Non-profit

Accountability Lab

Website:

accountabilitylab.org/

Location:

Washington, DC

Tax ID:

45-4613016

Budget (2019):

Revenue: $1,116,207
Expenses: $1,316,878
Assets: $539,200

Type:

Nonprofit government corruption watchdog

Executive Director:

Blair Glencorse

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

Accountability Lab is a nonprofit organization that works to expose governmental and aid sector corruption in developing countries. Blair Glencorse, the founder and executive director of Accountability Lab, is associated with the left-of-center groups Echoing Green and Americans for Informed Democracy. 1 2

Accountability Lab has been critical of how non-governmental organizations from Europe and North America engage with African nations. An Accountability Lab panel claimed such organizations are a “product of colonization, a product of white supremacy culture”3 and are “inherently racist” and “anti-black.” 4 Accountability Lab has received funding from George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, Novo Foundation, and the left-of-center Ford Foundation, among other organizations and individuals. 56

Criticism of Aid Organizations

Accountability Lab partnered with ONE, the parent organization of One Campaign, to host a panel on how North American and European non-governmental organizations (NGOs) give aid to African nations. 7 ONE receives financial support from left-of-center groups such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and Rockefeller Foundation. 8

The panel was highly critical of how NGOs providing aid engaged with African nations. Panelist Stephanie Kimou stated that international development is a “product of colonization, a product of white supremacy culture” and the fact that many NGOs have mostly white leadership reflects that “international development might be colonized still.” 9 Kimou also said organizations that use images of poverty in Africa to fundraise are engaging in “poverty porn” that is a “manifestation of white supremacy culture.” 10 She also stated that western NGOs with mostly white leadership that give aid to Africa are “inherently racist” and “anti-black” because such organizations “can’t be authentic without black people in positions of leadership.” 11 Kimou believes that international development organizations need to be “decolonized” because “it is inappropriate to enter a country or a space … with no understanding of how whiteness, white bodies, your institutions, money, your institution’s all white leadership can be disruptive and triggering based on that nation’s history.” 12 Kimou stated, “I’m trying not to use the word ‘aid’ anymore and I’m talking about reparations, because these are the things that are owed to black and African people” and that NGOs providing aid to Africa “had unearned power and unearned access.” 13

Panelist Lola Adele-Oso added that western NGOs are “A whole sector, a whole group of people are basically building and growing and implementing off the bodies of black and brown people.” 14 Another panelist, Valerie Traore, said that “The world is racist. These institutions and sector is [sic] racist.” 15

Black Lives Matter

Following riots after George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis police custody, Accountability Lab offered employees three days of paid vacation to join protests. 16 Glencorse also offered to match employee donations to groups like Black Lives Matter up to $1,000. 17

Funders

Accountability Lab has received funding from left-of-center organizations such as Novo Foundation, Open Society Foundations, and the Libra Foundation. 18

Leadership

Blair Glencorse is the founder and executive director of Accountability Lab. 19 Glencorse was a member of Americans for Informed Democracy, a left-of-center group that was founded after 9/11 to bring a more global perspective to U.S. public policy discussions. 20 21 Americans for Informed Democracy partnered with left-wing groups such as Center for Community Change, Center for American Progress, and Rock the Vote. 22

In 2014, Glencorse was named an Echoing Green fellow with financial support from the Jerome L. Greene Foundation. 23 On social media, Glencorse stated that Accountability Lab “had enough of Trump” and tagged the director of media intelligence for Media Matters for America a liberal group focused on attacking right-of-center media commentators. 24 Glencorse endorsed Ohio Democrat Kate Schroder for Congress while calling the Trump administration “a gang of criminals” 25 and also claimed then-President Trump “entrenched the patriarchy.” 26

Craig Kennedy is an Accountability Lab board member. 27 Kennedy served as the President of Joyce Foundation from 1986 to 1992 during which time the group focused on environmental causes. 28 29 From 1995 to 2014, Kennedy served as the president of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, which is funded by left-of-center groups including William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Open Society Foundations, and Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. 30 31

Chris Dunn is a member of Accountability Lab’s board of directors and is the assistant general counsel for the Millennium Challenge Corporation. 32  Accountability Lab board member Alba Lamberti is the deputy director of the think tank European Council on Foreign Relations. 33

Moussa Kondo, the founder of Accountability Lab Mali, was a 2018 Obama Foundation fellow. 34

References

  1. “50 Visionaries Who Are Changing the World.” UTNE. November 13, 2008. https://content.utne.com/2008-11-13/50-Visionaries-Who-Are-Changing-your-World.
  2. “Blair Glencorse.” Echoing Green
  3. Accountability Lab. “Panellist Stephanie Kimou, Principal Consultant at Popworks Africa.” YouTube.  October 20, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yZhRftlb-4&list=PLncjeWn_K71JX8uTNnIDRZ6Fa8VOzHzND&index=7.
  4. “Creating better racial equity policies for development organizations.” Accountability Lab. October 21, 2020. https://accountabilitylab.org/creating-better-racial-equity-policies-for-development-organizations/.
  5. Gunther, Marc. “SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL. SMALL IS ALSO, ER, SMALL.” Accountability Lab. July 10, 2017. https://accountabilitylab.org/small-is-beautiful-small-is-also-er-small/.
  6. Ford Foundation, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2017, Part XV Line 3 https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/131684331/201803209349100025/IRS990PF
  7. “Creating better racial equity policies for development organizations.” Accountability Lab. October 21, 2020. https://accountabilitylab.org/creating-better-racial-equity-policies-for-development-organizations/.
  8. “Financials.” ONE. Accessed July 16, 2021. https://www.one.org/us/about/financials/.
  9. Accountability Lab. “Panellist Stephanie Kimou, Principal Consultant at Popworks Africa.” YouTube.  October 20, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yZhRftlb-4&list=PLncjeWn_K71JX8uTNnIDRZ6Fa8VOzHzND&index=7.
  10. “Creating better racial equity policies for development organizations.” Accountability Lab. October 21, 2020. https://accountabilitylab.org/creating-better-racial-equity-policies-for-development-organizations/.
  11. “Creating better racial equity policies for development organizations.” Accountability Lab. October 21, 2020. https://accountabilitylab.org/creating-better-racial-equity-policies-for-development-organizations/.
  12. Accountability Lab. “Panellist Stephanie Kimou, Principal Consultant at Popworks Africa.” YouTube.  October 20, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yZhRftlb-4&list=PLncjeWn_K71JX8uTNnIDRZ6Fa8VOzHzND&index=7.
  13. “Creating better racial equity policies for development organizations.” Accountability Lab. October 21, 2020. https://accountabilitylab.org/creating-better-racial-equity-policies-for-development-organizations/.
  14. Accountability Lab. “What are some of the key things to bear in mind when talking about racial equity in development?” YouTube. October 20, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQlfx3D0N8U&list=PLncjeWn_K71JX8uTNnIDRZ6Fa8VOzHzND&index=2.
  15. Accountability Lab. “What are some of the key things to bear in mind when talking about racial equity in development?” YouTube. October 20, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQlfx3D0N8U&list=PLncjeWn_K71JX8uTNnIDRZ6Fa8VOzHzND&index=2.
  16. “#BlackLivesMatter and our accountability.” Accountability Lab. June 4, 2020. https://accountabilitylab.org/blacklivesmatter-and-our-accountability/.
  17. “#BlackLivesMatter and our accountability.” Accountability Lab. June 4, 2020. https://accountabilitylab.org/blacklivesmatter-and-our-accountability/.
  18. Gunther, Marc. “SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL. SMALL IS ALSO, ER, SMALL.” Accountability Lab. July 10, 2017. https://accountabilitylab.org/small-is-beautiful-small-is-also-er-small/.
  19. “Accountability Lab Executive Director Appointed to World Bank Advisory Council.” Accountability Lab. August 8, 2019.  https://accountabilitylab.org/accountability-lab-executive-director-appointed-to-world-bank-advisory-council/.
  20. “U.S.-Muslim Relations.” C-SPAN. September 16, 2004.  https://www.c-span.org/video/?183534-1/us-muslim-relations#!.
  21. “50 Visionaries Who Are Changing the World.” UTNE. November 13, 2008. https://content.utne.com/2008-11-13/50-Visionaries-Who-Are-Changing-Your-World.
  22. “Youth Activist and Civic Engagement Organizations.” AMP Global Youth. June 27, 2007. https://ampglobalyouth.org/2007/06/27/youth-activist-and-civic-engagement-organizations/.
  23. “Blair Glencorse.” Echoing Green
  24. Blair Glencorse. Twitter Post. August 27, 2020. 11:08 PM. https://twitter.com/blairglencorse/status/1299181955049820160.
  25. Blair Glencorse. Twitter Post. September 12, 2020. 9:41 AM. https://twitter.com/blairglencorse/status/1304777206254764033.
  26. Blair Glencorse. Twitter Post. May 13, 2019. 9:13 PM. https://twitter.com/blairglencorse/status/1128105999909494791.
  27. Our Boards of Directors. Accountability Lab. Accessed July 3, 2021. https://accountabilitylab.org/our-governance/.
  28. “Craig Kennedy.” LinkedIn. Accessed July 16, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-kennedy-2931a24/.
  29. “History.” Joyce Foundation. Accessed July 16, 2021. https://www.joycefdn.org/about/history.
  30. “Craig Kennedy.” LinkedIn. Accessed July 16, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-kennedy-2931a24/.
  31. “Our Partners.” GMF. Accessed July 16, 2021. https://www.gmfus.org/our-partners.
  32. Our Boards of Directors. Accountability Lab. Accessed July 3, 2021. https://accountabilitylab.org/our-governance/.
  33. Our Boards of Directors. Accountability Lab. Accessed July 3, 2021. https://accountabilitylab.org/our-governance/.
  34. “Moussa Kondo.” Obama Foundation. Accessed July 16, 2021. https://www.obama.org/fellowship/2018-fellows/moussa-kondo/.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: January 1, 2013

  • 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
    2019 Dec Form 990 $1,116,207 $1,316,878 $539,200 $4,285 N $1,071,299 $44,899 $9 $160,000 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $1,191,691 $955,246 $760,586 $25,000 N $1,191,686 $0 $5 $84,064 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $714,930 $547,550 $511,991 $12,850 N $714,930 $0 $0 $60,187 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $877,870 $597,542 $341,264 $9,501 N $877,870 $0 $0 $77,200 PDF
    2015 Dec Form 990 $1,050,809 $666,855 $70,176 $18,741 N $1,050,809 $0 $0 $133,200 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990EZ $166,165 $234,284 $211,666 $544,186 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990EZ $194,346 $188,593 $18,290 $72,691 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF

    Accountability Lab

    1100 13TH ST NW STE 800
    Washington, DC 20005-4281