True North Research

Overview

True North Research is a U.S. investigative watchdog and research organization founded by Lisa Graves that publishes reports and articles examining how dark-money networks -- including front groups, corporations and wealthy individuals -- shape public policy, elections, the courts and civil liberties. The organization operates primarily online, with mail correspondence handled through a Minneapolis post office box.

Key functions and role

True North researches and publishes investigative articles and reports on the funding and activities of politically active nonprofits, focusing heavily on state supreme court elections, conservative legal organizations, and dark-money-funded advocacy campaigns. It curates KochDocs.org, an archive of documents relating to Charles Koch and affiliated organizations, and collaborates with DeSmog's Koch Network Database and the Climate Investigations Center on archival research. True North researchers have also contributed to the ALEC Exposed project of the Center for Media and Democracy.

History

Lisa Graves, who previously served as executive director of the Center for Media and Democracy from 2009 to 2017, launched True North Research around 2019, building on research she and colleague Evan Vorpahl had begun publishing that year on outside spending in state supreme court races, including in Wisconsin. True North has since published investigations on funders connected to Federalist Society co-chairman Leonard Leo, conservative billionaire Jeff Yass, and dark-money groups involved in the events preceding the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Political positions

True North describes itself as a nonpartisan watchdog dedicated to advancing truth in public policy debates, though its research focuses overwhelmingly on conservative and free-market-aligned funders and organizations. Watchdog groups that monitor left-of-center advocacy, including InfluenceWatch, describe Graves and True North as left-of-center, noting that Graves has also accepted anonymous donations of the kind her reporting scrutinizes when made to conservative groups.

Leadership

Lisa Graves serves as Executive Director and Editor-in-Chief. Alyssa Bowen serves as Deputy Executive Director and directs True North's Equality Project, and Evan Vorpahl directs its State Courts and Democracy Project.

Location and contact info

Address
P.O. Box 141217
Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA
Email
press@truenorthresearch.org
Website
https://truenorthresearch.org