"Since the financial crisis began, the corporate and philanthropic foundations and donors who gird most think tanks [3] have become stingier about their grants," reports David Weigel. He notes that the American Enterprise Institute [4] (AEI), a conservative think tank that was one of the most prominent cheerleaders for the Bush administration's policies, has had to cut back on projects and staff. "AEI is heavily funded by corporate philanthropy," explained Christopher Levenick, a former AEI fellow. "Naturally, they’ve taken a hit. Folks who have sponsored them for years have fallen by the wayside."