Non-profit

Alliance for Retired Americans Educational Fund

Location:

WASHINGTON, DC

Tax ID:

20-0475553

Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2017):

Revenue: $58,842
Expenses: $95,242
Assets: $115,576

Executive Director:

Richard Fiesta

Type:

Corporation

Tax Exempt Since:

2005

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The Alliance for Retired Americans Education Fund (ARAEF) is the educational arm of the labor union-aligned seniors’ advocacy group Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA). The education fund specifically focuses on educating retirees and pre-retires on legislative policies at the local, state, and federal levels that impact them directly. The left-leaning fund organizes events where policies are discussed, and participants are expected to bring the information back to their communities in efforts to advance mobilization. 1

Leadership academies and “elder empowerment” workshops are provided in some state chapters to provide specific details on topics such as Obamacare, staying up to date on Medicaid and Social Security with changes that come with different administrations, and how to strategically defend the left-leaning policies that ARA promotes. 2

Issues

The Alliance for Retired Americans Education Fund promotes the expansion of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. State chapters focus on state legislation but also how Federal policy is implemented in each chapter’s specific state. In 2016, the State of North Carolina had not participated in the Obamacare expansion of Medicaid, which prompted the North Carolina Alliance for Retired Americans (NCARA) Education Fund chapter to call on state leaders to fulfill three requests: accept Medicaid expansion, increase the Medicaid rate for home health care, and return unemployment insurance to previous levels. 3

Leadership

Richard Fiesta has held the position of executive director since 2013. Prior to his appointment, Fiesta was the director of government and political affairs at Alliance for Retired Americans since 2001. He is also a vice-chair on the Democratic National Committee’s Seniors’ Council. Fiesta’s experience on Capitol Hill includes work as counsel to the House Subcommittee on Labor Standards, legislative counsel to Senator Harris Wofford (D-PA), and communications director for Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD). He earned a bachelor’s, master’s, and law degree from Georgetown University. 4

Allegations of Inaccuracy

In 2011, the left-leaning fact-checking group Politifact reported that a statement made by Alliance for Retired Americans provided false information about Social Security to its members. The statement claimed that Social Security “doesn’t contribute a penny to the deficit.” Politifact reported that in 2011, for the first time since 1983, Social Security payroll taxes did not meet the amount needed to pay Social Security beneficiaries, running short of $49 billion. 5

Finances

20186

Revenue:          $66,463

Expenses:         $81,647

Assets:              $52,127

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

References

  1. Alliance for Retired Americans Education Fund. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2018. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/200475553/08_2019_prefixes_13-20%2F200475553_201812_990_2019080116536322
  2. “Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security Are Under Attack.” California Alliance for Retired Americans. California Alliance for Retired Americans Education Fund, December 2018. https://californiaalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Medicare-Medicaid-SS-Roadshow-flyer.pdf.
  3. “NCARA Education Fund Comments on Medicaid Expansion.” North Carolina Alliance for Retired Americans Education Fund, April 20, 2016. http://nc.retiredamericansfund.org/2016/04/20/ncara-education-fund-comments-on-medicaid-expansion/.
  4. “Seniors Council.” Democratic National Committee. Accessed April 21, 2020. https://democrats.org/seniors-council/.
  5. Selby, W. Gardner. “PolitiFact – UPDATED: Retiree Group Says Social Security Doesn’t Contribute a Penny to U.S. Deficit.” Politifact, August 2, 2011. https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2011/aug/02/alliance-retired-americans/washington-group-says-social-security-isnt-contrib/.
  6. Alliance for Retired Americans Education Fund. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2018. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/200475553/08_2019_prefixes_13-20%2F200475553_201812_990_2019080116536322
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: January 1, 2005

  • 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
    2017 Dec Form 990 $58,842 $95,242 $115,576 $85,406 N $58,829 $0 $13 $0
    2016 Dec Form 990 $221,901 $199,918 $107,203 $40,633 N $221,900 $0 $1 $0
    2015 Dec Form 990EZ $95,424 $108,611 $44,587 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990EZ $192,254 $186,232 $60,074 $2,300 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990EZ $176,324 $146,947 $104,288 $52,536 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990EZ $23,970 $31,287 $22,384 $9 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2011 Dec Form 990EZ $180,629 $143,549 $51,057 $21,365 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2010 Dec Form 990EZ $89,882 $101,710 $40,150 $47,538 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Alliance for Retired Americans Educational Fund

    815 16TH STREET NW 4TH FLOOR NORTH
    WASHINGTON, DC 20006-4101