The Institute was created in 1999 at the recommendation of a coalition of communities along the Texas-Mexico border known as the Consortium of the Rio Grande (CoRio) and operates an education and research initiative of the Public Policy Information Fund, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) Texas corporation. The Institute operates with a small staff of several dedicated professionals, volunteers and its dedicated Rio Grande Fellows who donate time and energy. The founder of the Institute and PPIF is Tyrus G. Fain – now President Emeritus - who can be reached by email at tfain@riogrande.org. The President and CEO is Bill Skeen who can be reached at bskeen@apttx.com
