The founders and board of Communications Consortium Media Center (CCMC) formally closed the center after 30 years effective January 1, 2019. According to a stagnant page on CCMC’s website, the decision was made to “make room for a new generation of strategic communications experts.” The statement continues to explain how the timing was crucial to push others into activism, citing 2020 as a “critically important” year with the presidential election and issues such as “gender equality to global population shifts, the environment, reproductive justice, child welfare, human rights and more.” ^{1 2}

It formerly operated The Census Project, a campaign to increase the influence of liberal interests in the creation and administration of the U.S. Census. ³

Leadership

Emily Tynes is a left-wing activist and media executive. She is a co-founder of CCMC and was the center’s executive vice president from 2006-2009. Prior to her tenure as executive vice president at CCMC, Tynes was the director of communications for the American Civil Liberties Union (ALCU), a post she retook in 2009. She’s also held the position of communications director for the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL), currently referred to as NARAL Pro-Choice America. ⁴

Co-founder Kathleen Bonk was the final executive director and president of CCMC until it closed in 2018. Her final salary was $180,385 with $5,734 in additional compensation. ⁵ Bonk is also a visiting faculty for Georgetown University’s Public Policy Institute. ⁶

Associated Entity

The center also controlled an action fund that had been relatively inactive. All IRS returns filed by the action fund were “e-postcard” since its annual revenue was less than $50,000. ⁷

Finances

2018⁸

Revenue:          $202

Expenses:         $-21,125

Assets:              $0

2018*The organization shut down effective January 1, 2019. This 990 reflects remaining funds.

2017

2016

2015

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1. “A Fond Farewell.” Communications Consortium Media Center . Accessed May 11, 2020. http://ccmc.org/.
2. “The Census Project.” Cedar Grove Institute, May 16, 2012. http://www.cedargroveinst.org/Letter2Senate_Census_Budget_05-16-2012_.pdf.
3. Watson, Michael. “The Census Project: A Case Study in ‘Nonpartisan’ Advocacy.” Capital Research Center. Capital Research Center, November 22, 2017. https://capitalresearch.org/article/the-census-project-a-case-study-in-nonpartisan-advocacy/.
4. “Emily Tynes Returns To ACLU As Communications Director.” American Civil Liberties Union, January 26, 2019. https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/emily-tynes-returns-aclu-communications-director.
5. Communications Consortium Media Center. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-), 2018. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/521524972/201901309349301765/full.
6. “Kathy Bonk: Kakenya’s Dream: Empowerment.” Kakenya’s Dream | Empowerment. Accessed May 11, 2020. https://www.kakenyasdream.org/kathy-bonk.
7. “IRS.gov Applications: Communications Consortium Media Center Action Fund.” IRS. Accessed May 11, 2020. https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/displayAll.do?dispatchMethod=searchAll&Id=5574876&ein=271530493&country=US&deductibility=all&isDescending=false&city=&ein1=271530493&postDateFrom=&exemptTypeCode=al&submitName=Search&sortColumn=orgName&totalResults=1&names=&resultsPerPage=25&indexOfFirstRow=0&postDateTo=&state=All+States.
8. Communications Consortium Media Center. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-), 2018. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/521524972/201901309349301765/full