| Abbreviation | Civitas |
|---|---|
| Merged into | John Locke Foundation |
| Formation | 9 March 2005; 20 years ago (2005-03-09) |
| Founder | Art Pope |
| Type | 501(c)(3) nonprofit |
| 20-2454741 | |
| Headquarters | Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S. |
Region | North Carolina |
| Methods | Public policythink tank |
| Website | www |
TheCivitas Institute, Inc. (Civitas) was aRaleigh, North Carolina–based conservativethink tank.[1][2][3] In January 2021, Civitas merged with theJohn Locke Foundation.[4]
Civitas was incorporated on March 9, 2005.[5]
Initial members of the board of directors included the first president of the organization, R. Jack Hawke; businessman Robert Luddy; andArt Pope, a businessman, political figure and philanthropist.[6] Pope resigned from the Civitas board in December 2012 to serve as Deputy Budget Director in the administration of GovernorPat McCrory.[7]
The organization's name honored Art Pope's father, John William Pope, also a businessman and conservative philanthropist.[8]
In late 2012, Civitas commissioned a study on the effects of lowering or eliminating state income taxes.[9] In July 2013, the legislature passed and the governor signed into law lower corporate and personal income tax rates.[10][11] The organization has also called for elimination of North Carolina's statecorporate income tax.[12]
A Civitas study of the State Board of Elections led Civitas to call on top state officials for an investigation of the board and its ties to a lobbyist.[13]
In 2013, Civitas launched a website to attack theAffordable Care Act, portraying the health care reform legislation as an assault by elites against middle-class North Carolinians.[14]
Civitas repeatedly sued the State of North Carolina over thesame-day voter registration process, which Civitas opposed.[15][16] A suit filed by Civitas seeking to halt the final count of votes in the2016 North Carolina gubernatorial election[16] was dismissed in December 2016, but the organization subsequently renewed its litigation.[15]
Civitas commissioned live-calleropinion polling of North Carolina voters.[17]
Civitas advocated for increased school choice for students in North Carolina.[18][19]
The annual Conservative Leadership Conference offered conservative speakers and workshops on relevant issues. CLC speakers includedCharles Krauthammer,Arthur C. Brooks,Rudy Giuliani,Fred Barnes,Stephen Moore,Elizabeth Dole,Michael Barone,Bob Novak,Grover Norquist, and others.[20] The 2013 CLC featured speakers such as U.S. SenatorRon Johnson,[21]Michelle Malkin,[22] former U.S. Sen.Jim DeMint, former U.S. Rep.Artur Davis, U.S. Reps.Renee Ellmers andGeorge Holding, talk-show hostJason Lewis,The Heritage Foundation's former presidentEdwin Feulner, and Lt. Gov.Dan Forest.[23]
Civitas hosted a monthly lunch series to announce poll findings and offer commentary on issues.[24]
The Civitas Institute published a monthly newspaper, theCivitas Capitol Connection, an internet magazine, theCivitas Review and theCivitas Blog.[25][26]
The Civitas Institute published a number of pieces online critical of theMoral Mondays protests.[27] In one article,William Barber Rakes in Taxpayer Dollars Leads Moral (no it is) Money Mondays! the Civitas Institute criticized Rev. William Barber, head of the state's NAACP, because a non-profit overseen by Barber's church received federal support. Barber responded, stating "People know I'm a volunteer, even with the NAACP. Other work I do, I volunteer. I am a pastor."[28]
The Civitas Institute also released a web page which compiles data on protestors arrested in the course of thecivil disobedience actions, which includes demographic information and comments on their voter registration status.[29]
