Americans for Prosperity

Americans for Prosperity is the flagship grassroots advocacy arm of the Koch political network, founded in 2004 by David and Charles Koch as a successor to their earlier Citizens for a Sound Economy. With chapters in 35 states and thousands of paid field staff, AFP functions as a parallel political party infrastructure dedicated to advancing free-market, limited-government, and anti-regulatory policies. The organization's funding flows primarily through the Koch donor seminar network — a twice-yearly gathering of several hundred wealthy conservative donors at exclusive resorts where attendees pledge contributions that are then distributed across Koch-affiliated organizations including AFP, the LIBRE Initiative, Concerned Veterans for America, and Generation Opportunity. This seminar model acts as a de facto donor-advised fund: contributors give to the broader Koch network, and Koch operatives decide which organizations receive the funds, adding a layer of anonymity since only the network — not individual donors — appears on tax filings. AFP spent $1.15 million on direct federal lobbying in 2024 alone, but its real influence comes through grassroots mobilization: AFP activists flood town halls, make millions of phone calls, knock on doors, and run targeted digital advertising campaigns in key legislative districts. The organization was instrumental in killing the Affordable Care Act's public option in 2009-2010, blocking climate legislation (the Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade bill), opposing Medicaid expansion in Republican-controlled states, and most recently supporting tax cut extensions and deregulatory efforts. AFP made headlines in 2024 by endorsing Nikki Haley in the Republican presidential primary — a rare break from the Koch network's traditional reluctance to engage in primaries — before ultimately supporting Trump in the general election. The organization is closely coordinated with Stand Together, the Koch network's umbrella organization led by Brian Hooks, which manages the broader ecosystem of Koch-funded advocacy, philanthropy, and policy research.