The State Policy Network (SPN) is an umbrella group of right-wing think tanks across the country.

The Nevada Policy Research Institute (NPRI) is SPNs cookie-cutter think tank for Nevada. While NPRI claims to be focused on issues important to the people of Nevada, they actually push an agenda dictated by its national right-wing funders and partners. While the institute has not registered any lobbyists in Nevada or with the federal government, NPRI remains active in attempting to shape and influence public policy, both in and outside the Nevada statehouse. Despite NPRI's status as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which prohibits it from participating in partisan political and campaign activity, NPRI has published policy guides for legislators, hosted right-wing "journalists" affiliated with the Franklin Center to publish agenda-driven news, and lead advocacy efforts against labor unions.

Jon Ralston, of the Las Vegas Sun, criticized NPRIs 2011 Legislative Report Card for its unscientific methodology and politically skewed results. Ralston charged that the authors capriciously gave some bills much more weight than others depending on how strongly the institution feels about the issue. Governor Sandovals tax extensions, for example, were given 16 times more weight than other bills.

- Las Vegas Sun journalist Jon Ralston on NPRI's 2011 legislative report card

NPRI has been the leader of the so-called "National Employee Freedom Week." This week is a coordinated effort by NPRI and number of right-wing organizations to try to get workers to drop their union membership, while using the publicity to attack unions and workers' rights. The co-sponsors of the event included numerous other national and state-based right-wing groups, including the Heritage Foundation, Americans for Prosperity, the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, Freedom Works, and several SPN think tanks.

There has been much speculation over Las Vegas conservative mega-donor Sheldon Adelson's - who won NPRI's "Chairman Award" award in 2007 - funding to NPRI, but the institute is not required to disclose its donors and does not do so voluntarily. NPRI's few known donors show that the institute has received significant funding, if not a majority, from out-of-state right-wing special interests. The Koch-funded Donors Capital Fund, known as the "dark money ATM of the conservative movement," has contributed over $1.2 million to NPRI. Other NPRI out-of-state funders include the Coors family's Castle Rock Foundation (of Coors Brewing Company) and the Roe Foundation (of SPN founder Thomas Roe). FUNDER Donors Capital Fund Jaquelin Hume Foundation The Roe Foundation Castle Rock Foundation JM Foundation State Policy Network BASED IN Virginia California South Carolina Colorado New York Virginia AMOUNT $1,262,432 $208,000 $195,000 $110,000 $90,000 $43,000 YEARS 2005-2011 2003-2011 1998-2011 1995-2010 2002-2012 2003-2010

Block access to affordable healthcare for Nevada citizens Defund and privatize Nevada's public schools through vouchers and charter schools

Restrict workers' collective bargaining rights Repeal Nevada's minimum wage and prevailing wage laws Oppose renewable energy proposals and repeal pollution protections Restrict workers and retirees right to sue an employer for medical treatment when hurt on the job

Nevada Policy Research Institute: "Solutions 2013"