The Far Star Action Fund, also known as Far Star, was founded in 2018 by David and Linda Cornfield, a husband-and-wife team of former Microsoft executives who retired early to pursue film, photography, and travel projects. In 2012, they founded ArcherCornfield Films, which has produced films on issues such as climate change. In 2018, they formed the Far Star Action Fund, to fund film projects promoting environmentalist policy, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) education, and broader left-of-center policy change. ¹

Activities

Far Star Action Fund was founded to produce film products in service of left-of-center social causes. ² In 2021, Far Star produced an analysis of anti-critical race theory (CRT) legislation which concluded that a network of conservative activists, politicians, media, and policy groups were creating false concerns about race-based classroom education. ³ In 2022, the group explored plans to develop film content and curriculum for homeschooled children. ⁴ Far Star is a “funding partner” for Grist, an online environmentalist magazine that boosts left of center policy viewpoints and claims two million monthly readers. ⁵

Leadership

In 2012, David and Linda Cornfield founded ArcherCornfield Films, to produce documentary and short films. ArcherConfield climate-related films include Chasing Coral, ⁶ Chasing Ice, ⁷ and Inventing Tomorrow. ^{8 9}

Archer Cornfield also produced Won’t You Be My Neighbor, a film about TV personality Fred Rogers (of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” fame). ^{10 11}

In 2016, the Cornfields were named among the top 14 political donors in Washington state for their contributions to environmentalist and Democratic issues. ¹²

In 2018, the Cornfields founded the Far Star Action Fund to fund film projects that support left-wing causes. ¹³  They are also supporters of Ashesi University in Ghana, which provides entrepreneurial and problem-solving skills to local students. ¹⁴ 

Financials

In 2022, Far Star Action Fund reported $3,055 in revenue and spent $1,704,492 in grants and other expenses. It ended the year with $1,186,838 in net assets. In 2021, Far Star received $3,877,268 in contributions and grants and spent $1,756,494, ending the year with $2,888,275 in assets. ¹⁵

In 2022, Far Star Action Fund gave grants ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 to politically active left-of-center and Democratic groups, including: American Bridge 21st Century Foundation, an anti-Republican political action committee; Evergreen Action, a climate change advocacy organization; Giffords, a gun control advocacy group; League of Conservation Voters, a pro-environmentalist group; Redford Center, a pro-environmentalist group; ¹⁶ Exposure Labs, a “social impact film studio;” ¹⁷ House Majority PAC, a political action committee supporting House Democrats; Senate Majority PAC, a political action committee supporting U.S. Senate Democrats; and Democratic Governors Association, a political committee supporting Democratic candidates and incumbents in governor’s races. ¹⁸

1. “About”. Far Star Action Fund. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://farstaractionfund.org/about/
2. “Far Star Ventures.” Open Secrets. Accessed April 25, 2024.  https://www.opensecrets.org/search?q=%22far+star+ventures%22&type=orgs
3. “Review of Anti-CRT Legislation.” WWAP and Far Star Action Fund. December 28, 2021. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://farstaractionfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Review-of-Anti-CRT-Legislation.pdf
4. “Far Star Action Fund: Home Schooling Overview.” May 2022. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://farstaractionfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Home-Schooling-Overview.pdf
5. “Grist names Nikhil Swaminathan as CEO.” Grist. September 20,2022. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://grist.org/updates/grist-names-nikhil-swaminathan-as-ceo/
6. ^[1] “Chasing Coral.” IMBD. Accessed April 25, 2024.https://www.chasingcoral.com/
7. “Chasing Ice.” IMDB. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://chasingice.com/
8. “Chasing Coral.” IMDB. Accessed April 25, 2024.https://www.chasingcoral.com/
9. “Inventing Tomorrow.” IMDB. Accessed April 26, 2024. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7527564/awards/?ref_=tt_awd
10. “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” Focus Features. Accessed April 25, 2024.  https://www.focusfeatures.com/wont-you-be-my-neighbor
11. “Awards. Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” IMDB. Accessed April 24, 2024. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7681902/awards/
12. Isolde Raftery. “14 Top Political Donors in Washington States and What They Support.” KUOW. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://archive.kuow.org/news/2016-05-04/14-top-political-donors-in-washington-state-and-what-they-support
13. “About”. Far Star Action Fund. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://farstaractionfund.org/about/
14. “David Cornfield.” University of Waterloo. Accessed April 26, 2024. https://uwaterloo.ca/united-college/alumni-donors-friends/alumni-awards/david-cornfield
15. “Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax.” Far Star Action Fund. 2022. Accessed April 24, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/823710730/202343189349311154/full
16. “Home Page.” Redford Center. Accessed April 26, 2024. https://www.redfordcenter.org/
17. ^[1] “Home Page.” Accessed April 25, 2024. https://www.exposurelabs.com/
18. “Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax.” Far Star Action Fund. 2022. Accessed April 24, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/823710730/202343189349311154/full