The America’s Agenda Healthcare Education Fund is the nonprofit fundraising counterpart to America’s Agenda, a left-leaning health care lobbying organization. America’s Agenda promotes a broad left-of-center health care agenda on behalf of a coalition of labor unions. The Education Fund raises funds and conducts research in support of America’s Agenda’s efforts. ¹²

Background

America’s Agenda Healthcare Education Fund was founded as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in November 2006 in Washington, D.C., two years following the founding of its parent organization, America’s Agenda (also known as America’s Agenda: Healthcare for All). That same year, America’s Agenda filed as a 501(c)(4). ³⁴

America’s Agenda, which represents a large coalition of American labor unions, advocates for policies that would further regulate health care providers on the state and federal level in the United States. ⁵⁶⁷ The organization’s chairman is Douglas H. Dority, who was formerly the president of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW). The Education Fund’s managing director and CEO, Mark Blum, was formerly the national director of organizing for the American Association of University Professors and also works as America’s Agenda’s president and executive director. ⁸⁹

Funding

In 2008, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, a trade group representing companies in the American pharmaceutical industry, made grants of $745,000, $150,000, and $235,000 to the America’s Agenda Healthcare Education Fund. ¹⁰

1. About: Douglas H. Dority..” America’s Agenda. Accessed May 16, 2021. https://www.americasagenda.org/about
2. About: Mark Blum.” America’s Agenda. Accessed May 16, 2021. https://www.americasagenda.org/about
3. About: Douglas H. Dority..” America’s Agenda. Accessed May 16, 2021. https://www.americasagenda.org/about 
4. About: Mark Blum.” America’s Agenda. Accessed May 16, 2021. https://www.americasagenda.org/about
5. “AMERICAS AGENDA HEALTHCARE EDUCATION FUND.” ProPublica. Accessed May 17, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/200685396
6. “AMERICAS AGENDA HEALTHCARE EDUCATION FUND.” ProPublica. Accessed May 16, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/200685396
7. “Launch of “America’s Agenda: Health Care for All.”” PNHP. October 7, 2004. Accessed May 16, 2021. https://pnhp.org/news/launch-of-americas-agenda-health-care-for-all/
8. About: Douglas H. Dority..” America’s Agenda. Accessed May 16, 2021. https://www.americasagenda.org/about
9. About: Mark Blum.” America’s Agenda. Accessed May 16, 2021. https://www.americasagenda.org/about
10. Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. Form 990-O, Schedule I, Part II. 2008. Accessed May 17, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/530241211/2009_12_EO%2F53-0241211_990O_200812