Some Organizations, Institutions, Companies & Groups Funded by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Grants & Contracts

(Compiled by Wanda Hamilton)

Advocacy Institute - [AKA Institute for Public Policy Advocacy] Co-founded by Michael Pertschuk. Trains anti-tobacco activists and provides communications networks SCARCnet and Globalink for them. The RWJF has funded a number of anti-tobacco projects of the Advocacy Institute, including in l998 (in conjunction with the American Cancer Society) "A Movement Rising: A Strategic Analysis of U.S. Tobacco Control Advocacy."  RWJF also funded the A.I.'s "Health Science Analysis Project," which included various policy papers, including one on "International Interests in U.S. Tobacco Legislation" by John L. Bloom, the Manager of International Issues for the National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids. The Advocacy Institute has also worked to help state anti-tobacco coalitions get major funding from the states' tobacco settlement money with "Securing the Funds," a collection of "resources" to help lobby for money for tobacco control programs. When SCARCnet stopped producing its daily news bulletin for the anti-tobacco network at the end of January 2000, the "consultants" who had worked with them were listed:   

• Michelle Block of the National Cancer Institute; Eric Gally, Consultant;
• Karen Lewis of the World Health Organization's Tobacco Free Initiative;
• Bob Jaffe of Washington DOC; Joel Papo of the Council on Economic Priorities;
• Russ Sciandra of the Center for a Tobacco Free New York;
• Karla Sneegas of Indiana, Consultant;
• Phil Wilbur of ROW Sciences (a recipient of many contracts from the CDC and NCI) who also has an address at the Advocacy Institute and who produced a "directory of tobacco-industry allies, organizations, scientists, lobbyists, lawyers, and public relations experts from a tobacco control point of view." The message on the closing of SCARCnet was signed by Michael Eriksen, Director of the CDC's Office on Smoking and Health;
• Chuck Wolfe, Executive Vice-President of the American Legacy Foundation;
• and Nancy Kaufman, Vice-President, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.                   

With the possible exception of the Onyx Group, all of these organizations have received substantial anti-tobacco funding from the RWJF. The committee met three times and produced a report to present to President Clinton and Congress. The report itself is a frightening compendium of the most extreme methods for national and international "tobacco control," which mentions the words "ban" and "funding" throughout.  The RWJF provided $25,000 in funding for the advisory committee via the Science and Public Policy Institute.

American Academy of Arts and Sciences - RWJF provided the Academy with $50,000 in l992 for "Planning for an initiative to seek more prominence for children's issues."  The prevention of underage smoking has become a national issue for which billions of dollars are spent.

American Association of Health Plans - RWJF has provided a number of grants to this association of HMOs, including grants involving tobacco control and smoking cessation. One of the RWJF national programs is Addressing Tobacco in Managed Care.  One of the main thrusts of the RWJF funding is to push for HMO coverage of cessation products.

American Cancer Society - The primary recipient for RWJF's SmokeLess States awards.

American Council on Science and Health [ACSH] – Receives much of its funding from the pharmaceutical industry and the RWJF.  ACSH's "Tackling Tobacco" program is funded by SmithKline-Beecham, makers of Nicorette and Nicoderm. Though ACSH's Elizabeth Whelan is quick to defend pharmaceutical and chemical companies, she and her organization are very vocal against tobacco and the tobacco industry.   Whelan recently wrote apiece criticizing the New England Journal of Medicine for listing pharmaceutical industry funding in studies it publishes. She said research should stand on its own, regardless of funding, though she does not feel that way, of course, when it comes to tobacco industry funded research. Whelan claimed the NEJM itself got $30 million in ad revenues (its major source of funding) from the pharmaceutical industry. RWJF gave ACSH $204,465 for a "study of perspectives of U.S. leaders on tobacco policy." Interestingly, RWJF funded Adam Goldstein of UNC at Chapel Hill for another study on this same topic, except at the state level: "Attitudes of State Legislators Toward Tobacco and Tobacco Control Policies."   

American Lung Association

American Medical Association - Receives funding for administering the RWJF SmokeLess States program.  The AMA's Tom Houston, the director of the program, has acknowledged that he and the AMA get pharmaceutical industry funding.

American Political Network, Inc. - $647,008 for "Daily News Service on Health Care Issues"

Americans for Nonsmokers Rights

Alliance for Health Reform

Audits and Surveys - Located in New York, this outfit was awarded $673,300 in l995 for one year for a "National study in support of youth anti-tobacco programs."

British Medical Journal - Not only have the BMJ's  "Tobacco Control" and its North American editor Ron Davis received considerable RWJF funding, but the BMJ itself has "requested funding from the foundation to support enhanced dissemination of information on chronic disease care through the journal and its website," according to an editorial disclaimer in the BMJ Feb. 26, 2000 issue.

Carter Center - At Emory University received $78,340 for 6 months in l992 to develop a "Tobacco Tax Policy Task Force."

'Cause Children Count’ Coalition - A joint effort by American Cancer Society and RWJF, this coalition was given a 4-year grant in l997 for $705,000

Center for Health Economic Research, Inc.  In Waltham, Mass.   Media contact listed is Gregory Pope.  RWJF grant was for "Study of the Adoption and Economic Effects of Smoke-free Restaurant Ordinances in Massachusetts."  Results were expected in l997.

Center for Media Education, Washington, D.C. - $130,520 in l997 for "Tracking and analyzing online marketing of tobacco and alcohol products." 

Center for Science in the Public Interest - One of Ralph Nader's most outrageous groups, this is the one coming out strong against movie popcorn, Chinese and Mexican food, coffee, tobacco and alcohol.   The RWJF grant involved alcohol in this case.

Center for Survey Research - At the University of Massachusetts in Boston.  Lois Biener, who is listed by RWJF as a media contact, has been a frequent recipient of RWJF cash and has published with other frequent RWJF recipients. Biener produced a "Survey on Responses to the Massachusetts Tobacco Control Program" for RWJF.

Center for the Advancement of Health - Website is ww.cfah.org. Jessie C. Gruman is the founding executive director of this health policy institute founded in l992 by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Nathan Cummings Foundation "to promote a view of health that recognizes the role of psychological, behavioral and social factors in personal and public health services," as their website states. Prior to becoming CFAH's CEO, Gruman designed and directed NCI's $150 million anti-tobacco ASSIST program, which developed and funded anti-tobacco coalitions in 17 states. Before going to NCI, from l986 to l988 Gruman was the National Director of Public Education with the American Cancer Society, which received funding from the ASSIST program. Apparently CFAH is the publisher of the American Journal of Health Promotion at www.healthpromotionjournal.com CFAH has received several RWJF grants, one of which in l998 was for "Coordination for youth tobacco cessation partnership."

Coalition to Raise Tobacco Tax in California - RWJF apparently provided the seed money to form the coalition of   people from the entertainment industry, the American Cancer Society and the usual suspects which resulted in Rob Reiner's Prop 10.

Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism - Received $294,680 for "journalists' briefings on health." The Columbia School of Journalism also produced a heavily biased journalists' handbook on tobacco coverage ("Covering Tobacco") which listed many of RWJF’s key recipients of grants as sources on tobacco control: Richard Daynard, Matt Myers, Ronald Davis, Michael Pertschuk, John Slade, Thomas Houston, Joseph Califano, Judy Sopenski, Jack Henningfield, Dr. John Pierce, Frank Chaloupka, Kenneth Warner and others.  RWJF also had its own media guide, produced about the same time. 

Consumer Union of the United States, Inc. - Publishers of Consumer Reports.

Cultural Environment Movement - This Philadelphia-based group received roughly half a million [$491,273 for 2 years] in l995 to study alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs in media mainstream: trends and content. 

Development Communications Association, Inc. - Based in Boston, this association received more than $270,000 for one year for "resource development for a national public education effort to reduce tobacco use by youth."

Entertainment Industries Council - Received $738,222 in l999 and $788,222 in l998 for encouraging "accurate" (i.e. negative) depiction of tobacco use and alcohol and substance abuse in the entertainment industry and for such things as NIDA's Prism Awards for negative portrayal of tobacco, alcohol and drug use in movies and on TV.

Harvard University School of Public Health - Has received MANY grants, including one for $50,000 to assist in the production of former NYT anti-tobacco reporter Phil Hilts' book demonizing the tobacco industry.  Harvard School of Public Health also is the recipient of funding for RWJF's continuing program, "Free to Grow."

Hayes, Domenici & Associates - An 8-month $65,522 grant for a conference on women and smoking.

Health Research, Inc. - Michael Cummings, who has received MANY grants from RWJF under his Health Research, Inc. hat and under his Roswell Park Cancer Institute hat. 

Institute for Health Policy Studies - at Univ. of California at San Francisco.  The IHPS houses Stanton Glantz and Lisa Bero, both of whom have done considerable anti-tobacco work. The RWJF grants list Lisa Bero as the principal researcher. 

Join Together - Housed at the Boston University School of Public Health and funded by RWJF, Join Together is a part of RWJF's Partnership for a Drug-Free America.  Though it ostensibly is about substance abuse of all sorts, there has been definite focus on tobacco.  Join Together in turn funds Gene Borio's [anti]Tobacco Bulletin Boards and RWJF's QuitNet. Join Together received a $2.4 million renewal award in the second quarter of l999 alone.

Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. - Princeton, NJ   Received more than $1.3 million to conduct various tobacco-control related surveys and to help various state anti-tobacco coalitions disseminate their results. 

National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control - Like private foundations for the UN and WHO, does this one fund support for increased funding and a back door for private funding?  Among the grants to the foundation by RWJF was one of $471,714 for "Counter-marketing tobacco use to teens initiative."