The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is getting flak as a conservative Seattle-based think tank that received a $10 million from the philanthropy organization appears to have promoted the “intelligent design” theory of evolution backed by some conservative Christians.

The hullabaloo, mostly confined to the blogosphere, stems from a 10-year grant the foundation awarded the Discovery Institute in August 2003 to develop transportation systems among the states of Washington, Oregon, and Canada’s British Columbia province.

Bloggers began criticizing the foundation, the do-gooder organization founded by Microsoft creator Mr. Gates and his wife, after The New York Times reported Sunday that the institute’s Center for Science and Culture apparently provided “ideological and strategic” support for advancing the theory of intelligent design.

Some conservatives have pushed for the teaching of the intelligent design theory as an alternative to the Darwin theory of evolution. Intelligent design suggests the universe and living beings exhibit the characteristics of being created by a higher being or an “intelligent agent.” Some critics have argued the theory is simply a more sophisticated form of creationism.

The foundation essentially refuted The Times report and denied any support for the idea of intelligent design. Instead, foundation officials said they have only supported some of the institute’s ideas such as improving transportation.

Greg Shaw, director of the foundation’s Pacific Northwest program, said its funding was exclusively for the long-term initiative to develop better transportation that the institute has been working on.

“We did not offer funding for any other purposes but the transportation system called Cascadia that the Institute has been working on,” said Mr. Shaw, adding that the foundation did not take a stand on the theory of intelligent design.

The intelligent design theory has recently been in the news because of a decision by the Kansas Board of Education to teach it in schools alongside the scientifically accepted Darwin’s theory of evolution. President Bush has voiced support for the teaching of intelligent design.

Several bloggers in the online world of blogs have criticized the foundation for its support of the institute.

The foundation said it would continue the grant since it was for a particular project. The foundation added that its support for the transportation project hasn’t changed despite the institute’s involvement in the intelligent design debate.