Americans for Prosperity was founded by David Koch and Richard Fink in 2003 and has grown into a powerful non-profit front group for the Koch network. The group’s federal platform and state chapters consistently fight against renewable energy and clean transportation policies.
Conservative Transparency describes Americans for Prosperity as “the centerpiece of the Kochs’ political machine” and the Washington Post describes the group as “a centrally directed but federated organization with paid staffers in the states who can deploy resources and mobilize millions of activists on contact lists.”
As of January 2020, AFP has state chapters in 37 states, including one in Minnesota run by state director Jason Flohrs, and another in Colorado. AFP’s state chapters have been involved in many efforts to lobby state governments against clean energy and transportation policy, including New Jersey’s exit from RGGI and numerous fights against state-level renewable energy standards.
As a 501(c)(4) organization, Americans for Prosperity is not required to disclose its donors. However, Conservative Transparency highlights two organizations associated with the Kochs, Freedom Partners and the Center to Protect Patient Rights, which had combined contributions of over $80 million to Americans for Prosperity since 2009.
The Americans for Prosperity Foundation, is the 501(c)(3) sister organization to Americans for Prosperity,and David Koch serves as chairman of the foundation.
For more on AFP, see the full profile on DeSmog.