The Connecticut Project Action Fund (TCP Action Fund) is the lobbying and electoral advocacy partner organization to the Connecticut Action Project (TCP). Both organizations share staff and a website and promote left-of-center priorities on the state level in Connecticut. ^{1  2}

Financials

The Connecticut Project Action Fund was formed in 2021 and received tax-exempt status in 2022. ³

For 2023, the Connecticut Project Action Fund reported $1,300,000 in revenue, entirely derived from contributions and grants. It had $1,045,893 in expenses, of which $179,975 was paid out in grants and $416,592 in salaries and compensation. It ended the year with a surplus of $254,107 and net assets of $442,005. ³

TCP Action Fund did not report any government grants for 2023. ⁴

Partner Organizations

The Connecticut Project Action Fund has a sister charitable organization called the Connecticut Project. The organizations were governed by two different boards, but as of 2025 shared staff, a website, and the same advocacy priorities. TCP is more involved in activism and education, whereas TCP Action Fund undertakes state-level lobbying. ¹

Organization Philosophy

The Connecticut Project Action Fund claims that oppression, including the critical race theory concept of “systemic racism,” infects American cultural, social, and political institutions. It goes on to argue that this is why identity and geography-based inequity continues to exist in Connecticut. ¹

Projects and Initiatives

The Connecticut Project Action Fund pursues the same focus areas as the Connecticut Project, although it does so through direct lobbying and activist efforts. ¹

Democracy and Governance

TCP Action Fund has several priorities under the heading of “Democracy and Good Governance.” Notably the project works to make it easier for people to vote, especially early voting. It touts that its efforts to educate people about early voting helped contribute to 43 percent of all votes in the 2024 election being cast early. ⁵

TCP collectively also provides grants to activist organizations within Connecticut that work to mobilize people for political action. Similarly, the project funds various data crunching organizations, with the goal of making it easier to cross-reference people’s eligibility for welfare programs. ⁵

Early Education

Aside from promoting information on various programs and best practices related to early childhood education and child care, TCP has collectively provided grants to a state-initiated child care business incubator. It has also lobbied for the expansion of the program across the state. ⁶

Housing

TCP Action Fund claims that housing is a human right. TCP has provided funding to the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut to create a center focused on equity and affordable housing. It has also funded the Connecticut Tenants Union which lobbies on behalf of tenants against landlords. ⁷

Economic Policy

TCP Action Fund claims that a high quality of life is a human right. It promotes awareness of eligibility for the earned income tax credit, and funds several local organizations focused on economic policy. This includes organizations focused on promoting awareness of the Public Student Loan Forgiveness program, stating that by the end of the media campaign 7,750 government workers had had a cumulative total of $507 million in student loans written off. ⁸

Leadership

As of 2025, Garth Harries was the president and CEO of both the Connecticut Action Project Action Fund and the Connecticut Project, positions he has held since the organization was founded in 2021. He has a long history of working in education related jobs, including as a managing partner for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s school consulting arm, as superintendent of New Haven Public Schools, and as the chief portfolio officer of the New York City Department of Education. ^{9  10}

In 2025, Susan Zadek Mandel sat on the board of both the TCP Action Fund and TCP. She is the wife of Stephen Mandel Jr., a hedge fund billionaire and founder of the Zoom Foundation (which is not related to the video call platform), who is also on the board of TCP. ²

1. “Mission.” TCP. Accessed May 4, 2025. https://ctproject.org/mission.
2. “Our Boards.” TCP. Accessed May 4, 2025. https://ctproject.org/our-boards. 
3. The Connecticut Project Action Fund, Return from an organization exempt from taxation (form 990) 2023, Part I
4. The Connecticut Project Action Fund, Return from an organization exempt from taxation (form 990) 2023, Part IX 
5. “Democracy & Good Governance.” TCP. Accessed May 4, 2025. https://ctproject.org/democracy-good-governance. 
6. “Early Education.” TCP. Accessed May 4, 2025. https://ctproject.org/early-education. 
7. “Housing & Community Development.” TCP. Accessed May 4, 2025. https://ctproject.org/housing-community-development. 
8. “Economic Opportunity.” TCP. Accessed May 4, 2025. https://ctproject.org/economic-opportunity. 
9. “Garth Harris.” TCP. Accessed May 4, 2025. https://tcpactionfund.org/garth-harries. 
10. “Garth Harries.” LinkedIn. Accessed May 4, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/garth-harries-53525a114/.