Islamic Progress Institute (IPI) was the tentative name of a project for which Daniel Pipes, chief of a neo-conservative think tank, Middle East Forum, was seeking funding for in early 2004. 1 According to Anwar Iqbal of United Press International (UPI), the grant proposal Pipes is circulating to "various foundations across the United States" argues: Jim Lobe of Inter Press Service quotes the proposal further: The new organization is intended to be a "progressive Islamic institute that would represent liberal Muslims living in the United States." 4