@michaelkavate reports:
https://t.co/iKGFyOchI3
Tagging @HelenofIPS @IPS_DC
#MegaDonors #AnonymousGiving #SocialImpact #BlackBoxBillionaires

[Jane Mayer @JaneMayerNYer]

How Big Donors hide their fingerprints: New Report says Wall Street Helped Fund Project 2025 https://t.co/UZhmzjhhX4

[Inequality.org @inequalityorg]

Earlier this year a wave of articles claimed that Millennials are actually the wealthiest generation.

That's only true if you ignore that just a few 30 somethings are hoarding almost all of that wealth.

[Sarah Anderson @SarahDAnderson1]

Looking forward to testifying next week before @SenateBudget with @JosephEStiglitz on the topic of: "Making Wall Street Pay Its Fair Share: Raising Revenue, Strengthening Our Economy"

Details: https://t.co/74h9HJWNRm

[Paul Caron @SoCalTaxProf]

Are Donor-Advised Funds Facilitating Anonymous Giving To Politically Engaged Charities? https://t.co/0tHrifuJaX

by @HelenofIPS (@IPS_DC) & Brian Mittendorf (@OhioState)

[Institute for Policy Studies @IPS_DC]

It’s time to move billions out of DAFs into the hands of many people who need it.

The IPS @inequalityorg team has found a number of changes we can advocate for. Join in, urges @HelenofIPS, whether you have a DAF or not: https://t.co/8I4FY8yfDh

[Institute for Policy Studies @IPS_DC]

Donor-advised funds, an increasingly popular philanthropic vehicle among the ultra-wealthy, have no requirement to move funds to actual charities in a timely way.

They now make up ten of the U.S.'s top 20 public charities. @HelenofIPS in @inequalityorg: https://t.co/8I4FY8yfDh

[Institute for Policy Studies @IPS_DC]

Private jet travel may be the single most carbon-intensive form of travel. Developers claim they can curb this — by building MORE private jet hangars.

This blatant greenwashing is a danger to our climate. @Chuck99to1 of @inequalityorg in @bostonherald: https://t.co/nhCQT15s2z

[Helen Flannery @HelenofIPS]

New report by my colleagues @ArepasYLibertad and @Chuck99to1 at @IPS_DC shows how the jet industry uses claims about Sustainable Aviation Fuel to quash concerns about emissions. "Any new moves to subsidize private jet travel on a warming planet would be absolutely indefensible."

[Stay Grounded - @staygroundednet on Bluesky 🦋 @StayGroundedNet]

New report confirms it: magic doesn't exist 🦄🙃

Hopes that so-called sustainable aviation fuels will cut emissions are misguided #greenwashing and support for them could even worsen the climate crisis. 1/

https://t.co/nnX9UaLm1a

[Stay Grounded - @staygroundednet on Bluesky 🦋 @StayGroundedNet]

New report confirms it: magic doesn't exist 🦄🙃

Hopes that so-called sustainable aviation fuels will cut emissions are misguided #greenwashing and support for them could even worsen the climate crisis. 1/

https://t.co/nnX9UaLm1a

[Helen Flannery @HelenofIPS]

New report by my colleagues at @IPS_DC shows how the jet industry is using claims about Sustainable Aviation Fuel to quash concerns about emissions. "Any new moves to subsidize private jet travel on a warming planet would be absolutely indefensible." https://t.co/0lCyWMm5OU