# Where do "think tanks" get their funding?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-think-tanks-get-their-funding/177237>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 24, 2003, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-think-tanks-get-their-funding/177237 "2003-05-24T15:14:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-think-tanks-get-their-funding/177237/1 "2003-05-24T15:14:00Z")

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Donations?

Groups such as…

American Enterprise Institute

Cato Institute

Center for Strategic and International Studies

Among many, many others.

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-think-tanks-get-their-funding/177237/2 "2003-05-24T15:35:03Z")

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I don’t know for sure, but I think that this is how it works: The “think tank” studies an issue, either independently or by commission, and they are paid for their official report.