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Non-profit

Forge Leadership Network

Website:

forgeleadership.org
Location:

Dayton, OH
Tax ID:

47-2275305
Budget (2017):

Revenue: $141,107
Expenses: $127,962
Assets: $31,174
Formation:

2015
Type:

Non-profit
President:

Adam Josefczyk
President's Salary:

$70,0001

References

  1. Forge Leadership Network, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2019, Part VII, Section A, Line 1a.

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The Forge Leadership Network is a right-of-center nonprofit organization in Ohio that recruits, trains, and mentors young conservatives. The Forge Leadership Network’s main programs are the Forge Leadership Summit and the Forge Mentorship Academy, which prepare participants to approach public policy issues from the perspective of free markets, limited government, religious freedom, and Judeo-Christian ethics. 1

The Forge Leadership Network partners with right-of-center and conservative organizations, including the Alliance Defending Freedom, the Ohio chapter of Americans for Prosperity, and the Heritage Foundation. 2 While there is no clear record of financial support from its partners, these organizations have provided services for Forge programs. 3

The Forge Leadership Network is an associate member of the State Policy Network, a coalition of free market policy organizations that work on state-level policy issues. 4

Activity

The Forge Leadership Network is an Ohio-based nonprofit organization that recruits, trains, and mentors young conservatives between the ages of 18 to 25. The Forge Leadership Network’s main programs are the Forge Leadership Summit and Forge Mentorship Academy, which prepare participants to approach public policy from the perspective of free markets, limited government, religious freedom, and Judeo-Christian ethics. 5

The Forge Leadership Summit is a five-day intensive program that promotes the understanding and defense of America’s first principles in public policy. The Summit includes trainings, professional development programs, and talks from leading conservative speakers in line with Forge’s core policy beliefs. Participants are given professional media training, participate in mock legislation and political campaigns, and receive coaching in intentional networking. The Forge Leadership Summit also serves as a de facto interview for the Forge Mentorship Academy. 6

The Forge Mentorship Academy is a year-long program intended to supplement full-time studies or employment for participants. The Academy offers experiential learning in politics, training in argumentation, mentorship programs, and networking opportunities for jobs and internships. The Academy features two in-person gatherings in Washington, D.C. and Israel. In Washington, program participants interact with the political process and meet with leaders of Forge partner organizations, including the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, the Heritage Foundation, and the Alliance Defending Freedom. In Israel, students are given a ten-day tour by Forge’s partner organization Passages to study the geopolitics of the Middle East and to strengthen program participants’ Christian faith. 7

Funding

The Forge Leadership Network is funded by donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. While Forge does not disclose its donors, tax filings show donations from the National Christian Charitable Foundation, which contributed between 2015 and 2018, 8 and the George Edward Durell Foundation, which contributed between 2017 and 2018. 9

People

Staff

Adam Josefczyk is the president and co-founder of the Forge Leadership Network and the former vice president of Citizens for Community Values. Josefczyk is a co-founder of the Ohio Conservative Review. 10

Jennie Simunek is the logistics and events director at Forge Leadership Network. Simunek formerly worked as an analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) during the Reagan administration. 11

Jeremiah Martin is the COO of Forge Leadership Network. Martin formerly worked as the executive director of First Freedom Ohio and as state director for the Ohio chapter of Concerned Veterans for America. 12

Board of Advisors

Board chair Jonathan Jakubowski serves as the executive committee chair of the Wood County Republican Party and on the Wood County Board of Elections. 13

Vice chair Michael Hamilton is a research fellow at the Heartland Institute and the managing editor of Health Care News. Hamilton formerly worked for the right-of-center Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions and is a co-founder of the Ohio Conservative Review. 14

Board member John Hart sits on the board of the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA). 15

Heather Pfitzenmaier is a senior talent program advisor at the State Policy Network and the director of strategic engagement at the Network of enlightened Women. Pfitzenmaier formerly worked as the executive vice president at America’s Future Foundation and as the director of the Young Leaders Program at the Heritage Foundation. Pfitzenmaier is a member of the American Enterprise Institute’s Leadership Network. 16 Board member Paul Isaacs also formerly worked at the Heritage Foundation. 17

Justin Powell is a co-founder of Forge Leadership Network and the Ohio Conservative Review. Powell is the former director of social media at the Family Research Council. 18

Chip Weiant is a senior fellow at the Sagamore Institute for Public Policy and the Better Business Bureau National Center for Character Ethics. Weiant sits on the board of the Ohio Governor’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. 19

Dan Ziegler is the executive director of the Republican Study Committee and former managing director of government relations for Heritage Action for America. Ziegler formerly worked for the American Energy Alliance, as a legislative director for U.S. Representative Doug Lamborn (R-CO), and as a political appointee to the Department of the Interior during the George W. Bush administration. 20

References

  1. “Home.” Forge Leadership Network, 2021. Accessed March 7, 2021. https://forgeleadership.org/.
  2. “Home.” Forge Leadership Network, 2021. Accessed March 7, 2021. https://forgeleadership.org/.
  3. “Leadership Summit.” Forge Leadership Network, 2021. Accessed March 7, 2021. https://forgeleadership.org/leadership-summit/.
  4. “The Network: Ohio.” State Policy Network, 2021. Accessed March 5, 2021. https://spn.org/directory/#OH.
  5. “Home.” Forge Leadership Network, 2021. Accessed March 7, 2021. https://forgeleadership.org/.
  6. “Leadership Summit.” Forge Leadership Network, 2021. Accessed March 7, 2021. https://forgeleadership.org/leadership-summit/.
  7. “Mentorship Academy.” Forge Leadership Network, December 8, 2020. https://forgeleadership.org/mentorship-academy/.
  8. National Christian Charitable Foundation Inc, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2015-2018, Schedule I, Part II.
  9. George Edward Durell Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2017-2018, Part XV, Line 3a.
  10. “Forge Staff.” Forge Leadership Network, 2021. Accessed March 5, 2021. https://forgeleadership.org/about-forge/forge-staff/.
  11. “Forge Staff.” Forge Leadership Network, 2021. Accessed March 5, 2021. https://forgeleadership.org/about-forge/forge-staff/.
  12. “Forge Staff.” Forge Leadership Network, 2021. Accessed March 5, 2021. https://forgeleadership.org/about-forge/forge-staff/.
  13. “Board of Advisors.” Forge Leadership Network, 2021. Accessed March 5, 2021. https://forgeleadership.org/about-forge/board-of-advisors/.
  14. “Board of Advisors.” Forge Leadership Network, 2021. Accessed March 5, 2021. https://forgeleadership.org/about-forge/board-of-advisors/.
  15. “Board of Advisors.” Forge Leadership Network, 2021. Accessed March 5, 2021. https://forgeleadership.org/about-forge/board-of-advisors/.
  16. “Board of Advisors.” Forge Leadership Network, 2021. Accessed March 5, 2021. https://forgeleadership.org/about-forge/board-of-advisors/.
  17. “Board of Advisors.” Forge Leadership Network, 2021. Accessed March 5, 2021. https://forgeleadership.org/about-forge/board-of-advisors/.
  18. “Board of Advisors.” Forge Leadership Network, 2021. Accessed March 5, 2021. https://forgeleadership.org/about-forge/board-of-advisors/.
  19. “Board of Advisors.” Forge Leadership Network, 2021. Accessed March 5, 2021. https://forgeleadership.org/about-forge/board-of-advisors/.
  20. “Board of Advisors.” Forge Leadership Network, 2021. Accessed March 5, 2021. https://forgeleadership.org/about-forge/board-of-advisors/.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: July 1, 2015

    • 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
    2017 Dec Form 990EZ $141,107 $127,962 $31,174 $10,592 $0 $0 $0 $0
    2015 Dec Form 990EZ $65,691 $79,614 $1,519 $1,123 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Forge Leadership Network

    536 SADDLEWOOD AVE
    Dayton, OH 45459-3030