Logo for InfluenceWatch InfluenceWatch

Donate
Non-profit

Fund for Policy Reform

Location:

Wilmington, DE
Tax ID:

35-7090597
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(4)

Budget (2022):

Expenses: $364,729,911
Assets: $3,826,141,935
Formation:

2009
President:

Binaifer Nowrojee
Latest Tax Filing:

2022 Form 990

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

The Fund for Policy Reform is a 501(c)(4) lobbying organization founded and funded by left-of-center megadonor George Soros within his Open Society Foundations network of groups. The Fund for Policy Reform provides grants to left-of-center organizations, most notably in drug policy, criminal justice, and election administration policy, in addition to providing general support for left-of-center organizations and causes.

The Fund for Policy Reform Trust is the “sister” nonprofit for the Fund for Policy Reform and acts as its clearinghouse. Other major organizations funded by George Soros include the Open Society Foundations and Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Background

The Fund for Policy Reform was founded in 2009 and established through a $100 million donation by left-of-center billionaire and Democratic donor George Soros. 1 Though the Fund for Policy Reform began with a focus on supporting left-of-center environmentalist advocacy, the Fund is now active in public welfare, opposition to capitalism, criminal justice reform, and drug policy. 2

The Fund for Policy Reform is part of Soros’s Open Society Foundations, a network of left-of-center foundations which comprise one of the largest left-of-center funding networks in the world, distributing almost $1 billion per year to left-wing organizations around the world. 3

Activism

The Fund for Policy Reform is a 501(c)(4) advocacy nonprofit lobbying and advocacy organization which supports of left-of-center policy in the United States and around the world, giving grants to various nonprofits to advance a progressive agenda. Though younger than the rest of the Soros-backed Open Society Foundations, the Fund has made a substantial impact in drug policy, criminal justice, and left-of-center electoral reform.

In 2017, the Fund for Policy Reform gave its largest grant to the Open Society Policy Center, totaling $16,759,566 in 2017 alone. 4 The Open Society Policy Center engages in direct left-of-center lobbying on issues ranging from criminal justice to tax policy at the federal level, associated with the Open Society Foundations. 5 The Open Society Policy Center also gives grants to other lobbying organizations, including the Democratic Party establishment-aligned Center for American Progress Action Fund, the left-wing Center for Community Change Action, and left-of-center dark money organization NEO Philanthropy. 6

In 2017, the Fund gave a $10,000,000 grant to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, which pushes to federally expand access to abortion. 7

As of 2024, the FEC voted 3-2 to authorize Audacy Inc., which is owned by Fund for Policy Reform, to claim ownership of over 200 radio-station broadcast licenses. FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel stated, ““In this decision, we approve the assignment of licenses held by Audacy, which has been under the control of a bankruptcy court, to the new Audacy, so that the company can emerge from bankruptcy proceedings.” 8 According to the National Review, Laurel Tree Opportunities Corporation, a company controlled by Delaware-based group FPR Capital Holdings LLC, will hold a controlling stake in the reformed Audacy group. FPR Capital Holdings is also managed by Fund for Policy Reform. 9

Voting and Electoral Policy

The Fund for Policy Reform has given substantial funding to voter mobilization efforts and electoral reform. In 2017, the Fund gave $1,000,000 to America Votes, which brands itself as the “coordination hub of the progressive community.” 10 11 America Votes aims to flip key swing states in favor of Democratic candidates. 12

In 2017, the Fund gave a $500,000 grant to the Democracy Integrity Project (TDIP), a Soros-funded organization which claims to investigate foreign interference in American elections. 13 TDIP endorses claims that Russia substantially manipulated the 2016 American presidential election, sending daily news briefs to media outlets across the country in an attempt to spread a narrative of election interference. 14 Though TDIP is ostensibly nonpartisan,  Dan Jones, a former Clinton administration volunteer and top staffer to U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), incorporated the organization just 11 days after President Donald Trump took office. 15

Campaign for One New York

Fund for Policy Reform donated $250,000 to the Campaign for One New York (CfONY), a controversial advocacy group aligned with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) in 2015. 16 In January 2015, Michael Vachon, one of Soros’s advisers, invited de Blasio to speak at the Democracy Alliance Conference in Chicago to a group of major liberal donors. 17 In response to the invitation, one of de Blasio’s consultants encouraged de Blasio to accept the invitation because “Vachon = Soros.” 18 De Blasio went on to deliver the keynote address.

CfONY was a source of controversy for its operations. De Blasio hired several outside political consultants while serving as mayor, whose salaries were funded by private interest groups, causing uproar over conflicts of interest between the consultants’ firms, who often worked with large special interest groups, and those of the public office. 19 The consultants were paid nearly $2.3 million in the first year and a half of De Blasio’s term, with most of the money coming from the “Campaign for One New York,” a nonprofit created by political professionals from de Blasio’s campaign to push his initiatives. 20

Because the Campaign for One New York is technically a nonprofit, there is no limit to the amount of funds it can accept from donors, and as such was criticized as a dark money campaign to get around campaign finance regulations and allow special interest groups to buy off the New York City government. 21

Drug Policy

The Fund for Policy Reform was one of the major donors behind the legalization of recreational marijuana in California in 2016, giving $1.97 million to the Open Society campaign committee, which passed it on to Drug Policy Action, an Oakland-based left-of-center drug advocacy organization. 22 The Fund also gave a $9.5 million grant to Drug Policy Action to support its action in pushing left-of-center drug policy in 2014. 23

In 2016, Drug Policy Action launched a $4.7 million campaign to pass Proposition 64, a statewide measure to legalize recreational marijuana. 24 Nearly $4 million of that total budget came from the Fund for Policy Reform. 25 Moreover, the Fund for Policy Reform directly donated $6,140,000 to the measure. 26

The Fund for Policy Reform’s donation was challenged by Democratic consultant Andrew Acosta, who led the campaign to defeat Proposition 64. 27 Drug Policy Action funded the Yes-on-64 campaign. Acosta and his attorneys argued that because Drug Policy Action was funded by a Soros-funded organization, then if Soros is the source of the $4 million, California laws would be triggered which would require that he be identified in all ads as one of the major funders of the measure. 28

Criminal Justice

In 2017, the Fund for Policy Reform gave its second-largest donation to the left-of-center American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), totaling $13,750,000 in 2017 alone. 29 The Fund further granted $200,000 to the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Professionals while also giving a total of $590,867 to local police associations in New Jersey, Texas, California, and Massachusetts. 30

California Ballot Measures

In 2016, the Fund for Policy Reform led the charge to abolish capital punishment in California through Proposition 62, leading a $16 million campaign which, if successful, would end the death penalty in the state. Proposition 62 failed, upholding capital punishment, while Proposition 66, which expedited the execution process and was opposed by the Fund, passed in 2016. 31

In 2016, the Fund also contributed to the campaign for Proposition 57, which would allow parole consideration for people convicted of nonviolent felonies once the prison term for the primary offense has been completed, allow sentence credits for good behavior or educational achievements, and allow juvenile judges to determine whether juveniles aged 14 or older should be prosecuted and sentenced as adults. 32 33 The measure passed with the support of the Fund in 2016.

Proposition 57 faced massive criticism, in that it did not exempt sex offenders from the requirements for parole consideration. California, as a result of the proposition supported by the Fund for Policy Reform, must now consider thousands of sex offenders for early parole, including those who were convicted of pimping children. 34

International Grantmaking

In addition to domestic policy, the Fund for Policy Reform has provided substantial international grants to promote left-of-center policy abroad. Most of the international funding in 2017 went to Europe, with grants totaling $12,086,117. 35

The Fund for Policy Reform also provided $548,010 in South America in order to “strengthen democracy,” offered $247,879 in grants to Sub-Saharan Africa, and gave $570,000 total in grants to South Asia. 36

Leadership

Founder

George Soros is the founder of the Fund for Policy Reform. Soros is the founder of the Open Society Foundations, a private grantmaking foundation closely affiliated with the Fund for Policy Reform. 37 The Open Society Foundations has provided grant funding for projects supporting left-of-center democracy in 120 different countries, distributing $15.2 billion since 1984. 38

President

Binaifer Nowrojee is the president of the Open Society Foundations and its affiliates, including the Fund for Policy Reform. With OSF, she served as vice president of Programs on the Executive Leadership Team, East Africa Foundation director, regional director for Asia Pacific, and vice president for Organizational Transformation. Prior to working at OSF, she was the legal counsel at Human Rights Watch and a staff attorney at the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights. 39

Board of Directors

As of 2022, the Fund for Policy Reform’s board of directors included: Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Fund for Policy Reform. 2022. Part VII, Section A. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/357090597/202313199349321591/full[/note]

  • DANIEL EULE, Trustee (until 8/1/2022)
  • GAIL SCOVELL, Trustee/Secretary (until 5/31/2022)
  • MICHAEL VACHON, Trustee
  • LEONARD BENARDO, Trustee
  • MARYANN CANFIELD, Trustee (started 8/1/2022)
  • ALEXANDER SOROS, Trustee (started 8/1/2022)
  • BRYN MAWR TRUST, Administrative Trustee
  • MAIJA ARBOLINO, Treasurer
  • CATHERINE LIVINGSTON, Secretary (started 12/7/2022)
  • DEBORAH FINE, Secretary (5/31/22-12/7/22)

Funding

The Fund for Policy Reform was funded entirely by George Soros in 2009, when he gave $100 million to establish the Fund for Policy Reform directly to support the Climate Policy Initiative. 40

Financial Overview

The Fund for Policy Reform is a 501(c)(4) advocacy nonprofit created to lobby on certain policies.

The Fund for Policy Reform has a single donor: the Fund for Policy Reform Trust, another Soros-affiliated 501(c)(4) nonprofit that acts as a financial clearinghouse for the Fund for Policy Reform, its sole grant recipient. In 2017, the Fund reported $100 million in revenues. That figure grew by 7.5 times in 2018 to $750 million, all of which came from the Fund for Policy Reform Trust. 41 42 In 2018, the Fund’s total expenditures were $142.6 million, its net assets were $607.4 million, and it made $136 million in grants to other organizations. 43

Donors to Fund for Policy Reform

The IRS does not require 501(c)(4) nonprofits to disclose their donors, only the amounts of their donations and which groups they make grants to.

In 2018, Fund for Policy Reform indicated a single donor who gifted the nonprofit $750 million. 44 That $750 million came from the Fund for Policy Reform Trust, a related 501(c)(4) nonprofit. 45

According to its Grant Database, the Open Society Foundations, through Fund for Policy Reform Trust (under the name Fund for Policy Reform, Inc.), provided a grant worth $2,500,000 to media project Courier Newsroom for the purpose of supporting its, “non-partisan journalism, which aims to further the common good and general welfare of U.S. communities by providing access to information.” 46

Grants from Fund for Policy Reform

In 2018, Fund for Policy Reform paid out $136 million in grants to other organizations. The following are notable grant recipients in 2018: 47

Financial Documents

The IRS Form 990 filings for Fund for Policy Reform Trust are available below: 48

2018 Form 990
2019 Form 990
2020 Form 990
2021 Form 990
2022 Form 990

References

  1. Taub, Stephen. “More Hedge Fund Managers Join ‘Giving Pledge’.” Institutional Investor.

    Institutional Investor, October 3, 2017. https://www.institutionalinvestor.com/article/b150qf3k33xzfb/more-hedge-fund-managers-join-giving-pledge.

  2. Taub, Stephen. “More Hedge Fund Managers Join ‘Giving Pledge’.” Institutional Investor, October 3, 2017. https://www.institutionalinvestor.com/article/b150qf3k33xzfb/more-hedge-fund-managers-join-giving-pledge.
  3. Soros, George. “The Capitalist Threat.” The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, May 9, 2019. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1997/02/the-capitalist-threat/376773/.
  4. “Fund for Policy Reform.” Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, Form 990. 2017. Part II, Line 1.
  5. “OSPC Summary of Lobbying Activities: 2017, Fourth Quarter.” Open Society Policy Center,

    May 9, 2018. https://opensocietypolicycenter.org/reporting/ospc-summary-of-lobbying-activities-2017-fourth-quarter/.

  6. “OSPC Summary of Lobbying Activities: 2017, Fourth Quarter.” Open Society Policy Center, May 9, 2018. https://opensocietypolicycenter.org/reporting/ospc-summary-of-lobbying-activities-2017-fourth-quarter/.
  7. Fund for Policy Reform, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2017, Schedule I.
  8. Lynch, James. “Soros-Backed Group Wins Biden Administration Approval for Takeover of 200 Radio Stations.” National Review, September 30, 2024. https://www.nationalreview.com/news/soros-backed-group-wins-biden-administration-approval-for-takeover-of-200-radio-stations/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=breaking&utm_campaign=newstrack&utm_term=36908035
  9. Lynch, James. “Soros-Backed Group Wins Biden Administration Approval for Takeover of 200 Radio Stations.” National Review, September 30, 2024. https://www.nationalreview.com/news/soros-backed-group-wins-biden-administration-approval-for-takeover-of-200-radio-stations/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=breaking&utm_campaign=newstrack&utm_term=36908035
  10. “Fund for Policy Reform.” Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, Form 990. 2017. Part II, Line 8.
  11. “America Votes.” America Votes, August 4, 2019. https://americavotes.org/.
  12. “America Votes.” America Votes, August 4, 2019. https://americavotes.org/.
  13. Sperry, Paul. “Soros-Funded Media Echo Chamber Pushes Impeachment.” The Federalist,

    March 25, 2019. https://thefederalist.com/2019/03/21/soros-funded-pr-shop-constructing-media-echo-chamber-push-impeachment/.

  14. Sperry, Paul. “Soros-Funded Media Echo Chamber Pushes Impeachment.” The Federalist,

    March 25, 2019. https://thefederalist.com/2019/03/21/soros-funded-pr-shop-constructing-media-echo-chamber-push-impeachment/.

  15. Sperry, Paul. “Soros-Funded Media Echo Chamber Pushes Impeachment.” The Federalist, March 25, 2019. https://thefederalist.com/2019/03/21/soros-funded-pr-shop-constructing-media-echo-chamber-push-impeachment/.
  16. Kaplan, Thomas. “Mayor De Blasio’s Hired Guns: Private Consultants Help Shape City Hall.” The New York Times. The New York Times, November 4, 2015. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/05/nyregion/mayor-de-blasios-hired-guns-private-consultants-help-shape-city-hall.html.
  17. Kaplan, Thomas. “Mayor De Blasio’s Hired Guns: Private Consultants Help Shape City Hall.” The New York Times. The New York Times, November 4, 2015. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/05/nyregion/mayor-de-blasios-hired-guns-private-consultants-help-shape-city-hall.html.
  18. Kaplan, Thomas. “Mayor De Blasio’s Hired Guns: Private Consultants Help Shape City Hall.” The New York Times. The New York Times, November 4, 2015. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/05/nyregion/mayor-de-blasios-hired-guns-private-consultants-help-shape-city-hall.html.
  19. Kaplan, Thomas. “Mayor De Blasio’s Hired Guns: Private Consultants Help Shape City Hall.”

    The New York Times. The New York Times, November 4, 2015. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/05/nyregion/mayor-de-blasios-hired-guns-private-consultants-help-shape-city-hall.html.

  20. Kaplan, Thomas. “Mayor De Blasio’s Hired Guns: Private Consultants Help Shape City Hall.”

    The New York Times. The New York Times, November 4, 2015. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/05/nyregion/mayor-de-blasios-hired-guns-private-consultants-help-shape-city-hall.html

  21. Fermino, Jennifer. “De Blasio Raises $1.5M for Political Nonprofit, with Cash Coming from

    Rich Donors with City Hall Business.” nydailynews.com. New York Daily News, April 9, 2018. https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/de-blasio-raises-1-5m-political-nonprofit-article-1.2295247.

  22. Cadelago, Christopher, and Jim Miller. “Money and Marijuana: Donors with Ties to Industry Give to Legalize Pot.” sacbee. The Sacramento Bee, August 26, 2016. https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article97932817.html.
  23. Cadelago, Christopher, and Jim Miller. “Money and Marijuana: Donors with Ties to Industry Give to Legalize Pot.” sacbee. The Sacramento Bee, August 26, 2016. https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article97932817.html.
  24. Morain, Dan. “Shedding Some Light on Dark Money in Yes-on-64 Campaign.” sacbee. The Sacramento Bee, October 8, 2016. https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/dan-morain/article107006332.html.
  25. Morain, Dan. “Shedding Some Light on Dark Money in Yes-on-64 Campaign.” sacbee. The Sacramento Bee, October 8, 2016. https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/dan-morain/article107006332.html.
  26. “Proposition 64 – Marijuana Legalization. Initiative Statute.” California Secretary of State. Accessed October 28, 2019. https://www.sos.ca.gov/campaign-lobbying/cal-access-resources/measure-contributions/marijuana-legalization-initiative-statute/.
  27. Morain, Dan. “Shedding Some Light on Dark Money in Yes-on-64 Campaign.” sacbee. The Sacramento Bee, October 8, 2016. https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/dan-morain/article107006332.html.
  28. Morain, Dan. “Shedding Some Light on Dark Money in Yes-on-64 Campaign.” sacbee. The Sacramento Bee, October 8, 2016. https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/dan-morain/article107006332.html.
  29. “Fund for Policy Reform.” Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, Form 990. 2017. Part II, Line 4.
  30. “Fund for Policy Reform.” Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, Form 990. 2017. Part II.
  31. Shafer, Scott. “California’s Death Penalty Survives Vote, Get Streamlined.” KQED News, November 9, 2016. https://www.kqed.org/news/11159910/californias-death-penalty-on-track-to-survive-vote-get-streamlined.
  32. “Proposition 57.” FollowTheMoney.org. Accessed October 28, 2019. https://www.followthemoney.org/entity-details?eid=40814637.
  33. “Fund for Policy Reform.” FollowTheMoney.org. Accessed October 28, 2019. https://www.followthemoney.org/entity-details?eid=42085295&default=contributor.
  34. “California Must Consider Earlier Parole for Sex Offenders, Judge Rules.” Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, February 9, 2018. https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-sex-offenders-20180209-story.html.
  35. “Fund for Policy Reform.” Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, Form 990. 2017. Schedule F, Part I, Line 1.
  36. “Fund for Policy Reform.” Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, Form 990. 2017. Schedule F, Part I, Lines 2-4.
  37. “George Soros.” georgesoros.com, 2019. https://www.georgesoros.com/.
  38. “Open Society Foundations.” Open Society Foundations, 2019. https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/.
  39. “Leadership: Binaifer Nowrojee.” Open Society Foundations, Accessed September 30, 2024. https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/who-we-are/leadership/binaifer-nowrojee
  40. Di Mento, Maria. “Soros Pledges $100-Million to Human-Rights Group.” The Chronicle of Philanthropy. The Chronicle of Philanthropy, September 7, 2010. https://www.philanthropy.com/article/Soros-Pledges-100-Million-to/159989.
  41. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Fund for Policy Reform. 2018. Part I. Lines 12, 13, 18, 22. Archived: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2020/03/Fund-for-Policy-Reform-2018-Form-990.pdf
  42. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Fund for Policy Reform Trust. 2018. Schedule I. Archived: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2020/03/Fund-for-Policy-Reform-Trust-2018-Form-990.pdf
  43. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Fund for Policy Reform. 2018. Schedule B (redacted) Archived: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2020/03/Fund-for-Policy-Reform-2018-Form-990.pdf
  44. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Fund for Policy Reform. 2018. Part I. Lines 12, 13, 18, 22. Archived: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2020/03/Fund-for-Policy-Reform-2018-Form-990.pdf
  45. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Fund for Policy Reform Trust. 2018. Schedule I. Archived: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2020/03/Fund-for-Policy-Reform-Trust-2018-Form-990.pdf
  46. “Awarded Grants: Fund for Policy Reform.” Open Society Foundations, Accessed September 30, 2024. https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?grant_id=OR2022-86051
  47. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Fund for Policy Reform. 2018. Part I: Line 13. Schedule I. Archived: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2020/03/Fund-for-Policy-Reform-2018-Form-990.pdf
  48. “Fund For Policy Reform.” Propublica, Accessed September 30, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/357090597

Directors, Employees & Supporters

  1. Alexander Soros
    Director
  2. Christopher Stone
    Former President
  3. Jonathan Soros
    Director
  4. Ethan Zuckerman
    Director
  5. George Soros
    Chairman
  See an error? Let us know!

Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: May 1, 2015

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2022 Dec Form 990 $0 $364,729,911 $3,826,141,935 $438,757,174 N $0 $0 $0 $20,640 PDF
    2021 Dec Form 990 $424,703,140 $376,167,457 $4,022,077,007 $30,002,194 N $0 $0 $412 $21,040
    2020 Dec Form 990 $1,446 $275,834,264 $4,235,255,567 $489,344,172 N $0 $0 $1,446 $20,000 PDF
    2019 Dec Form 990 $72,182,935 $230,383,737 $3,440,144,756 $213,254,930 N $15,889,241 $0 $56,293,694 $20,000 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $11,840,022 $750,942,788 $3,365,107,474 $152,012,565 N $0 $0 $8,385 $20,000 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $37,716,714 $100,363,937 $3,968,252,598 $47,250,141 N $0 $0 $1,112 $25,140 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $513,447,617 $33,202,726 $3,696,475,474 $84,420 N $46,691,286 $0 $243 $37,520 PDF
    2015 Dec Form 990 $1,405,399,362 $17,533,943 $2,408,705,694 $11,813,943 N $1,400,105,502 $0 $10 $20,000 PDF

    Fund for Policy Reform

    501 CARR RD STE 100
    Wilmington, DE 19809-2866