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Non-profit

Arizona Wins

Website:

az-wins.org/
Location:

PHOENIX, AZ
Tax ID:

36-4781665
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(4)

Budget (2019):

Revenue: $1,566,620
Expenses: $1,310,534
Assets: $1,503,329

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Arizona Wins is a lobbying organization that operates as a coalition of advocacy groups and labor unions working to advance left-of-center policies in Arizona.

The group is the Arizona affiliate of America Votes, a national left-of-center lobbying and advocacy coalition that supports left-of-center issue advocacy and expanding voting access. America Votes has more than 400 state and national partner organizations pushing progressive policies. 1

The organization says it focuses on voter registration, voter engagement, voter mobilization, election protection and issue advocacy. 2

They are currently a part of Field Team 6, a coalition of state-level groups organizing to register Democrat voters in key swing states and districts before the 2022 midterm elections. 3

History

Arizona Wins was founded in 2011 to oppose election integrity measures, enforcement of immigration laws in Arizona and for broader left-of-center labor and economic policies. 4

In 2018, the organization spent $34,047 to help get Democrats elected to the state legislature. It spent all that money in the general election, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Of that, the organization spent $33,241 on three Democratic candidates. The other $806 was spent against Republicans. 5

The Latino-focused advocacy group Mi Familia Vota disclosed to the Federal Election Commission that it received $45,523 from Arizona Wins during the third quarter of 2018, according to Politico. 6

Arizona Wins, similar to other groups like it, rarely discloses its donors. 7

The group is part of Field Team 6, a coalition of lobbying and state election advocacy organizations working towards registering more Democrat voters within key swing states and counties before the 2022 Midterm Elections. 8

Controversy

Brendan Carr, a Republican commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission, has inquired why two liberal nonprofits used revenue from a federal program meant to provide broadband internet for public schools to instead fund progressive political projects. Carr sent letters in July 2019 to three groups, Voqal, North American Catholic Educational Programming Foundation (NACEPF), and Rockne Educational TV. The letter from Carr to Voqal President John Schwartz said, “In your latest annual report, you highlight a number of donations you have made to political and advocacy groups. Organizations by the same name as two of your grantees — Arizona WINS and WIN Minnesota — appear to expressly advocate for the defeat of political candidates.” 9

Leadership

In 2019, Sarah Michelsen left her position as executive director of Arizona Wins, a job she held since 2013, to be the Nevada director for the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign. 10

References

  1. Arizona Wins. Iconico. April 19, 2020. http://www.iconico.io/arizona-wins-political-director.html
  2. Arizona Wins. Accessed April 19, 2020. http://az-wins.org/
  3. “Mission.” FieldTeam6. Accessed April 12, 2022. https://www.fieldteam6.org/mission.
  4. Arizona Wins. Accessed April 19, 2020. http://az-wins.org/
  5. Arizona Wins. Center for Responsive Politics. Accessed April 19, 2020. https://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/detail.php?cmte=C90017914&cycle=2018
  6. Severns, Maggie. “Dark Money Groups Were Ordered to Reveal Their Donors. They Didn’t.” Politico. October 16, 2018. https://www.politico.com/story/2018/10/16/donors-to-dark-money-groups-still-mostly-hidden-despite-court-ruling-905894
  7. Massoglia, Anna. “Millions in Masked Money Funneled Into 2018 Elections.” Center for Responsive Politics. November 7, 2018. https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2018/11/millions-in-masked-money-funneled-into-2018-elections/
  8. “Mission.” FieldTeam6. Accessed April 12, 2022. https://www.fieldteam6.org/mission.
  9. White, Chris. “FCC Dings Left-Wing Nonprofits for Using Federal Program to Finance Pet Projects.” Daily Caller News Foundation. July 9, 2019. https://dailycaller.com/2019/07/09/left-wing-groups-taxpayer-money/
  10. Appleton, Rory. “Democratic Presidential Hopefuls Compete for Staffers, Delegates.” Las Vegas Review Journal. July 12, 2019. https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/politics-and-government/democratic-presidential-hopefuls-compete-for-staffers-delegates-1719434/
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: December 1, 2014

    • 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 $1,566,620 $1,310,534 $1,503,329 $780,000 N $1,566,620 $0 $0 $0
    2018 Dec Form 990 $7,549,429 $7,452,004 $602,243 $135,000 N $7,549,429 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $1,263,139 $1,110,435 $539,818 $170,000 N $1,263,139 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $1,404,039 $1,211,593 $217,114 $0 N $1,404,039 $0 $0 $85,000 PDF
    2015 Dec Form 990 $261,141 $248,673 $88,497 $38,529 N $261,141 $0 $0 $66,078 PDF

    Arizona Wins

    530 E MCDOWELL ROAD ROOM 107 189
    PHOENIX, AZ 85004-1549