Ithaca’s Triad Foundation leans right

Ithaca has long been known as a liberal college town in a more rural conservative region. Yet the local Triad Foundation is a steady supporter of conservative causes around the country.

Triad is one of two grantors spawned from the wealth of Roy Park Sr., who built Park Communications media conglomerate after launching the highly successful line of Duncan Hinnes cake mixes. The other grantor is the Park Foundation, also based in Ithaca.

Park died in 1993. His offspring continue his philanthropic activities, but with differing politics. The Park Foundation focuses heavily on environmental issues, while Triad skews right.

Both foundations give millions to organizations in the Ithaca environs. Cultural, religious and educational institutions number among the recipients, Cornell University prominent among them.

Triad’s support for conservative and libertarian groups is nationwide. A review of the foundation’s 2019 tax return (the most recent publicly avaialable) shows grants to the following organizations:

American Enterprise Institute
American Legislative Exchance Council
American Spectator
Americans for Prosperity
Competitive Enterprise Institute
Daily Caller
Federalist Society
Federation for American Immigration Reform
Foundation for Government Accountability
Heritage Foundation
Independent Women’s Forum
Judicial Watch
Media Research Center
National Review
State Policy Network
Taliesin Nexus
Tax Foundation
Young America’s Foundation
Young Americans for Liberty