Totals
- Total revenue
- $13,368,234
- Total expenses
- $16,648,806
- Contributions and grants received
- $13,272,005
- Grants paid
- $0
- Program service revenue
- $0
- Investment income
- $143,326
- Other revenue
- -$47,097
- Total assets, end of year
- $21,785,469
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $1,274,195
- Net assets or fund balances, end of year
- $20,511,274
- Program services expenses (Part IX)
- $13,076,494
- Management and general expenses
- $2,648,519
- Fundraising expenses
- $923,793
- Program service expenses (Part III)
- $13,076,494
Program services were 78.5% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.
Line items
Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.
Revenue
Part VIII, the statement of revenue.
-
1c · Fundraising events
$320,165
-
1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants
$12,951,840
-
1g · Noncash contributions included above
$493,518
-
3 · Investment income
total $161,994 · excluded $161,994
-
7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory
securities $1,429,420
-
7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses
securities $1,448,088
-
7c · Gain or loss
securities -$18,668
-
7d · Net gain or loss
total -$18,668 · excluded -$18,668
-
8a · Fundraising events: gross income
$2,340
-
8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c
$313,777
-
8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses
$51,828
-
8c · Net income from fundraising events
total -$49,488 · excluded -$49,488
-
11a · Other revenue: ONLINE STORE INCOME
total $1,741 · excluded $1,741
-
11b · Other revenue: MISCELLANEOUS INCOME
total $650 · excluded $650
-
11e · Other revenue, total
$2,391
Functional expenses
Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.
-
5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
total $859,333 · program services $554,322 · management and general $151,161 · fundraising $153,850
-
7 · Other salaries and wages
total $7,995,862 · program services $6,564,517 · management and general $1,041,266 · fundraising $390,079
-
8 · Pension plan contributions
total $287,831 · program services $226,674 · management and general $43,203 · fundraising $17,954
-
9 · Other employee benefits
total $1,211,443 · program services $954,041 · management and general $181,834 · fundraising $75,568
-
10 · Payroll taxes
total $680,681 · program services $536,053 · management and general $102,168 · fundraising $42,460
-
11a · Fees: management
total $1,677,532 · program services $1,599,572 · management and general $77,960
-
11b · Fees: legal
total $86,591 · management and general $86,591
-
11c · Fees: accounting
total $91,700 · management and general $91,700
-
11f · Fees: investment management
total $48,178 · management and general $48,178
-
11g · Fees: other
total $1,301,290 · program services $732,266 · management and general $434,844 · fundraising $134,180
-
12 · Advertising and promotion
total $281,844 · program services $229,949 · management and general $51,895
-
13 · Office expenses
total $385,687 · program services $295,849 · management and general $80,136 · fundraising $9,702
-
14 · Information technology
total $715,506 · program services $540,803 · management and general $93,120 · fundraising $81,583
-
16 · Occupancy
total $530,934 · program services $483,955 · management and general $32,137 · fundraising $14,842
-
17 · Travel
total $295,686 · program services $248,653 · management and general $46,938 · fundraising $95
-
19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings
total $169,880 · program services $107,238 · management and general $62,112 · fundraising $530
-
24a · Other expenses: STATE REGIST. & FILINGS
total $19,289 · management and general $19,289
-
24b · Other expenses: BANK FEES
total $3,717 · program services $15 · management and general $3,702
-
24c · Other expenses: MISCELLANEOUS
total $3,214 · program services $255 · management and general $9 · fundraising $2,950
-
24d · Other expenses: TAXES,LICENSES,FEES
total $2,608 · program services $2,332 · management and general $276
Balance sheet
Part X, book values.
-
1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing
beginning of year $12,955,235 · end of year $8,738,783
-
3 · Pledges and grants receivable
beginning of year $2,769,027 · end of year $2,941,494
-
9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges
beginning of year $116,958 · end of year $158,132
-
10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis
$6,597
-
10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net
beginning of year $6,597 · end of year $6,597
-
11 · Investments: publicly traded securities
beginning of year $7,727,473 · end of year $9,341,459
-
15 · Other assets
beginning of year $607,525 · end of year $599,004
-
17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses
beginning of year $1,101,354 · end of year $1,201,937
-
25 · Other liabilities
beginning of year $0 · end of year $72,258
-
27 · Net assets without donor restrictions
beginning of year $10,190,418 · end of year $10,050,493
-
28 · Net assets with donor restrictions
beginning of year $12,891,043 · end of year $10,460,781
Mission and programs · 2022
Mission
THE COMMON CAUSE EDUCATION FUND EMPLOYS RESEARCH, OUTREACH, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, AND COALITION BUILDING TO INCREASE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF HOW OUR DEMOCRACY WORKS, EMPOWER CITIZENS TO HOLD THEIR GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE, AND PROMOTE BROAD AND EFFECTIVE CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT AT FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS.
Activities or mission (Part I)
THE COMMON CAUSE EDUCATION FUND WORKS WITH COMMON CAUSE, A NONPARTISAN, GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO UPHOLDING THE CORE VALUES OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY, WITH THE GOALS OF ENSURING OPEN, HONEST, AND ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNMENT; PROMOTING EQUAL RIGHTS, OPPORTUNITY, AND REPRESENTATION FOR ALL; AND EMPOWERING ALL PEOPLE TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD AS EQUALS IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS. CCEF WORKS ACROSS FOUR MAJOR ISSUE AREAS: VOTING AND ELECTIONS; MONEY AND POLITICS; ETHICS, TRANSPARENCY, AND GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY; AND MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY.
-
VOTING AND ELECTIONS COMMON CAUSE HAS WORKED TO ENSURE THAT EVERY ELIGIBLE CITIZEN HAS THE FREEDOM TO VOTE AND THAT THEIR VOTES ARE ACCURATELY COUNTED. TO ADVANCE THIS WORK, WE HAVE: MANAGED THE LARGEST NATIONAL ELECTION PROTECTION PROGRAM FOR THE 2022 MIDTERM ELECTION. THE PROGRAM MOBILIZED OVER 20,000 VOLUNTEERS, EXPANDED THE NUMBER OF STATES IN THE PROGRAM TO 36 STATES, SENT OVER 250,000 ELECTION DAY TEXTS TO VOTERS WITH ACCURATE INFORMATION, AND PROVIDED SUPPORT TO ALL VOTERS. CREATED RESOURCES FOR HOW TO CREATE A BALLOT COUNTING OBSERVATION PROGRAM, DEPLOYED THE PROGRAM IN MULTIPLE COMMON CAUSE-STAFFED STATES, AND TRAINED MORE THAN 50 PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS ON HOW TO LAUNCH PROGRAMS IN THEIR STATES. DEVELOPED AND DISSEMINATED RESOURCES ON POLITICAL VIOLENCE AND RESPONSE TO PARTNERS ON THE ROUND. THE RESOURCES INCLUDED TRAINING ON BYSTANDER INTERVENTION/CONFLICT RESOLUTION, BEST PRACTICES FOR BUILDING A STATE RESPONSE PLAN, COMMUNICATING ABOUT POLITICAL VIOLENCE, MANAGING CRISIS, AND CONNECTIONS TO NATIONAL POLITICAL VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND RESPONSE EXPERTS. RECRUITED, TRAINED, AND DEPLOYED 2,288 SOCIAL MEDIA MONITORS. THEY EXPOSED 3,825 PIECES OF DISINFORMATION THROUGH 3,825 HOURS OF MONITORING. RESEARCHED AND PUBLISHED REPORTS, SUCH AS EXTREMISTS PLOT TO NATIONALIZE VOTER SUPPRESSION: 2023 AND BEYOND. HOSTED OVER 30 CAMPUS FELLOWS WHO WORKED TO INCREASE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
Expenses $12,566,210
-
REDISTRICTING & REPRESENTATION WE WORK TO CREATE PEOPLE-CENTERED REDISTRICTING AND REPRESENTATION THAT IS TRANSPARENT, FAIR, AND INCLUSIVE. IN 2023-34, WE HAVE:PROTECTED VOTING RIGHTS, PARTICULARLY MINORITY VOTERS, THROUGH REDISTRICTING LITIGATION: - MOORE V. HARPER, NORTH CAROLINA: COMMON CAUSE SECURED A FAVORABLE DECISION FROM THE U.S. SUPREME COURT STRIKING DOWN DANGEROUS INDEPENDENT STATE LEGISLATURE THEORY. AS A LEAD PLAINTIFF, COMMON CAUSE LED EFFORTS TO FOCUS ON THE THREAT TO CONSTITUTIONAL CHECKS AND BALANCES POSED BY THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE LEGISLATURE'S ARGUMENT THAT STATE COURTS SHOULD BE STRIPPED OF THE POWER TO REVIEW STATE GERRYMANDERS. COMMON CAUSE'S ATTORNEY, NEAL KATYAL PRESENTED ORAL ARGUMENTS, WHILE CC STAFF ORGANIZED THE NATIONAL LEGAL AND COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY, TOWN HALLS AND PRESS CONFERENCES AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND RALLY ON THE STEPS OF THE SUPREME COURT. - BYRD V. LEE, FLORIDA: IN FEDERAL COURT, COMMON CAUSE IS LEADING THE LEGAL CHALLENGE OF THE GERRYMANDERED CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING MAP, WHICH UNDERMINED THE ABILITY OF BLACK FLORIDA VOTERS TO ELECT CANDIDATES OF THEIR CHOICE FOR CONGRESS AND IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE. THE CASE WENT TO TRIAL IN SEPTEMBER, 2023 AND IS AWAITING A DECISION.- COMMON CAUSE IS A PLAINTIFF IN LITIGATION OVER GERRYMANDERED MAPS IN GEORGIA AND TEXAS. WE ALSO FILED AMICUS BRIEFS IN REDISTRICTING CASES IN UTAH, MICHIGAN, AND NEW YORK.
Expenses $285,395
-
MONEY IN POLITICS & ETHICS WE ENGAGED IN EDUCATION AND RESEARCH AROUND STATE-BASED MONEY IN POLITICS AND ETHICS ISSUES, INCLUDING:IN NEBRASKA, WE ISSUED A REPORT, "ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER RECORD: NEBRASKA'S CONTINUOUS LOBBYING CLIMB," FINDING LOBBYISTS BROKE RECORDS, EARNING OVER $21 MILLION IN COMPENSATION FROM SPECIAL INTERESTS TO INFLUENCE LEGISLATION AND SHEDDING LIGHT ON THE MT. KILIMANJARO SCANDAL, IN WHICH FIVE STATE SENATORS WERE SEEMINGLY PAID WITH A TRIP BY A FOOD SUPPLEMENT COMPANY IN ORDER TO PROMOTE THEIR PRODUCTS. WE REACHED OUT TO COMMON CAUSE MEMBERS AND GENERATED 15,000+ PUBLIC COMMENTS OPPOSING AN EFFORT TO FORCE THE COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION (CFTC) TO LEGALIZE GAMBLING ON ELECTION OUTCOMES.IN CALIFORNIA, WE ISSUED A REPORT "CALIFORNIA DREAM: USING PUBLIC FINANCING OF ELECTIONS TO BUILD AN INCLUSIVE AND MULTI-RACIAL DEMOCRACY POWERED BY SMALL DONORS."IN MARYLAND, WE CONDUCTED EDUCATION AROUND BALTIMORE PUBLIC FINANCING, ELECTION, ETHICS PROGRAMS.
Expenses $142,857
-
MEDIA & DEMOCRACY WE ENGAGE IN EFFORTS TO PROTECT A FREE AND OPEN INTERNET AND AN INDEPENDENT AND CONSTITUTIONALLY-PROTECTED FREE PRESS, TO ENSURE THAT VOTERS HAVE ACCURATE AND RELIABLE INFORMATION THEY NEED. TO DO THIS, WE WORKED ON:CONTENT ACCOUNTABILITY, MONITORING SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS FOR DISINFORMATION, AND WORKING TO HOLD PLATFORMS ACCOUNTABLE FOR REMOVING HARMFUL OR INACCURATE POSTS.HOLDING MEDIA COMPANIES ACCOUNTABLE AND PROTECTING LOCAL JOURNALISM. THROUGH LITIGATION, MEDIA COMMUNICATION AND MEMBER ENGAGEMENT, COMMON CAUSE CHALLENGED THE STANDARD GENERAL MERGER WITH TEGNA, ULTIMATELY RESULTING IN THE DISSOLUTION OF THE DEAL.LEADING THE "NO FOX FEE" CAMPAIGNRESEARCHING AND PUBLISHING: "UNDER THE MICROSCOPE REPORT: ELECTION DISINFORMATION IN 2022 AND WHAT WE LEARNED FOR 2024"
Expenses $82,032
As filed on the 2022 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.
Listed in Part VII
-
Karen Hobert FlynnKAREN HOBERT FLYNN
PRESIDENT - UNTIL 03/2023
- Total calculated
- $375,654
- From this org
- $337,653
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $38,001
- Hours/week
- 29.5 + 8 related
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $337,653
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $18,300
- Nontaxable benefits
- $19,701
- Filer's total
- $375,654
-
Jordan DavisJORDAN DAVIS
CO-PRESIDENT
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 18.75 + 8 related
-
Martha TierneyMARTHA TIERNEY
CHAIR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
Nancy RatzanNANCY RATZAN
VICE CHAIR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
Olga KauffmanOLGA KAUFFMAN
SECRETARY
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
Olena Berg LacyOLENA BERG LACY
TREASURER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
Nicole M Austin-HilleryNICOLE M AUSTIN-HILLERY
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
Richard BainterRICHARD BAINTER
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
Emmet BondurantEMMET BONDURANT
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
Braxton BrewingtonBRAXTON BREWINGTON
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
Rebecca CokleyREBECCA COKLEY
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
Dan ConleyDAN CONLEY
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
Gregory DiskantGREGORY DISKANT
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
Wendy FieldsWENDY FIELDS
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
Archon FungARCHON FUNG
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
Shae HarrisSHAE HARRIS
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
William N Hubbard IIIWILLIAM N HUBBARD III
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
Marilyn MelkonianMARILYN MELKONIAN
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
Lenny MendoncaLENNY MENDONCA
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
Chang K ParkCHANG K PARK
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
Shareen PunianSHAREEN PUNIAN
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
Tamara SawyerTAMARA SAWYER
BOARD MEMBER - UNTIL 06/2023
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
Bilal Dabir Sekou PhDBILAL DABIR SEKOU PHD
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
David Beaumont SmithDAVID BEAUMONT SMITH
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
Wes TomerWES TOMER
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
Jessie UlibarriJESSIE ULIBARRI
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
Tracy WestenTRACY WESTEN
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
Alan WiersbaALAN WIERSBA
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1 + 1 related
-
Elizabeth MarchantELIZABETH MARCHANT
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
- Total calculated
- $250,623
- From this org
- $216,588
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $34,035
- Hours/week
- 37.5
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $216,588
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $13,473
- Nontaxable benefits
- $20,562
- Filer's total
- $250,623
-
Marilyn CarpinteyroMARILYN CARPINTEYRO
VP PROGRAMS & STRATEGY
- Total calculated
- $190,206
- From this org
- $158,429
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $31,777
- Hours/week
- 18.75 + 18.75 related
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $158,429
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $10,207
- Nontaxable benefits
- $21,570
- Filer's total
- $190,206
-
Steve SpauldingSTEVE SPAULDING
SR. ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT & SR. COUNSEL
- Total calculated
- $163,094
- From this org
- $147,532
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $15,562
- Hours/week
- 37.5
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $147,532
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $8,331
- Nontaxable benefits
- $7,231
- Filer's total
- $163,094
-
Scott SwensonSCOTT SWENSON
VP, COMMUNICATIONS - UNTIL 9/2022
- Total calculated
- $169,034
- From this org
- $155,446
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $13,588
- Hours/week
- 37.5
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $100,286
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $55,160
- Deferred
- $6,831
- Nontaxable benefits
- $6,757
- Filer's total
- $169,034
-
Pamela WilmotPAMELA WILMOT
VP, STATE OPERATIONS
- Total calculated
- $171,300
- From this org
- $142,002
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $29,298
- Hours/week
- 18.75
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $142,002
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $8,997
- Nontaxable benefits
- $20,301
- Filer's total
- $171,300
-
Jesse LittlewoodJESSE LITTLEWOOD
VP FOR CAMPAIGNS
- Total calculated
- $182,131
- From this org
- $150,028
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $32,103
- Hours/week
- 37.5
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $150,028
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $9,552
- Nontaxable benefits
- $22,551
- Filer's total
- $182,131
Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.
Schedule J
Answered yes
- 3 · Compensation committee
- 3 · Independent compensation consultant
- 3 · Written employment contract
- 3 · Compensation survey or study
- 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee
- 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
Answered no
- 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
- 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
- 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
- 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
- 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
- 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
- 7 · Other non-fixed payments
- 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception
The filer's explanations (Part III)
- PART I, LINE 4A
- SCOTT SWENSON - $55,160
Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.
Grants on this return
No itemized grants to organizations on this return.
Related organizations on this return
Schedule R Part II: tax-exempt organizations related to the filer by control. It does not record shared board members or money.
-
501(C)(4) · ADVOCATES FOR CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN THE PROCESSES OF DEMOCRACY · DC
Provenance
- Return type
- form_990
- Tax year
- 2022
- Filed
- 15 February 2024
- IRS schema version
- 2022v5.0
- Source object
- 202420609349301727
Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.
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