The Center for Innovative Policy is a political advocacy and fundraising organization focused on supporting Democratic Party policy positions, state governors, and gubernatorial candidates. ¹ Its principal officer, Noam Lee, is a political consultant and former head of the Democratic Governors Association. ²

Activities

Center for Innovative Policy’s 2022 federal tax return reveals that it spent $1,106,605 in travel and $883,662 in conferences, conventions, and meetings. It awarded $830,000 in grants, $30,000 to Guarantee Our Votes and $800,000 to America Works USA. Four 527 political committees, nonprofits “operating primarily for the purpose of influencing the election or selection of candidates to political office” ³ are listed as Related Tax Exempt Organizations. These are: Jobs and Opportunity, Put Michigan First, Alliance for Common Sense, and Patriots for a Better Arkansas. All grant recipient organizations and 527s share the Center for Innovative Policy’s Washington, D.C., address. ⁴

Jobs and Opportunity is a SuperPAC with $0 independent expenditures and $0 raised. ⁵ The Guarantee Our Votes Project, a 501(c)(3), has a budget of less than $50,000. ⁶ America Works USA, the recipient of the $800,000 grant, has a website and indicates that its mission is “is to find unique and creative ways to promote progressive policy, strengthen our democracy, and build powerful infrastructure in states.” ⁷ It is not listed on the IRS website. ⁸

Two of the 527s have run political ad campaigns. Put Michigan First conducted a digital and video ad campaign during the 2022 Michigan elections aimed at Black voters and praising the track records of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) and Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist (D). ⁹ Alliance for Common Sense airs TV political ads. ¹⁰

The Center for Innovative Policy declares, as of December 2023, that it co-sponsors “an annual series of policy conferences with the nation’s 24 Democratic governors and other policy experts.” ¹¹ The Democratic Governors Association lists it as a co-sponsor of its Fall 2022 policy conference. ¹²

The relationship between the Democratic Governors Association, which provides policy consulting and funding for campaigns to Democratic gubernatorial candidates and elected governors, ¹³ and the Center for Innovative Policy dates from the Center’s founding in 2005 when the Democratic Governors Association provided $57,702 in related compensation. ¹⁴

The configuration evident in the Center for Innovative Policy’s tax returns is similar to the procedures recommended by Bolder Advocacy, a project of the Alliance for Justice. Bolder Advocacy is an advisor to left-of-center organizations seeking to intervene in the political process. Its guide to creating and linking 501(c)(3)s, 501(c)(4)s, and political organizations, notes that such linkages may expand “educational and charitable activities by creating additional funding opportunities.” ¹⁵

Leadership

Noam Lee is the former executive director of the Democratic Governors Association. He led the organization from 2019 through 2022. ¹⁶ He is a member of the American Association of Political Consultants ¹⁷ and sits on the Advisory Board of Higher Ground Labs, a venture capital firm supporting start-ups building “political tech for the Left.” ¹⁸ He is a founder of Birdseye Strategies, an LLC based in Maryland. ¹⁹

1. “Center for Innovative Policy.” CIP. Accessed December 12, 2023.

   https://www.centerforinnovativepolicy.org/

2. DGA. “DGA Announces New Executive Director,” 2022. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://democraticgovernors.org/updates/dga-announces-new-executive-director-2/
3. Ballotpedia. “527 Group.” Accessed December 13, 2023. https://ballotpedia.org/527_group
4. Roberts, Andrea Suozzo, Alec Glassford, Ash Ngu, Brandon. “Center For Innovative Policy, Full Filing – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica, May 9, 2013. Accessed December 12, 2023 https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/20747896/202332899349301523/full
5. “2022 Outside Spending, by Super PAC.” OpenSecrets. Accessed December 14, 2023. https://www.opensecrets.org/outside-spending/super_pacs/2022?chart=V&disp=O&type=S
6. Internal Revenue Service. Guarantee Our Votes Project. Accessed December 15, 2023.

   https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/

7. America Works USA. “America Works USA.” Accessed December 15, 2023. https://www.americaworksusa.org
8. Internal Revenue Service. America Works USA. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/
9. The Michigan Chronicle. “Put Michigan First Launches Program Focused on Engaging Black Michiganders,” August 8, 2022. Accessed December 14, 2023. https://michiganchronicle.com/2022/08/08/put-michigan-first-launches-program-focused-on-engaging-black-michiganders/
10.  “Alliance for Common Sense TV Commercials.” Accessed December 13, 2023. https://www.ispot.tv/brands/fso/alliance-for-common-sense
11. “Center for Innovative Policy.” CIP. Accessed December 12, 2023.

    https://www.centerforinnovativepolicy.org/

12. Fox, Joey. “Murphy to Host DGA Policy Conference in Jersey City This Week.” New Jersey Globe, September 13, 2022. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://newjerseyglobe.com/governor/murphy-to-host-dga-policy-conference-in-jersey-city-this-week/
13. Ballotpedia. “Democratic Governors Association.” Accessed December 15, 2023. https://ballotpedia.org/Democratic_Governors_Association
14. Roberts, Andrea Suozzo, Alec Glassford, Ash Ngu, Brandon. “Center For Innovative Policy – Form Form 990-O for Period Ending Dec 2005 – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica, May 9, 2013. Accessed December 12, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/20747896/2006_08_EO%2F02-0747896_990O_200512
15. Bolder Advocacy. “The Connection.” Accessed December 12, 2023. https://bolderadvocacy.org/resource/the-connection-strategies-for-creating-and-operating-501c3s-501c4s-and-political-organizations/
16. DGA. “DGA Announces New Executive Director,” 2022. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://democraticgovernors.org/updates/dga-announces-new-executive-director-2/
17. “About – AAPC.” Accessed December 12, 2023. https://theaapc.org/education-events/2022-midterms-straight-from-the-strategists/about/
18. Higher Ground Labs. “We Bridge Tech and Politics.” Accessed December 15, 2023. https://highergroundlabs.com/mission/
19. Open Corporates. “Birdseye Strategies.” Accessed December 14, 2023. https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_dc/EXTUID_4333147