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Non-profit

Faithful America

Website:

faithfulamerica.org/
Location:

Washington, DC, United States
Tax ID:

35-2630679
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(4)

Budget (2023):

Revenue: $545,695
Expenses: $476,441
Assets: $553,242
Type:

Religious activist group
Formation:

2004, initial formation

2013, as project of Citizen Engagement Laboratory (CEL)

2018, as independent nonprofit
Executive Director:

Shannon Fleck

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

Faithful America is a left-of-center activist group which protests center-right policies and runs campaigns related to various social issues.1

From 2013 to 2018, Faithful America had operated as a project of the Citizen Engagement Lab (CEL), a 501(c)(4) left-of-center political engagement nonprofit. As such, Faithful America did not file annually with the IRS and all donations to the group were routed to CEL. 2 In May 2018, however, Faithful America broke from CEL to become an independent 501(c)(4) organization. 3

Background

Faithful America has existed since 2004, as an offshoot of the National Council of Churches of Christ (NCC). The Council has existed since the early 20th century with the goal of unifying Christian denominations under a left-of-center social agenda.4 The group also described itself as a project of the National Council of Churches supported by TrueMajority and Res Publica. 5

Faithful America was established to resemble a “religious version of MoveOn.org.”6 Faithful America serves as a forum for petitions which promote progressive social policies, using a grassroots network of members across the United States. In 2007, Faith in Public Life, a left-of-center, tax-exempt charity, acquired Faithful America.6 After this acquisition occurred, Faithful America leaders met with then-Iranian regime president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and issued demands to the U.S. and Iranian governments to engage in “direct face-to-face talks” and to stop using “enemy images” of one another.7 In 2009, Faithful America joined in an ad campaign to support socialized medicine, using biblical framing.6 That same year, FA activists erected a large ark on the National Mall to frame climate change using religious imagery.6

In January 2013, a new iteration of Faithful America was reportedly formed under the fiscal sponsorship of the Oakland, California-based Citizen Engagement Lab (CEL), a 501(c)(4) nonprofit which provides sponsorship services to a number of other left-wing organizations. 8

In May 2018, however, Faithful America became an independent, 501(c)(4) organization without a fiscal sponsor. 3

As of September 2024, Faithful America claimed membership of over 200,000; 9 as of September 2025, the website claimed membership of roughly 181,000. 10

Advocacy Campaigns

Most of the work done by Faithful America today is orchestrated through petitions posted on the website.11 Campaigns cover a wide range of left-of-center policies, from a campaign to censor right-wing pundit, former Arkansas Governor, and later second Trump administration Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee (R) for referring to the Obama administration as “anti-Christian” to a petition to tell Congress to “Listen to Pope Francis, Help the Unemployed” after the federal budget deal did not address unemployment to the group’s liking.11

Hobby Lobby Lawsuit

In 2012, retail chain Hobby Lobby challenged a portion of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act for requiring the company to provide contraceptive options to its employees which violated the Christian religious beliefs of its owners. 12

In September 2012, Faithful America purportedly gathered 80,000 signatures demanding Hobby Lobby provide the contraceptives to its employees. The group was aided by UltraViolet, a left-wing feminist advocacy organization. 13 After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Hobby Lobby, Faithful America “held a vigil outside of” the company’s headquarters. 1

Attacks on the Family Research Council

Faithful America has claimed it “forced MSNBC” to stop inviting Tony Perkins, president of the conservative Christian group Family Research Council, for on-air interviews after a multi-month telephone campaign utilizing 20,000 members. 1 Faithful America accused Perkins of having a “long history of extreme, hateful rhetoric against gays and lesbians.” 14

The campaign was carried out with the support of former Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire Gene Robinson and cited the controversial Southern Poverty Law Center’s labeling of the Family Research Council as a “hate group.” 15

Same-Sex Marriage

In March 2014, World Vision, an evangelical Christian humanitarian aid nonprofit, announced it would recognize employees’ same-sax marriages, a position it reversed two days after the announcement. Faithful America reportedly gathered 16,000 signatures supporting its demand for the resignation of board members Jacqueline Fuller and John Park, both Google employees. Faithful America executive director Michael Sherrard accused World Vision of not sharing Google’s “commitment to inclusivity and equality.” 16

Gun Control

Faithful America has demanded that Roman Catholic bishops in the United States “make gun control a key Catholic priority.” The group has called gun control a “‘pro-life’ voting issue.” 17

In September 2025, the group released a petition calling on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to support “an end to gun violence and pursuing this as a critical priority.” The petition quoted Pope Leo XIV, who opposed a “pandemic of arms.” 18

Other Issues

Faithful America has launched petitions in favor of organized labor while strongly opposing deportation of illegal immigrants and the construction of a border wall.19 Faithful America also claimed credit for bringing attention to the Sisters of Loretto, a small group of nuns in Kentucky who opposed the construction of a new pipeline. Faithful America started a petition to halt the project, which gained over 30,000 signatures, and the project was halted.20

Opposition to Amy Coney Barrett Confirmation (2020)

In 2020, Faithful America launched a petition that claimed to show that “Christians reject Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination” to the Supreme Court, referring to President Donald Trump’s nominee to fill the Supreme Court seat vacated by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. By October, the petition had garnered 22,500 signatures. Faithful America accused Barrett of supporting judicial repeal of Obamacare (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010) and “Trump’s cruel attacks on immigrants.” 21

Opposition to Nuclear Energy

Faithful America was a cosigner on an April 2021 letter to then-President Joe Biden that asked the administration to promote weather-dependent wind and solar power systems and “end the fossil fuel era.” The letter also advised the president to “Phase out nuclear energy as an inherently dirty, dangerous and costly energy source.” 22

Opposition to “The Courage”

In September 2024, Faithful America organized a petition drive demanding the Monroeville Convention Center in western Pennsylvania cancel an event by evangelical preacher Lance Wallnau called “The Courage.” The event featured speakers from what the Philadelphia Gay News called the Christian Nationalist movement including U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). As of early September 2024, the petition drive received over 5,000 signatures but the Monroeville Convention Center never responded to the petition drive. 9

Opposition To Immigration Enforcement

In February 2025, Faithful America launched a petition opposing the enforcement of immigration laws and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforcement actions in churches. The group released a statement arguing “Our churches are sacred spaces where all people should be able to gather, worship, and care for one another without government intrusion or the threat of deportation.” The group also claimed the enforcement actions were a violation of religious freedom. The group claimed that over 11,000 people signed its petition. 23

Opposing Pro-Trump Businesses

In March 2025, Faithful America launched a petition drive as a part of the group’s Lenten fast to encourage its members to boycott “one or more” corporations which the group claimed align with President Donald Trump and his policies. The group claimed that more than 12,000 people had signed the petition. 24

#NoKings Protests

In June 2025, Faithful America participated in organizing or supporting protests branded under the “#NoKings” banner, a national day of demonstrations positioned as a defense of democratic norms against Donald Trump. These events were part of a larger mobilization involving over 70 Democratic Party affiliates and allied organizations across at least 19 U.S. states and multiple international locations, according to publicly available event listings on Mobilize.us, a Democratic Party-aligned organizing platform. 25 26

Controversies

Signature Verification

On April 17, 2014, a letter penned by James Goodness, director of communications for the Archdiocese of Newark, claimed that only 483 names out of 22,500 signatories to a Faithful America petition claimed residency in the Newark archdiocese. Of the 483 residents, none were recorded by the archdiocese as “donors, parishioners, or members of the Catholic faith”; and only 13 of the 483 names were actual signatures. Goodness pointed out a number of other flaws with Faithful America’s document: 27

  • Only 483 names claim residency in the archdiocese. However, none of these provided evidence or corroboration of affiliation as donors, parishioners, or members of the Catholic faith. (Of the 483, only 13 are actual signatures.)
  • There are numerous duplicate entries/listing of names.
  • 100 pages (two-sided) in the document are totally blank.
  • 50 pages of blogging appear (as if lifted from newspaper sources).
  • 98 percent of the document is a typed listing of names/towns from states other than New Jersey — primarily the Midwest and West Coast (including Alaska and Hawaii), with no apparent evidence or corroboration of the individuals’ affiliation with the Catholic Church.
  • An extensive number of names in this document clearly indicates the petitioner is a member of the clergy of a Protestant or other denomination, given designations as Reverend and Mrs., Reverend and Mr., Pastor Jill, etc.

In May 2013, Faithful America claimed that it had gathered the signatures of over 20,000 Christians demanding ESPN suspend sports analyst Chris Boussard, a practicing Christian, for comments concerning NBA player Jason Collins after Collins (also a self-identified Christian) announced he was gay. 28

When the Christian Post asked for verification of the alleged petition signatures, Faithful America would not supply any.28

Free Speech Issues

In January 2021, the Christian Broadcasting Network published an article accusing Faithful America of supporting censorship against conservative Christians. The article featured an appearance on then-MSNBC host Chris Matthews’s show where a spokesman for Faithful America opposed the appearance of Family Research Council leader Tony Perkins on his program. Matthews then accused Faithful America of censorship. The article later pointed out that Faithful America then targeted conservative televangelist Jim Bakker after Bakker featured a naturopath who suggested his “Silver Solution” product could help combat COVID-19. Faithful America petitioned DirectTV and other television providers to no longer carry Bakker’s show. 29

Financials

Faithful America was previously fiscally sponsored by the Citizen Engagement Lab. As such, the group did not file annually with the IRS and all donations to the group were routed to CEL. 2 Accordingly, Faithful America’s website noted that donations to the group were not tax-deductible under the IRS code, a statement consistent with the rules governing 501(c)(4) nonprofits such as CEL. 30

CEL itself received a significant portion of its funding from its 501(c)(3) fundraising arm, the Citizen Engagement Lab (CEL) Education Fund. The CEL Education Fund’s top donors include the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, George Soros’s Open Society Foundations (formerly Institute), Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund, and the Energy Foundation. 31 32

In addition, an archived version of Faithful America’s website notes that the group was originally supported by TrueMajority and Res Publica. 5

As of September 2025, the group claims on its website that “for years” 100 percent of its budget has come from its members with individual contributions averaging less than $50. 33

According to its 2023 nonprofit tax returns, Faithful America reported $545,695 in revenue, $476,441 in expenses, and $553,242 in total assets. 34

Leadership

In April 2025, Shannon Fleck, a Disciples of Christ pastor, was named executive director of Faithful America. Previously, she was the executive director of the Oklahoma Conference of Churches which she helped rename the Oklahoma Faith Network. Fleck pushed the rename of the group to be a “more proactive, robust movement to be an alternate voice to religious extremism.” She criticized the rise of evangelical megachurches. “Our churches are dying,” she said in an interview. “And we see in their place these larger, corporate-type churches that function in a much different setting than our community congregations that are losing people and struggle to know why — because they are the churches who did not sign on for fear, power and control.” While at the Oklahoma Faith Network, she opposed plans for a state-funded charter school and a plan by then-Oklahoma Superintendent for Public Instruction Ryan Walters (R) to buy Bibles for every classroom. 35

Nathan Empsall, an Episcopal priest, is the former executive director of Faithful America, leaving the group in January 2025. He had previously worked at Sierra Club and Organizing for America before assuming a leadership role at Faithful America in July 2019. 36

Michael Sherrard was the former executive director of Faithful America, a position he had held since 2012. 37 Sherrard previously worked as a senior platform strategist and deputy political director for the agitation group MoveOn.org from 2008 to 2012. From 2007 to 2008, Sherrard was an online organizer for Sojourners, a similar “social justice” advocacy group that purports to spread Christian teachings through left-wing advocacy. 1 From 2005 to 2007, he was an associate at the Washington, D.C.-based political consultancy M&R Strategies, founded and operated by NEO Philanthropy founder and former New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) executive director Donald Ross. 37

References

  1. “About Us.” Faithful America. Accessed July 19, 2019. http://faithfulamerica.org/about/
  2. “Campaigner – Faithful America.” NationBuilder. June 15, 2015. Accessed July 19, 2019. Original URL: https://nationbuilder.com/campaigner_faithful_america. Archived here: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2019/07/Faithful-America-campaigner-job-posting.-07.2019.pdf.
  3. Siemaszko, Corky. “Christian Activist Group Demands Criminal Probe of Jerry Falwell Jr.” NBCNews.com. NBCUniversal News Group, September 20, 2019. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/christian-activist-group-demands-criminal-probe-jerry-falwell-jr-n1056536.
  4. Mislin, David. “Why a Large Church Group Had Little Impact When It Opposed Kavanaugh’s Nomination.” The Conversation. April 16, 2019. Accessed July 17, 2019. http://theconversation.com/why-a-large-church-group-had-little-impact-when-it-opposed-kavanaughs-nomination-104512.
  5. “About Faithful America.” Faithful America (archived webpage). Archived June 11, 2004. Accessed July 19, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20040611012249/http://www.faithfulamerica.org/About.htm
  6. “Faithful America (FA).” Discover the Networks. Accessed July 17, 2019. https://www.discoverthenetworks.org/organizations/faithful-america-fa/.
  7. “Faithful America Starts Direct Talks with Iran.” Campaigns Wikia. Accessed July 17, 2019. https://campaigns.fandom.com/wiki/Faithful_America_starts_direct_talks_with_Iran.
  8. Kevin J. Jones. “Don’t let ‘Faithful America’ group silence Catholics, critic warns.” Catholic News Agency. October 3, 2014. Accessed July 19, 2019. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/dont-let-faithful-america-group-silence-catholics-critic-warns-98232
  9. Day, Gary L. “Faithful America: Progressive Christians Enter the Culture Wars.” Philadelphia Gay News, 24 Sept. 2024, epgn.com/2024/09/24/faithful-america-progressive-christians-enter-the-culture-wars/.
  10. “Love Thy Neighbor. No Exceptions.” Faithful America, faithfulamerica.org/. Accessed 15 Sept. 2025.
  11. “Our Current Campaigns.” Faithful America. Accessed July 17, 2019. http://www.faithfulamerica.org/campaigns/.
  12. “Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores.” Oyez.com. Accessed October 7, 2025. https://www.oyez.org/cases/2013/13-354.
  13. Tim Talley. “Pastors protest Hobby Lobby on morning-after pill.” Peoria JournalStar. September 27, 2019. Accessed July 19, 2019. https://www.pjstar.com/x1238769784/Pastors-protest-Hobby-Lobby-on-morning-after-pill
  14. “Faithful America Petitions MSNBC To Take Tony Perkins Off The Air.” Huffington Post. December 17, 2012. Accessed July 19, 2019. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/faithful-america-msnbc-tony-perkins_n_1282162
  15. “Faithful America and Bishop Gene Robinson Deliver 20k Signatures to MSNBC.” YouTube (Faithful America.) February 15, 2012. Accessed July 19, 2019. https://youtu.be/_SWFjeRqYdc
  16. Sarah Pulliam Bailey. “Can You Be a Christian and Support Same-Sex Marriage?” Charisma News. April 10, 2014. Accessed July 19, 2019. https://www.charismanews.com/us/43464-can-you-be-a-christian-and-support-same-sex-marriage
  17. “Stopping gun violence is a ‘pro-life’ voting issue.” Faithful America. Accessed July 19, 2019. https://act.faithfulamerica.org/sign/bishops_guns/?source=fa_campaignpage_img
  18. “Tell the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: We Need an End to Gun Violence.” Faithful America, act.faithfulamerica.org/sign/usccb-gun-violence-2025/. Accessed 15 Sept. 2025.
  19. “Stopping Gun Violence Is a “pro-life” Voting Issue.” Faithful America. Accessed July 17, 2019. https://act.faithfulamerica.org/sign/bishops_guns/?source=fa_campaignpage_img.
  20. Stuart, Hunter. “Fracking Companies F—-d With The Wrong Nuns.” HuffPost. December 07, 2017. Accessed July 17, 2019. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bluegrass-pipeline-kentucky-nuns_n_4225741.
  21. “Christians Reject Amy Coney Barrett’s Nomination.” Faithful America. Archived October 12, 2020. Original URL: https://act.faithfulamerica.org/sign/barrett/?source=fa_homepage_btn. Archived URL: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2020/10/Faithful-America-Stop-Barrett-Petition.-10.12.20.pdf.
  22. Center for Biological Diversity, et. al. Letter to “The Honorable President Joseph R. Biden.” RE: NOW IS THE MOMENT TO ACCELERATE THE JUST, RENEWABLE ENERGY FUTURE AND END THE FOSSIL FUEL ERA. April 27, 2021. Accessed July 25, 2025. https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/energy-justice/pdfs/2022-4-27_Letter-to-Pres-Biden-re-End-Fossil-Fuel-Era-Accelerate-Transtion-to-Renewable-Energy.pdf
  23. Rahman, Billal. “Thousands Sign Christian Petition against Ice Raids.” Newsweek, Newsweek, 15 Feb. 2025, www.newsweek.com/thousands-sign-petition-ice-raids-2031157.
  24. Taheri, Mandy. “Thousands Sign Christian Petition to Boycott “Trump-Backi…” Newsweek, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025, www.newsweek.com/thousands-sign-christian-petition-boycott-trump-backing-corporations-2044419.
  25. “Partners.” No Kings. Accessed June 25, 2025. https://www.nokings.org/partners.
  26. Nomani, Asra. “Asra Nomani: The Familiar Hidden Hand behind Today’s #nokings Protests.” Fox News, June 14, 2025.https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/asra-nomani-familiar-hidden-hand-behind-todays-nokings-protests.
  27. James Goodness. “LETTER: Take a closer look at the makeup of Faithful America.” LeHigh Valley Live. April 17, 2014. Accessed July 19, 2019. https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/opinion/2014/04/letter_take_a_closer_look_at_f.html
  28. Leonardo Blair. “Group Won’t Verify Claim That Over 20,000 Christians Want ESPN to Suspend Chris Broussard for ‘Gay Bashing.'” The Christian Post. May 2, 2013. Accessed July 19, 2019. https://www.christianpost.com/news/group-wont-verify-claim-that-over-20000-christians-want-espn-to-suspend-chris-broussard-for-gay-bashing.html
  29. “Is ‘Faithful America’ The Voice of Christians? Then Why Do They Keep Trying to Force Christians off the Air?” CBN, 3 Jan. 2021, cbn.com/news/us/faithful-america-voice-christians-then-why-do-they-keep-trying-force-christians-air.
  30. “Donate to Faithful America.” Faithful America. Accessed July 19, 2019. https://act.faithfulamerica.org/donate/donate/
  31. Information provided by Foundation Search. “Citizen Engagement Lab Education Fund.” Accessed July 19, 2019. www.FoundationSearch.com
  32. Alec Torres. “Citizen Engagement Laboratory.” Capital Research Center. November 18, 2016. Accessed July 19, 2019. https://capitalresearch.org/article/citizen-engagement-laboratory/
  33. “About Faithful America.” Faithful America, act.faithfulamerica.org/signup/about-us/. Accessed 15 Sept. 2025.
  34. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Faithful America, 2023. Part 1. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/352630679/202433139349303318/full
  35. Smietana, Bob, and Jack Jenkins. “Shannon Fleck, Who Took on Christian Nationalists in Oklahoma, Named Faithful America Leader.” Word&Way, 7 Apr. 2025, wordandway.org/2025/04/07/shannon-fleck-who-took-on-christian-nationalists-in-oklahoma-named-faithful-america-leader/.
  36. “About Faithful America.” Faithful America. Accessed October 25, 2019. https://act.faithfulamerica.org/signup/about-us/.
  37. “Michael Sherrard.” LinkedIn. Accessed July 19, 2019. https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-sherrard-7711563/
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: May 1, 2021

    • 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
    2023 Dec Form 990 $545,695 $476,441 $553,242 $0 N $545,695 $0 $0 $103,879
    2022 Dec Form 990 $508,850 $487,669 $483,988 $0 N $508,850 $0 $0 $96,633 PDF
    2021 Dec Form 990 $480,658 $294,386 $462,807 $0 N $480,658 $0 $0 $97,765
    2020 Dec Form 990 $468,517 $316,249 $276,535 $0 N $468,517 $0 $0 $99,997
    2019 Dec Form 990 $237,657 $171,529 $124,267 $0 N $237,616 $0 $41 $0 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Faithful America

    1131 Fairmont Street NW
    Washington, DC 20009
    United States