The State Policy Network (SPN) is a web of right-wing think tanks in states across the country.

Minnesota is home to two SPN right-wing think tanks: the Freedom Foundation of Minnesota (FFM) and the Center of the American Experiment (CAE). While FFM and CAE claim to be focused on issues important to the people of Minnesota, both push a right-wing agenda dictated by their national right-wing funders and partners.

Despite FFM's description as "independent" and CAE's "nonpartisan" status, both "think tanks" have close connections to Republicans in Minnesota. MPR and Slate magazine have reported that FFM had ties to a secret group attempting to influence the state redistricting process to favor Republicans, while several CAE executives are former Republican officials under Minnesota's recent GOP governors. An analysis of political contributions by CAE and FFM staff and board members shows that the members of the board and staff of the organizations have contributed nearly $1 million to political candidates and committees, nearly all of which went to Republicans.

Defund and privatize Minnesota's public schools Block access to affordable healthcare for Minnesota families Oppose renewable energy and pollution protections Oppose raising Minnesota's minimum wage Restrict workers' rights by pushing socalled "Right to Work" legislation and restricting collective bargaining rights Lower corporate taxes

In 2010, CAE released a report advocating for a voter suppression law in Minnesota, and used it to push for an anti-voting measure on the 2012 ballot. Key parts of CAE's report were demonstrated to be false by a coalition of academics and advocates in the summer of 2012. Professor Max Hailperin of Gustavus Adolphus College wrote an article criticizing CAEs report on photo ID as biased and using faulty research. Non-partisan organizations Common Cause and Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota (CEIMN) (both who criticized CAEs support for photo-ID) also teamed up with a critical, line-by-line debunking of the 2010 CAE report on voter fraud. Minnesota voters rejected the CAE-supported voter suppression measure in 2012.

Promote voter suppression and push "voter ID" laws Additionally, CAE pushes an extreme agenda on so-called "social" issues, including:

Oppose marriage equality and LGBT rights Impose on women's health and restrict reproductive rights

Freedom Foundation, accessed 11/3/2013 CAE, accessed 11/3/2013

- Citizens for Election Integrity MN and Common Cause MN

Both CAE and FFM are not required to disclose their donors, and neither chooses to publish them voluntarily. The identities of CAE and FFM's few known donors show the organizations are largely funded by right-wing out-of-state foundations, including the Koch-funded Donors Capital Fund, which has funneled $180,000 to CAE and $557,000 to FFM, and the South Carolina-based Roe Foundation.