A Web of Influence: An Investigative Analysis of The New Atlantis Masthead and its Connections to the Fossil Fuel-Linked Funding Network

Executive Summary

This report presents a comprehensive investigation into the organizational structure, funding sources, and personnel of The New Atlantis, a quarterly journal focused on science, technology, and American politics. The analysis was conducted to determine any direct or indirect connections between the publication and the fossil fuel industry, with a specific focus on 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations, think tanks, PACs, and foundations that may serve as financial conduits or ideological partners. The findings indicate no direct, transactional funding from a fossil fuel corporation to the journal itself. However, the investigation reveals a complex, multi-layered system of influence involving prominent foundations, influential think tanks, and shared personnel. This intricate network operates to finance and promote a specific set of ideas on technology, science, and the environment.

The core findings are as follows:

Organizational Structure and Funding: Contrary to a public claim on its website that it “does not have a parent organization or deep-pocketed bankroller,” The New Atlantis is a publication of the Center for the Study of Technology and Society (TECSOC), a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit. TECSOC has received significant grant funding from foundations that have documented and prominent ties to the fossil fuel industry and the “climate change counter-movement”.

The Funding Network: The Sarah Scaife Foundation, a known funder of conservative public policy initiatives, has provided grants to TECSOC, including a $150,000 grant identified in January 2025. The Scaife Foundations collectively have been identified as a major contributor to the “climate change counter-movement” from 2003 to 2010 and were ranked as the third-largest nonprofit funder of climate science misinformation from 2014 to 2020. Furthermore, the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), a think tank with which several The New Atlantis editors are affiliated, has received direct funding from ExxonMobil and other foundations associated with the Koch network.

The Personnel Nexus: Several senior editors of The New Atlantis hold senior positions at the American Enterprise Institute, serving as institutional bridges between the think tank and the journal. Yuval Levin, a co-founder and senior editor of The New Atlantis, is also the Director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at AEI. Similarly, Christine Rosen is a senior editor at the journal and a senior fellow at AEI. This dual affiliation creates a pipeline for ideas and talent, integrating the journal into a broader ecosystem of public policy and media organizations.
Ideological Alignment: The content published by key contributors, such as Robert Zubrin and the late Roger Scruton, aligns ideologically with the market-oriented, anti-regulatory positions of the funding network. Their work promotes a form of “technological environmentalism” and “green conservatism” that critiques conventional, state-led environmentalism and instead advocates for market-based, “bottom-up” solutions. This philosophical framing serves to re-orient the public debate on climate change and technology toward solutions that do not pose a fundamental threat to the fossil fuel industry’s business model.

In conclusion, the investigation finds that the relationship between The New Atlantis masthead and the fossil fuel industry is not a direct, financial line but a sophisticated and institutionalized system of personnel and funding. This system shapes and disseminates a specific intellectual and policy agenda, providing a philosophical and academic veneer to arguments that align with the interests of its benefactors.

Introduction: A Journal of Ideas and Its Institutional Context

Statement of Purpose and Scope

The objective of this report is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the individuals listed on the masthead of The New Atlantis, a quarterly journal, and to investigate their connections to the fossil fuel industry. This analysis extends beyond simple professional affiliations to encompass a deeper examination of the institutional and financial relationships that form a broader network of influence. The investigation is particularly focused on identifying and mapping the links to 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4) organizations, think tanks, PACs, and foundations, and subsequently tracing any documented funding from these entities back to fossil fuel interests. The scope of this report is designed to provide a nuanced, evidence-based understanding of how such networks operate to shape public discourse on science, technology, and public policy.

Clarification of Organizational Structure and Discrepancies

A central point of this investigation is the clarification of The New Atlantis‘s organizational structure, as the public-facing information presents a significant contradiction. The journal’s “Making Sense” page states, “Unlike many publications, The New Atlantis does not have a parent organization or deep-pocketed bankroller that provides a financial backstop. About 35% of our core operational funding every year comes from reader donations”. This claim positions the journal as an independent, reader-supported enterprise.

However, this assertion is directly contradicted by other information available in the provided materials. The Center for the Study of Technology and Society (TECSOC) explicitly identifies itself as “the publisher of The New Atlantis, a quarterly journal about science, technology, and American politics”. Furthermore, the mailing address provided for donations to

The New Atlantis is identical to the address listed for TECSOC, at 1730 M St. NW, Ste. 910, Washington, D.C.. This evidence establishes that TECSOC is, in fact, the parent organization. The journal’s claim of financial independence, when its own donation page states it is a “nonprofit enterprise sustained by financial contributions from foundations and readers” and it has a parent organization that receives foundation grants, suggests a strategic effort to cultivate a specific public image of editorial autonomy that is not fully supported by the available data. This divergence between public presentation and documented reality necessitates a deeper and more critical examination of the journal’s financial and institutional relationships.

It is also important to distinguish the journal, The New Atlantis, from other entities with similar names that have no apparent connection to this inquiry. These include NewAtlantis Labs, an AI-native platform focused on marine biological resources , and New Atlantis Ventures, a firm dedicated to nurturing early-stage science and technology ventures. This report’s findings are confined exclusively to the journal and its specified masthead members.

Part I: The Financial Ecosystem – Tracing the Funding to the Source

The Center for the Study of Technology and Society (TECSOC)

The financial backbone of The New Atlantis is the Center for the Study of Technology and Society (TECSOC). Established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research and educational organization, its mission is to “improve the nation’s understanding of the crucial moral and political questions raised by modern science and technology”. According to tax filings, TECSOC’s revenue for 2023 was reported as $572,000 against expenses of $625,000.

The source of these funds, and the focus of this inquiry, is a network of philanthropic foundations. The provided research materials document several grants received by TECSOC. In January 2025, for instance, the center received a grant of $150,000 from the Sarah Scaife Foundation. It also received two grants from the Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation, one for $10,000 in January 2025 and another for the same amount in January 2024. Additionally, a grant for $20,000 was received from the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund in July 2024.

The grants from the Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation and the Jewish Community Federation introduce a complexity to a simple narrative of a fossil fuel-aligned network. The Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation is a nonprofit public charity dedicated to supporting the Tahoe region. Meanwhile, the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund exists within a broader philanthropic landscape where some Jewish federations are actively divesting from fossil fuels. This fact illustrates that not all of TECSOC’s funding is from a monolithic, ideologically-aligned source. A comprehensive analysis must isolate the specific, high-signal financial links that align with the fossil fuel agenda rather than drawing broad conclusions from all funding sources. The most significant link identified is the one to the Sarah Scaife Foundation, whose funding history and ideological mission are directly relevant to this investigation.

Profiles of Key Funders with Documented Fossil Fuel Links

The Sarah Scaife Foundation

The Sarah Scaife Foundation is a cornerstone of the financial network supporting TECSOC and, by extension, The New Atlantis. This foundation, along with the Allegheny Foundation and the Scaife Family Foundation, form the Scaife Foundations, which are well-known for their grantmaking to politically conservative causes and public policy programs. The foundation’s influence is so significant that it has been a primary donor to other major conservative institutions, such as the Heritage Foundation.

The foundation’s direct relevance to the fossil fuel discourse is extensively documented. The Scaife Foundations were identified by a 2013 Smithsonian magazine article as being among the largest contributors to the “climate change counter-movement” from 2003 to 2010. The report from the Center for Media and Democracy further highlights this role, listing the Sarah Scaife Foundation as the third-largest nonprofit funder of climate science misinformation from 2014 to 2020, with over $5.6 million in grants during that period. This demonstrates a consistent, long-term commitment to financing organizations that challenge the scientific consensus on climate change and oppose climate action.

Beyond its grant to TECSOC, the Sarah Scaife Foundation is also a major funder of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), a think tank with which numerous The New Atlantis editors are affiliated. The foundation granted AEI more than $1.7 million between 2012 and 2016 alone. More recent filings show this support has continued, with grants of $1.675 million in 2021 and $1.475 million in 2022. The foundation’s support for both the parent organization of

The New Atlantis (TECSOC) and the institutional home of its senior editors (AEI) demonstrates a systemic funding approach that supports an entire ecosystem of ideologically aligned organizations.

The American Enterprise Institute (AEI)

The American Enterprise Institute (AEI) is a prominent, center-right think tank in Washington, D.C.. The institute is a central node in the network, receiving substantial funding from a variety of sources, including individuals, corporations, and foundations. This funding model, while diversified, includes direct financial ties to the fossil fuel industry and its associated philanthropic network. For example, AEI received $100,000 from ExxonMobil in 2020 and a cumulative $960,000 as of 2005. The institute has also received significant financial support from foundations associated with the Koch brothers , another key player in the fossil fuel industry’s public policy efforts.

AEI’s policy positions on climate change are consistently framed from a “market-oriented perspective”. The institute publishes articles and research that challenge regulatory proposals and critique the scientific consensus and the institutions that advance it. For example, one article published on the AEI website critiques the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), arguing that it has become “politicized” and that its findings on extreme weather are not grounded in “rigorous science”. This intellectual output serves to sow doubt and challenge the legitimacy of climate policy from a purportedly scientific and institutional standpoint.

The financial connections between these entities are not isolated but form a cohesive, multi-layered system. The following table provides a clear visualization of these financial relationships.

Funder	Recipient	Amount & Period	Nature of Connection
ExxonMobil	American Enterprise Institute (AEI)	$100,000 (2020), $960,000 (cumulative as of 2005)	Direct corporate funding to a key think tank.
Koch-affiliated Foundations	American Enterprise Institute (AEI)	Significant funding (major funders)	Foundation support for conservative/climate-skeptic causes.
Sarah Scaife Foundation	Center for the Study of Technology and Society (TECSOC)	$150,000 (Jan. 2025)	Grant to the parent organization of The New Atlantis.
Sarah Scaife Foundation	American Enterprise Institute (AEI)	$1.475M (2022), $1.675M (2021), >$1.7M (2012-2016)	Major funding to a key think tank with shared personnel.
Other funders	Center for the Study of Technology and Society (TECSOC)	$10,000 (Jan. 2025), $10,000 (Jan. 2024), $20,000 (July 2024)	Grants from sources with no apparent direct fossil fuel links.

This table illustrates a fundamental point: The financial support for The New Atlantis‘s institutional network originates from sources with documented histories of funding organizations that deny or challenge climate science and advocate against climate-related regulations. The funding is not a simple, single-line contribution but a targeted investment in an entire ecosystem of influence.

Part II: The Human Network – Affiliations on the Masthead

The American Enterprise Institute Nexus

The financial network is mirrored by a human network of interlocking professional affiliations. Key personnel on The New Atlantis‘ masthead also hold senior positions at the American Enterprise Institute, a central node of influence. This duality demonstrates how ideas and personnel are shared and disseminated across the network.

Yuval Levin, a co-founder and senior editor of The New Atlantis , serves as the Director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute. His history further solidifies these connections, as he was previously a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC) from 2007-2019 , the very organization that founded

The New Atlantis in 2003.

Christine Rosen, a senior editor at The New Atlantis , is also a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Her past affiliations include a fellowship at the Ethics and Public Policy Center.

These parallel affiliations are not coincidental but rather evidence of a carefully cultivated institutional ecosystem. This system establishes a pipeline for ideas and talent, where think tanks like AEI serve as the academic and policy-oriented home for senior scholars. The New Atlantis then functions as an intellectual platform to publish and legitimize their work for a broader audience. This is a mutually reinforcing relationship: the think tanks gain a credible publication outlet, and the journal gains access to senior scholars and a robust funding network. This structure provides a credible and respected platform for ideas that would otherwise be confined to more overtly political outlets.

The Philosophical and Ideological Landscape

The ideological alignment of the journal’s content with the goals of its funding network is a crucial element of this analysis. The journal’s contribution to the public discourse is not typically outright climate denial, but a more subtle and sophisticated reframing of the debate. This approach is exemplified by the work of key contributors.

Robert Zubrin, a contributing editor, has extensively articulated a philosophy of “technological environmentalism”. This view asserts that saving the planet is achieved not by a return to nature or through burdensome regulation but by embracing advanced technology and human ingenuity. In his articles, Zubrin argues that fossil fuels represent an “intermediate case” between the destructive practice of burning wood and the low-impact nature of nuclear power. He goes on to claim that “fracked natural gas” is the “least environmentally disruptive fossil fuel” due to its minimal surface footprint. Zubrin also dismisses calls for energy conservation as “utterly inadequate and doomed to failure” and characterizes them as “ritualistic calls by utopians, moralists, and environmental absolutists”. His work, which has been published in AEI’s journal, proposes that liquid fuels for transportation are indispensable for modern civilization and that an “alcohol standard” could be a viable alternative to petroleum, allowing the U.S. to “break free of oil” not through conservation but through technological substitution. This framing steers the energy conversation away from emissions and toward a geopolitical argument, a tactic that indirectly serves the interests of a fossil fuel-dependent economy by deflecting from the core issue of carbon output.

Roger Scruton, a noted philosopher listed in memoriam on the masthead, provided a philosophical foundation for this type of discourse. His work on “green conservatism” or oikophilia (a love for home) advocates for a “bottom-up” approach to environmentalism. Scruton argues that environmental problems should not be “confiscated by the state” and that “market forces” and local civil associations are the most effective solutions. He critiques “top-down” government regulation and the ineffectual nature of international committees, citing the environmental failures of former socialist states as a cautionary tale. While he supports market-based mechanisms like the “Polluter Pays” principle and a carbon tax to fund clean energy research , his core philosophical contribution is the intellectual justification for an anti-regulatory, market-centric approach to environmental policy. This ideological stance is a key function of the network, providing a philosophical counterpoint to conventional environmentalism and framing the debate in a manner that favors market-driven, often corporate-friendly, solutions.

Other Key Affiliations

The network extends beyond the immediate AEI nexus. Adam Keiper, a senior editor at The New Atlantis and a co-founder of the journal , is also an executive editor at The Bulwark and a contributing editor to National Affairs and American Purpose. His past roles include editor of The Weekly Standard‘s Books & Arts section and a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center.

Caitrin Keiper, also a senior editor at the journal , is the editor-at-large of Plough and was previously the editor of Philanthropy and managing editor of The New Atlantis.

The web of professional affiliations, which extends into the broader conservative media and public policy landscape, demonstrates that the key personnel of The New Atlantis are deeply embedded within a larger ideological ecosystem. The following table provides a clear map of these professional connections.

Masthead Member	Role at The New Atlantis	External Affiliation(s)	Nature of Affiliation
Yuval Levin	Senior Editor, Co-founder	American Enterprise Institute (AEI), National Affairs, National Review, The Weekly Standard, Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC)	Director, Founder & Editor, Contributing Editor, Contributing Editor, Hertog Fellow
Christine Rosen	Senior Editor	American Enterprise Institute (AEI), University of Virginia’s Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture, Commentary magazine, Ethics & Public Policy Center	Senior Fellow, Fellow & Chair, Columnist, Former Fellow
Adam Keiper	Senior Editor, Co-founder	The Bulwark, National Affairs, American Purpose, The Weekly Standard, Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC), Cato Institute	Executive Editor, Contributing Editor, Contributing Editor, Books & Arts Editor, Fellow, Speaker
Caitrin Keiper	Senior Editor	Plough Quarterly, Philanthropy, The Weekly Standard, The American Interest	Editor-at-Large, Editor, Contributor, Contributor
Robert Zubrin	Contributing Editor	American Enterprise Institute (AEI)	Author

This table provides a visual representation of how the individuals on the journal’s masthead are not just affiliated with one organization but are active participants in a network of overlapping think tanks, magazines, and other public policy organizations. This matrix of connections facilitates the flow of ideas, resources, and influence across the ideological landscape, reinforcing the journal’s role as a key part of a larger ecosystem.

Part III: Synthesis and Analysis – The Interconnected Network

The Interlocking System of Funding, Personnel, and Ideas

The data points, when viewed in isolation, may appear to be a collection of disparate facts. However, when synthesized, they reveal an interlocking system of influence that operates on three interconnected levels: funding, personnel, and ideas. This system can be conceptualized as a “pipeline.”

The Financial Pipeline: The process begins with funding. Financial support from sources with a documented history of funding climate change counter-movements, such as the Sarah Scaife Foundation and direct corporate grants from ExxonMobil, is directed toward central nodes in the network, specifically the American Enterprise Institute and TECSOC. This funding is not merely a subsidy for operations; it is an investment in the network’s ability to produce and disseminate specific intellectual output.
The Personnel Pipeline: These central nodes, the think tanks, serve as the institutional homes and employers for key individuals in the network. Senior editors of The New Atlantis, such as Yuval Levin and Christine Rosen, hold prominent positions at AEI, which receives the aforementioned funding. This shared personnel creates institutional bridges, allowing for a seamless transfer of ideas, strategies, and intellectual capital. The individuals are not freelance contributors but are deeply integrated into the institutional fabric of the network, which provides them with a stable platform and resources.
The Intellectual Pipeline: The culmination of this process is the intellectual and public-facing output. The individuals who are funded by and work for these think tanks then staff and write for a respected journal, The New Atlantis. This journal serves as a platform to publish and disseminate a set of ideologically aligned ideas, such as Robert Zubrin’s “technological environmentalism” and Roger Scruton’s “green conservatism”. The content published provides a veneer of academic and philosophical legitimacy to arguments that, at their core, serve the financial and ideological interests of the network’s benefactors by promoting market-based, anti-regulatory solutions to environmental issues. This is a subtle but potent strategy that reframes the public debate, making it possible to challenge conventional climate policy from a position of intellectual authority rather than outright denial. The value of this system lies in its ability to consistently produce and legitimize a specific political agenda on science, technology, and the environment.

Conclusion: A System of Influence

The investigation concludes that the relationship between The New Atlantis masthead and the fossil fuel industry is not a direct, financial line but a complex, multi-layered, and institutionalized system of influence. The journal is not an isolated publication but an integral part of a well-funded, interconnected network of foundations and think tanks. This network’s financial support comes from documented sources with a history of funding organizations that challenge the scientific consensus on climate change. This funding flows to think tanks that employ key individuals who, in turn, serve as senior editors for the journal. The journal then acts as a credible platform to publish and disseminate a set of ideas—such as market-driven environmentalism and techno-optimism—that align with the ideological and economic goals of the network’s benefactors.

The public claim of a lack of a “parent organization” for The New Atlantis is a significant point of clarification that, when investigated, reveals a much deeper and more sophisticated institutional structure. This report’s findings demonstrate that the public-facing image of a financially independent, reader-supported journal is in direct contradiction with the documented reality of its financial and personnel ties. Ultimately, the evidence suggests that the journal functions as a key component of a larger system, providing an intellectual and public-facing platform that actively shapes the discourse on science, technology, and policy in a manner that reinforces the interests and ideological framework of its financial and professional network.

Sources used in the report

www.thenewatlantis.com

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