#8 Stevens Institute of Technology -Gianforte Foundation Top 10 Countdown 

Written By Jan Lombardi

Ranking #8 in the top 10 Gianforte Family Foundation grantees from 2005-2020 is Stevens Institute of Technology, a private research university in Hoboken, New Jersey.  Founded in 1870, it is one of the oldest technological universities in the United States.  

Blog Note:  Just Facts MT calculated the Top 10 grantees based on the Gianforte Family Foundation’s IRS Form 990 records from 2005-2020, which revealed a total of $2,135,000 gifted to Stevens Institute of Technology.  

In researching this blog, several news stories told of two $10-million donations (2012 and 2016)  from the Gianforte Family Foundation to Stevens Institute of Tech for a total of $20 million to construct the Gianforte Academic Center. The Gianforte Family Foundation’s IRS form 990, required annually by nonprofits, reflects only $2.1 million in total donations to Stevens Institute of Technology.   A media report in 2019 indicates that the Gianfortes took back  $10 million without explanation.  

Over time, the Gianforte investments of $20 million for a new state of the art building to be called the Gianforte Academic Center, morphed into the Gianforte Family Center and ultimately to the Gianforte Family Hall, which is a part of the Gateway Academic Center.  Stevens Institute of Technology moved the naming from a direct honoring of Greg Gianforte to the Gianforte Family. Stevens also modified their description of Greg and Susan Gianforte donor profile to avoid the controversy, noting the Gianfortes made a generous contribution toward the Gateway Academic Center with gifts arranged through their family foundation.  Source: Greg Gianforte - Stevens Institute of Technology 

Beginning in early 2017, media reports illustrate an orchestrated pushback on Gianforte’s donations to Stevens by students and others, saying his donations and conservative positions do not reflect the mission of the Stevens Institute of Tech.  The opposition cited Gianforte’s anti-science position opposing climate change and donation to a creation museum, his opposition to abortion and the LBGTQ+ community, as well as his assault of a journalist during an interview in 2017 in Montana.

The Stute, the independent student newspaper of Stevens Institute of Technology, continues to monitor alumnus Greg Gianforte's decisions as governor of Montana and express its concerns today.

What is the relationship between Stevens Institute of Technology and Greg Gianforte? 

Here are the Facts:

1958 Frank Gianforte, Greg’s father, graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology with a Mechanical Engineering Degree. 

1983 Greg Gianforte earned his Electrical Engineering and M.S. in Computer Science from Stevens Institute of Technology.  Source: About Us - bettermontanajobs.com, a website owned and managed by Greg Gianforte  

2003 RightNow Founder and CEO Greg Gianforte Receives Stevens Institute of Technology's Stevens Honor Award Source: ​​PR Newswire Summary of High Tech Copy, Oct. 13, 2003 - Bloomberg

2005 Gianforte Family Foundation launched funding eight organizations, including Stevens Institute of Technology with a grant of $2,500.

2006 - 2016 and 2018  According to IRS tax reports, the Gianforte Family Foundation continued annual $2,500 grants to Stevens Institute of Technology for several years, with an additional $100,000 in 2006, $2 million in 2012 and $2,500 in 2016. 

2012  Stevens Institute of Technology awarded Greg Gianforte an honorary doctorate the same year the Gianforte Family Foundation made a $2,002,500 donation. Source: 2012 IRS Form 990, Propublica  The Gianforte Family Foundation’s Annual Giving Report refers to “giving toward the construction of a college building across the country.”  Source: Gianforte Family Foundation Annual Giving Report 2012

However, Stevens Institute of Technology and news articles announced a larger donation of  $10million, which was not reported on the 2012 IRS Form 990.  

“A generous alumnus has donated $10 million to Stevens Institute of Technology, the largest single donation in the Hoboken school’s history, Stevens officials said Friday. The donation was made by the Gianforte Family Foundation, and is earmarked for construction of a 75,000-square-foot complex for interdisciplinary research.” 

Source: September 2012 Stevens Institute in Hoboken accepts $10 million gift, largest ever, from Gianforte Family Foundation - nj.com; NewsPoints December 2016 

2013 According to IRS tax reports, the Gianforte Family Foundation continued its annual $2,500 grant to Stevensville Institute of Technology. 

2014  According to IRS tax reports, the Gianforte Family Foundation continued its annual $2,500 grant to Stevensville Institute of Technology.   

2015  According to IRS tax reports, the Gianforte Family Foundation continued its annual $2,500 grant to Stevensville Institute of Technology.   

2016   According to IRS Form 990 reports, the Gianforte Family Foundation continued an annual $2,500 grant to Stevens Institute of Technology, with an additional additional $2,500, for a total of $5,000.  Source:  2016 IRS Form 990, Propublica.  

“A new $10 million transformational gift made by the family of Greg Gianforte '83 M.S. '83 Hon. D.Eng. '12 and his wife Susan augments a previous $10 million gift made in 2012, making the combined total of $20 million the largest gift to a single project in university history. The gift will support a new state-of-the-art interdisciplinary educational and research facility dedicated to technological innovation to be named the Gianforte Academic Center.”

Source NewsPoints December 2016

“Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte, through his family foundation, is donating $8 million to Montana State University in Bozeman over the next five years.

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports the donation will create a $5 million endowment for the university’s Computer Science Department. Under the agreement signed Wednesday, the department will be renamed the Gianforte School of Computing.” Source: Gianforte foundation donating $8 million to Montana State

2017 According to IRS tax reports, the Gianforte Family Foundation does not make a donation to Stevens Institute of Technology.   Source:  2017 IRS Form 990, Propublica   

The controversy begins… 

April 2017

  • Alumni, students, and faculty create a well-researched and extensively cited petition in opposition to the Stevens Administration acceptance of the Gianforte gift and objecting to the naming of the building after Greg Gianforte.  

    “We request the administration publicly explain their reasoning behind accepting the donation and honoring Greg Gianforte in light of what he stands for, condemn the discriminatory rhetoric of the groups who received donations from Greg Gianforte, and reaffirm their commitment, in actions and not just words, to be an inclusive campus regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation.”

    Source:  Petition · Explanation behind the naming of the "Gianforte Academic Center" · Change.org

June  2017   

  • Stevens Institute of Technology feels the pressure and forms a committee.  

  • The Chronicle of Higher Education reports on the increasing pressure on Stevens Institute of Technology, with Greg Gianforte being “cited for misdemeanor assault for allegedly “body slamming” a reporter just days before he was elected to Congress.”  “Greg Gianforte, newly elected to Congress as a Republican from Montana, has, with his wife, given $20 million for a new building at the Stevens Institute of Technology. Citing his support for creationist, anti-gay rights, and other organizations, some alumni, students, and faculty oppose the decision to name the building for him.”  Source: Stevens Institute of Technology’s Plan to Honor Greg Gianforte Stirs Outrage 

Sept 2017  

  • Inside Higher Education reports: Stevens Names Building After Gianforte Family “Now, Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J. says it will no longer name a building directly for Gianforte, an alumnus who donated millions to its construction. The institute will instead name the building after the Gianforte family.” although “opponents criticized the name because of Greg Gianforte’s long history of controversial socially conservative views and actions, which includes funding a creationist museum in Montana, lobbying against an LGBT anti-discrimination ordinance in Bozeman, Mont., and donating to organizations opposed to abortion and same-sex marriage.”  

President Farvardin is quoted on the conditions of the gift: “The Gianforte gifts will have a transformational impact for Stevens, providing support for our planned, state-of-the-art academic and research building scheduled to open in Fall 2019. This gift also comes to Stevens without any requirements or restrictions.  As a charitable organization, Stevens would never endorse or promote any political, religious, or other position by a donor or otherwise. Stevens’ only obligation in accepting this gift is to build the academic center.”   

Blog Note:  Memorandum from President Nariman Farvardin Date:  September 28, 2017 Subject:  Announcement on Naming of the Gianforte Academic Center provides a good summary and background on the Gianforte gift and building naming.

2018 According to IRS tax reports, the Gianforte Family Foundation made a $2,500 donation to Stevens Institute of Technology.  Source: 2018 IRS Form 990, Propublica 

Students again raised questions about the cost of the building and how much Gianforte donated.  Source: Inside the finances of the Gianforte building

2019 According to IRS tax reports, the Gianforte Family Foundation did not make a donation to Stevens Institute of Technology.   Source:   2019 IRS Form 990, Propublica

2020 According to IRS tax reports, the Gianforte Family Foundation did not make a donation to Stevens Institute of Technology in 2020, the most recent publicly available tax records.    Source: 2020 IRS Form 990, Propublica 

  • January 2020  A proposal to reform Student Centricity – The Stute, reports student concerns about the association with the Gianforte-named building,  citing “several Stevens administrators made monetary contributions to Gianforte’s congressional election committee, “Greg For Montana.” , and referring to Greg Gianforte as an “anti-LGBT Montana House Representative, who was also involved in a controversial incident in which he ‘body-slammed’ a reporter.”

  • November 2020  Greg Gianforte successfully runs for Governor Montana and wins election. Source: Meet Governor Greg Gianforte

2021  Greg Gianforte began first term in office as Governor of Montana.  

Controversy continues …

2023 The Stute, the independent student newspaper of Stevens Institute of Technology, continues to monitor alumnus Greg Gianforte's decisions as Governor of Montana and express their concerns.   

Blog Note:  Governor Gianforte did sign the bill identified in the student newspaper and his son lobbied him not to sign the legislation.  Sources: MT Gov. Gianforte lobbied by his son to veto trans bills and Gianforte Signs Bill Banning Gender-affirming Care for Trans Minors - Flathead Beacon

Why gifts are made and what is asked in return?
Just Facts MT is left with several open questions about Gianforte wealth and power.  

  • Where is the transparency of Gianforte’s giving –  Greg Gianforte’s money or is it the Gianforte Family Foundation dollars?  

    • The Stevens Institute of Tech website states that the Gianforte campaign gift was arranged through their family foundation. The Gianforte Family Foundation is identified as the donor, is this considered a personal gift from Greg and Susan?  Did they personally make donations outside the foundation?  Can Gianforte’s use personal money and declare it’s a Foundation gift? 

  • Why don’t the reported Gianforte Foundation donations to Stevens Institute of Technology match the Foundation’s public tax records?    

    • How much money was actually donated to Stevens Institute of Tech by the Gianfortes? Media reports state two $10 million donations with one rescinded, resulting in a gift of $10 million.  However, the  IRS records only report about $2 million.  

  • Why did the Gianfortes withdraw a $10-million donation to Stevens Institute of Tech in 2016? 

    • Did the persistent protests influence Gianfortes decision to withdraw money? 

    • Why did Gianforte decide to begin donating to Montana institutions in 2016, including naming a building at Montana State University at the same time he withdrew a substantive donation at Stevens Institute of Tech?  How does the timing of these donations relate to Greg Gianforte’s gubernatorial campaign?

  • How did Gianforte’s personal actions, conservative values and anti-science positions influence Stevens Institute of Tech's decision to scale back on the building naming from an academic center to a hall or was it just the money?  

Sources: 

Jan Lombardi
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