Citizen Action of Wisconsin Education Fund is a left-of-center nonprofit that focuses on expanding government-run health care, supporting a higher-paying minimum wage and combating voter ID laws. Described as “liberal” by a daily Wisconsin newspaper, ¹ the Citizen Action of Wisconsin Education Fund filed a lawsuit in 2015 challenging a state law requiring voters to show a photo ID. ²

Ideology

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel referred to the Citizen Action of Wisconsin Education Fund as “liberal” in a February 2017 article. ³ That newspaper again referenced the Citizen Action of Wisconsin Education Fund as “liberal” in a July 2020 article. ⁴

Advocacy

Wisconsin Voter ID Law

In June of 2015, Citizen Action of Wisconsin Education Fund filed a lawsuit challenging a number of provisions added to the state election law, including the state’s requirement that voters show photo identification at the polls. ² Six years later, according to the state of Wisconsin, “Most Wisconsin voters must show an acceptable photo ID when voting at the polls on Election Day or by absentee ballot.” ⁵

Partnership For Working Families

The Citizen Action of Wisconsin Education Fund has worked with the Partnership for Working Families in a campaign ⁶ to raise the minimum wage and impose government-mandated paid sick days on private businesses. ⁷

‘End Child Poverty’ Campaign

In 2014, the Citizen Action of Wisconsin Education Fund joined other partners in a campaign to “End Child Poverty.” ⁸

Part of the plan included “increase public investment” in education, creating a “Legislative Child Poverty Bureau” and influencing “state and local economic development and tax policies.” ⁸

Organization

The Citizen Action of Wisconsin Education Fund is a 501(c)(3) and was created in 1983. The organization’s tax returns listed Robert Kraig as its principal officer. Kraig also works as the executive director of the affiliated Citizen Action of Wisconsin non-profit. Both non-profits list the same business address. ⁹

In 2018, its total revenue was $960,101. Stephanie Bloomingdale was the president of the 16-member board as of 2018. ⁹ Bloomingdale is also president of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO union. ¹⁰

1. ^[1] Patrick Marley. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “FEDERAL COURT HEARS WIS. VOTING LAW CASES”; Feb. 25, 2017.
2. Associated Press. “FEDERAL JUDGE DISMISSES CHALLENGE to STATE’S VOTER ID REQUIREMENT”; Dec. 18, 2015.
3. Patrick Marley. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “FEDERAL COURT HEARS WIS. VOTING LAW CASES”; Feb. 25, 2017.
4. Patrick Marley. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “APPEALS COURT SHORTENS EARLY VOTING PERIOD” July 1, 2020.
5. MyVote.wi.gov. https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/PhotoIDRequired#:~:text=Most%20Wisconsin%20voters%20must%20show,some%20exceptions%20for%20absentee%20voters. Accessed 4/9/2021.
6. Partnership for Working Families.  https://www.forworkingfamilies.org/about/affiliates/caw; Accessed 4/9/2021.
7. Partnership for Working Families. https://www.forworkingfamilies.org/resources/policy-tools-living-wage; Accessed 4/9/2021.
8. End Child Poverty Wisconsin. https://www.endchildpovertywi.org/poverty_reduction_goal ; Accessed 4/9/2021.
9. Guidestar. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/39-1520619 ; Accessed 4/9/2021.
10. Wisconsin State AFL-CIO. https://www.wisaflcio.org/about-us/stephanie-bloomingdale-1; Accessed 4/9/2021