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Non-profit

Campion Foundation

Website:

www.campionadvocacyfund.org/
Location:

SEATTLE, WA
Tax ID:

20-3421717
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)-PF

Budget (2015):

Revenue: $1,338,665
Expenses: $9,673,138
Assets: $30,315,927
Type:

Left-of-center grantmaking organization
President:

Sonya Campion

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The Campion Foundation is a private foundation created and funded by Tom and Sonya Campion. It supports left-leaning environmentalism and left-of-center public policy organizations such as the New Venture Fund, the Center for American Progress, TSNE Missionworks, the Alaska Wilderness League, and the League of Conservation Voters. 1 2

Since 2005 the Campions have given at least $89.2 million to the Campion Foundation, 99.9 percent of total funding. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 According to tax filings from both organizations, the Campion Foundation has been a major sponsor—and potentially the largest single supporter—of the Alaska Wilderness League. 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 The primary policy objective of the Alaska Wilderness League is the blocking of all energy production in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a priority that is strongly supported by Tom Campion. 17 18

In 2013 the Campions created the Campion Advocacy Fund as the political lobbying and activism arm of the Campion Foundation. 19 Neil Kornze, a former official in the Obama administration, was named CEO of both Campion organizations in 2019. 20 The Campions have been strong financial supporters of Democratic politicians, including former President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and President Joe Biden, and gave nearly $1 million to the political committees supporting the 2016 presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton. 21 22

Background

The Campion Foundation was created in 2005 by Tom and Sonya Campion, following the initial public offering of Zumiez Corporation, a chain of clothing and apparel stores founded by Tom Campion 1978. As of March 2021, Campion remained as the board chair of Zumiez, and the firm had a market capitalization of slightly less than $1.2 billion. According to the financial website Wallmine.com, Campion had a net worth of $107 million in January 2021 and received an annual salary of $686,942 as chair of the Zumiez board. 23 24 25

Grants from the Campion Foundation have funded programs to alleviate homelessness, preserve natural spaces, support left-leaning environmentalism, and support left-of-center public policy. The foundation also prioritizes grantmaking to programs that seek to improve the performance and fundraising capacity of nonprofit advocacy organizations. 26 27 28

According to tax filings from 2005 through 2016, the Campions have given at least $89.2 million to the Campion Foundation, which is 99.9 percent of total funding during those reporting years. 29 30 31 32 33 34 35

In 2013, the Campions created the Campion Advocacy Fund as the political lobbying and activism arm of the Campion Foundation. 36

Political Activism

Tom and Sonya Campion have been strong financial supporters of Democratic politicians, including Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Joe Biden. Together they gave nearly $1 million to the political committees supporting the 2016 presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton. The Seattle Times reported in 2016 that President Obama had been a guest at their home. Both Campions were on the list of financial bundlers for President Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign. 37 38

Tom Campion opposes all energy production in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Located on 19.6 million acres in the remote northeast corner of Alaska, ANWR has been controversial due to its potential as a source of domestic energy, and the corresponding opposition of left-leaning advocacy organizations to this use. A 2017 congressional proposal would have allowed energy firms to use no more than 2,000 acres of ANWR (0.01 percent of the total area) for surface development. A congressional estimate projected that this development could yield $2 billion in energy tax royalties over a ten-year period, split between the state of Alaska and the federal government. 39

In 2016, Campion wrote an opinion piece praising the “tremendous leadership” of the Obama Administration in its proposal to permanently block domestic energy production in ANWR. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) denounced the proposal as a “stunning attack” on the “sovereignty” of Alaska. Discussing the proposal with Sally Jewell, the then-interior secretary, Alaska Gov. Bill Walker (I) told her “I need to send you an invoice” because the policy was “taking away our ability to earn a living.” 40 41

Leadership

In 2019 the Campions appointed Neil Kornze as the CEO of both the Campion Foundation and the Campion Advocacy Fund. Kornze was a former director of the Bureau of Land Management during the Obama administration and an advisor to former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). 42

Left-leaning Grantmaking

The Campion Foundation has been a major donor to left-leaning policy advocacy organizations.

2018 Grants

According to tax records, the Campion Foundation reported more than $3.5 million in total grants disbursed during the annual grantmaking cycle that ended December 2018. Eight left-leaning advocacy organizations received $1.4 million of this total, or 40 percent of Campion’s 2018 donations. 43

Third Sector New England MissionWorks (TSNE Missionworks) received $330,000 in 2018, the largest single grant the Campion foundation reported. TSNE Missionworks provides management and leadership consulting for left-leaning advocacy organizations. 44

Similarly, the New Venture Fund (NVF), which provides incubation and fiscal sponsorship for left-leaning advocacy projects, received $240,000. (See also the profile for Arabella Advisors). 45

Three of Campion’s 2018 grant recipients were left-of-center think tanks: the Center for American Progress ($270,000), the Washington State Budget and Policy Center ($27,500), and Taxpayers for Common Sense ($40,000). 46

Three left-leaning environmentalist advocacy organizations received Campion funding in 2018: the League of Conservation Voters ($200,000), the Alaska Wilderness League ($250,000), and Earthjustice ($50,000). 47

Alaska Wilderness League

The primary policy objective of the Alaska Wilderness League (AWL) is the blocking of all energy production in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a priority that is strongly supported by Tom Campion. 48 49

The Campion Foundation has been a major sponsor—and potentially the largest single supporter—of the Alaska Wilderness League. Tax filings from the AWL show total expenses of $15.5 million for reporting periods 2014 through 2018. 50 51 52 The Campion Foundation’s tax filings over the same reporting years show a total of more than $7.5 million in grants given to the Alaska Wilderness League, or 48 percent of the AWL’s spending over the five-year period. 53 54 55 56

Additional Left-of-center Grants

According to its tax filings, the Campion Foundation gave $10,000 to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and $15,000 to the Center for Community Change in 2014, and $200,000 to the Sierra Club Foundation in 2016. These two tax filings also show two $500,000 grants ($1 million total) to the Obama Foundation, a funding vehicle intended to aide in the construction of former President Barack Obama’s presidential library. 57 58

Other Major Priorities

Organizations that seek to reduce homelessness and those that preserve wildlife and nature habitats are also major priorities for the Campion Foundation. The habitat preservation support has been geographically focused on Alaska, Montana, Idaho and the Pacific Northwest. Some of the preservation organizations have exhibited a left-of-center policy bias.

The 2018 tax filing shows total grants of $365,000 for the National Audubon Society and its Alaska affiliate, Audubon Alaska. Trout Unlimited Alaska, an affiliate of Trout Unlimited, received $200,000 in 2018, and the Montana Wilderness Association received $150,000. 59

The 2018 tax report also showed a $277,000 grant for the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, $205,000 to Building Changes (a homelessness alleviation program in Seattle, Washington), and $15,000 to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. 60 61 In addition, the Campion foundation also funds reporting from The Seattle Times that covers homelessness issues. 62

The 2018 Campion tax filing also shows a $150,000 donation to the Pew Charitable Trusts. 63

References

  1. Campion Foundation, Form 990-PF, 2018, 15, 21. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/02_2020_prefixes_16-20%2F203421717_201812_990PF_2020021317145895.
  2. “Priorities.” Campion Foundation. Accessed March 2, 2021. http://www.campionadvocacyfund.org/advocacy/priorities/
  3. Campion Foundation. IRS Form 990. 2016. Accessed March 2, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/12_2017_prefixes_20-22%2F203421717_201612_990PF_2017122815062545
  4. Campion Foundation. IRS Form 990. 2014. Accessed March 1, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/2015_08_PF%2F20-3421717_990PF_201412
  5. Campion Foundation. IRS Form 990. 2013. Accessed March 2, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/2014_05_PF%2F20-3421717_990PF_201312
  6. Campion Foundation. IRS Form 990. 2012. Accessed March 2, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/2013_11_PF%2F20-3421717_990PF_201212
  7. Campion Foundation. IRS Form 990. 2007. Accessed March 2, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/2008_05_PF%2F20-3421717_990PF_200712
  8. Campion Foundation. IRS Form 990. 2006. Accessed March 2, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/2007_06_PF%2F20-3421717_990PF_200612
  9. Campion Foundation. IRS Form 990. 2005. Accessed March 2, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/203421717
  10. Alaska Wilderness League. IRS Form 990. 2018. Accessed March 1, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/521814742/02_2020_prefixes_47-52%2F521814742_201812_990_2020020517110967
  11. Alaska Wilderness League. IRS Form 990. 2017. Accessed March 1, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/521814742/09_2018_prefixes_52-55%2F521814742_201712_990_2018092115719850
  12. Alaska Wilderness League. IRS Form 990. 2015. Accessed March 1, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/521814742/2016_10_EO%2F52-1814742_990_201512
  13. Campion Foundation, Form 990-PF, 2018, 15, 21. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/02_2020_prefixes_16-20%2F203421717_201812_990PF_2020021317145895.
  14. Campion Foundation. IRS Form 990. 2017. Accessed March 1, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/12_2018_prefixes_16-20%2F203421717_201712_990PF_2018120615979431
  15. Campion Foundation. IRS Form 990. 2015. Accessed March 1, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/2017_03_PF%2F20-3421717_990PF_201512
  16. Campion Foundation. IRS Form 990. 2014. Accessed March 1, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/2015_08_PF%2F20-3421717_990PF_201412
  17. “Pledge to Protect America’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.” Alaska Wilderness League. Accessed March 1, 2021. http://alaskawildaction.org/pledge/
  18. Campion, Tom. Places where oil rigs don’t belong, the Artic Refuge is one of them.” The Seattle Times. June 13, 2016. https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/places-where-oil-rigs-dont-belong-the-arctic-refuge-is-one-of-them/?platform=hootsuite
  19. “Welcome.” Campion Foundation. Accessed March 2, 2021. http://www.campionadvocacyfund.org/campion/
  20. “Campion Advocacy Fund Names Neil Kornze as New CEO.” Campion Advocacy Fund. January 30, 2019. http://www.campionadvocacyfund.org/updates/campion-advocacy-fund-names-neil-kornze-as-new-ceo/
  21. “Power couples, tribes among state’s biggest donors to the Clinton campaign.” The Seattle Times. November 3, 2016. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/power-couples-tribes-among-states-big-donors-to-the-clinton-campaign/
  22. “Joe Biden’s campaign funding ‘bundlers’ include some top names in Seattle tech.” GeekWire. November 2, 2020. https://www.geekwire.com/2020/joe-bidens-campaign-funding-bundlers-include-top-names-seattle-tech/
  23. “About the Foundation.” The Campion Advocacy Fund. Accessed February 19, 2021. http://www.campionadvocacyfund.org/campion/
  24. “Zumiez, Inc.: Summary.” CNBC. Accessed March 2, 2021. https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/ZUMZ
  25. “Thomas Campion Net Worth.” Wallmine. Accessed March 2, 2021. https://wallmine.com/people/25780/thomas-d-campion
  26. Campion Foundation, Form 990-PF, 2018, 15, 21. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/02_2020_prefixes_16-20%2F203421717_201812_990PF_2020021317145895.
  27. “Priorities.” Campion Foundation. Accessed March 2, 2021. http://www.campionadvocacyfund.org/advocacy/priorities/
  28. “Priority: Capacity Building.” Campion Foundation. Accessed March 2, 2021. http://www.campionadvocacyfund.org/advocacy/priorities/build-capacity/
  29. Campion Foundation. IRS Form 990. 2016. Accessed March 2, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/12_2017_prefixes_20-22%2F203421717_201612_990PF_2017122815062545
  30. Campion Foundation. IRS Form 990. 2014. Accessed March 1, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/2015_08_PF%2F20-3421717_990PF_201412
  31. Campion Foundation. IRS Form 990. 2013. Accessed March 2, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/2014_05_PF%2F20-3421717_990PF_201312
  32. Campion Foundation. IRS Form 990. 2012. Accessed March 2, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/2013_11_PF%2F20-3421717_990PF_201212
  33. Campion Foundation. IRS Form 990. 2007. Accessed March 2, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/2008_05_PF%2F20-3421717_990PF_200712
  34. Campion Foundation. IRS Form 990. 2006. Accessed March 2, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/2007_06_PF%2F20-3421717_990PF_200612
  35. Campion Foundation. IRS Form 990. 2005. Accessed March 2, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/203421717
  36. “Welcome.” Campion Foundation. Accessed March 2, 2021. http://www.campionadvocacyfund.org/campion/
  37. “Power couples, tribes among state’s biggest donors to the Clinton campaign.” The Seattle Times. November 3, 2016. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/power-couples-tribes-among-states-big-donors-to-the-clinton-campaign/
  38. “Joe Biden’s campaign funding ‘bundlers’ include some top names in Seattle tech.” GeekWire. November 2, 2020. https://www.geekwire.com/2020/joe-bidens-campaign-funding-bundlers-include-top-names-seattle-tech/
  39. Collins, Michael. “Congress moves to ‘drill, baby, drill’ in Alaska’s ANWR. Here’s what you should know.” USA Today. November 19, 2017. Accessed March 1, 2021. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/11/19/congress-moves-drill-baby-drill-alaska-anwr-refuge-heres-what-you-should-know/874187001/
  40. “Plan to Protect Refuge Has Alaskans Offended and Fearful Over Money.” The New York Times. January 26, 2015. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/27/us/plan-to-protect-refuge-has-alaskans-offended-and-fearful-over-money.html
  41. Campion, Tom. Places where oil rigs don’t belong, the Artic Refuge is one of them.” The Seattle Times. June 13, 2016. https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/places-where-oil-rigs-dont-belong-the-arctic-refuge-is-one-of-them/?platform=hootsuite
  42. “Campion Advocacy Fund Names Neil Kornze as New CEO.” Campion Advocacy Fund. January 30, 2019. http://www.campionadvocacyfund.org/updates/campion-advocacy-fund-names-neil-kornze-as-new-ceo/
  43. Campion Foundation, Form 990-PF, 2018, 15, 21. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/02_2020_prefixes_16-20%2F203421717_201812_990PF_2020021317145895.
  44. Campion Foundation, Form 990-PF, 2018, 15, 21. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/02_2020_prefixes_16-20%2F203421717_201812_990PF_2020021317145895.
  45. Campion Foundation, Form 990-PF, 2018, 15, 21. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/02_2020_prefixes_16-20%2F203421717_201812_990PF_2020021317145895.
  46. Campion Foundation, Form 990-PF, 2018, 15, 21. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/02_2020_prefixes_16-20%2F203421717_201812_990PF_2020021317145895.
  47. Campion Foundation, Form 990-PF, 2018, 15, 21. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/02_2020_prefixes_16-20%2F203421717_201812_990PF_2020021317145895.
  48. “Pledge to Protect America’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.” Alaska Wilderness League. Accessed March 1, 2021. http://alaskawildaction.org/pledge/
  49. Campion, Tom. Places where oil rigs don’t belong, the Artic Refuge is one of them.” The Seattle Times. June 13, 2016. https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/places-where-oil-rigs-dont-belong-the-arctic-refuge-is-one-of-them/?platform=hootsuite
  50. Alaska Wilderness League. IRS Form 990. 2018. Accessed March 1, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/521814742/02_2020_prefixes_47-52%2F521814742_201812_990_2020020517110967
  51. Alaska Wilderness League. IRS Form 990. 2017. Accessed March 1, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/521814742/09_2018_prefixes_52-55%2F521814742_201712_990_2018092115719850
  52. Alaska Wilderness League. IRS Form 990. 2015. Accessed March 1, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/521814742/2016_10_EO%2F52-1814742_990_201512
  53. Campion Foundation, Form 990-PF, 2018, 15, 21. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/02_2020_prefixes_16-20%2F203421717_201812_990PF_2020021317145895.
  54. Campion Foundation. IRS Form 990. 2017. Accessed March 1, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/12_2018_prefixes_16-20%2F203421717_201712_990PF_2018120615979431
  55. Campion Foundation. IRS Form 990. 2015. Accessed March 1, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/2017_03_PF%2F20-3421717_990PF_201512
  56. Campion Foundation. IRS Form 990. 2014. Accessed March 1, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/2015_08_PF%2F20-3421717_990PF_201412
  57. Campion Foundation. IRS Form 990. 2014. Accessed March 1, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/2015_08_PF%2F20-3421717_990PF_201412
  58. Campion Foundation. IRS Form 990. 2016. Accessed March 1, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/12_2017_prefixes_20-22%2F203421717_201612_990PF_2017122815062545
  59. Campion Foundation, Form 990-PF, 2018, 15, 21. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/02_2020_prefixes_16-20%2F203421717_201812_990PF_2020021317145895.
  60. Campion Foundation. Form 990-PF, 2018, 15, 21. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/02_2020_prefixes_16-20%2F203421717_201812_990PF_2020021317145895.
  61. “Strategies.” Building Changes. Accessed March 1, 2021. https://buildingchanges.org/strategies
  62. Ibid; “About Project Homeless.” The Seattle Times. Accessed February 19, 2021.  https://www.seattletimes.com/about-project-homeless/#about-project-homeless
  63. Campion Foundation, Form 990-PF, 2018, 15, 21. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203421717/02_2020_prefixes_16-20%2F203421717_201812_990PF_2020021317145895.

Associated Organizations

  1. Campion Advocacy Fund (Non-profit)
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: May 1, 2008

    • 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
    2015 Dec Form PF $1,338,665 $9,673,138 $30,315,927 $1 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2014 Dec Form PF $14,781,782 $6,265,451 $41,329,392 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2013 Dec Form PF $9,944,381 $6,136,105 $30,989,520 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2012 Dec Form PF $10,596,269 $6,693,692 $23,849,008 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2011 Dec Form PF $592,674 $7,263,939 $23,097,211 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Campion Foundation

    1904 3RD AVE STE 405
    SEATTLE, WA 98101-1150