Future Forward USA Action (Future Forward USA) is a left-of-center organization that creates, advertises, and submits petitions on a variety of issues, including the economy, health care, welfare spending, and election laws. ¹ The organization has also made considerable contributions to political action committees (PACs) that support the election of Democratic Party politicians. ²

Background

Future Forward USA was created in 2018 and led by Chauncey Mclean. The organization is an affiliate of the Future Forward USA PAC. ³

Finances

In 2018, Future Forward USA received $6,942,885 in contributions, ⁴ incurred $2,877,797 in expenses, ⁵ and possessed $4,030,742 in net assets. ⁶

2020 Election

In 2020, Future Forward USA Action made $61,002,270 in contributions to the Future Forward USA PAC, ⁷ which in turn engaged in a more than $70 million “blitz” spending campaign in support of Joe Biden during the last five weeks of the 2020 presidential campaign. ⁸

Petitions

Economy

Future Forward USA distributes petitions that support expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit, a mechanism used to directly distribute taxpayer revenue to low-income families, ⁹ and which during the COVID-19 pandemic, and afterwards, was used to directly redistribute income to families with children 17 and younger. ¹⁰

Healthcare

Future Forward USA distributes petitions that advocate for increased government control over healthcare. The organization has posted petitions that urge petitioners to demand that their Congressional representatives support the Affordable Care Act, also referred to as Obamacare. ¹¹

Infrastructure Spending

Future Forward USA has posted a petition urging readers to call the United States Senate and leave a contact number. The petition instructs readers to urge their Senator to support investment infrastructure, claiming that increased infrastructure spending will support the middle class. ¹²

Election Law

Future Forward USA states that its readers should support stronger sanctions against foreign interference in elections, claiming that “Russian meddling in our elections drowns out the voices of ordinary Americans.” ¹³ Future Forward USA endorsed false claims that Donald Trump colluded with the Russian government during the 2016 presidential election.

Despite engaging in tens of millions of dollars in free speech activity through contributions to PACs, the organization advocates for “robust” rules limiting such activity. ¹⁴

Leadership

Chauncey McLean is the president of Future Forward USA. Prior to joining the organization, he was the director of media tracking for the Democratic National Committee from 2011-2012. ¹⁵ McLean worked on the 2012 Obama Presidential Campaign, and was instrumental in developing data-mining and analytics as common practices in political campaigns. ¹⁶

He is also the founder and head of development for Berkeley Yeast, ¹⁷ a corporation that develops unique strains of yeast for beer and wine production. ¹⁸

1. “Issues” Future Forward USA Action. https://www.futureforwardusa.org/issues
2. “Future Forward USA – Top Donors, 2020 Cycle.” Open Secrets. https://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/contrib.php?cmte=C00669259&cycle=2020
3. Nick Corasaniti. “A Democratic Super PAC Surge Helps Biden Expand His Map.” New York Times. October 22, 2020. Accessed September 12, 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/20/us/politics/future-forward-super-pac.html
4. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Future Forward USA Action. Part I, line 8. 2018.
5. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Future Forward USA Action. Part I, line 19. 2018.
6. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Future Forward USA Action. Part I, line 22. 2018.
7. “Future Forward USA – Top Donors, 2020 Cycle.” Open Secrets. https://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/contrib.php?cmte=C00669259&cycle=2020
8. Kim, Soo Rin. “’Dark money,’ used by both parties, featured in $100 million pro-Biden ad blitz” October 28, 2020. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/dark-money-parties-featured-100-million-pro-biden/story?id=73863672
9. “Issues – Economy” Future Forward USA Action. https://www.futureforwardusa.org/issues
10.  Reinecke, Carmen. “Democrats’ $3.5 trillion budget plan includes major help for families with kids” CNCB. August 25, 2021. September 2, 2021. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/25/democrats-3point5-trillion-budget-plan-includes-major-help-for-families.html
11. “Issues – Healthcare” Future Forward USA Action. https://www.futureforwardusa.org/issues
12. “Issues – Supporting the Middle Class” Future Forward USA Action. https://www.futureforwardusa.org/issues
13. “Issues – Protecting American Democracy” Future Forward USA Action. https://www.futureforwardusa.org/issues
14. “Issues – Protecting American Democracy” Future Forward USA Action. https://www.futureforwardusa.org/issues
15. Chauncey McLean” LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/chauncey-mclean-753a8b74/
16.  Rutenberg, Jim. “Data You Can Believe In” New York Times. June 20, 2013. Accessed June 5, 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/23/magazine/the-obama-campaigns-digital-masterminds-cash-in.html
17. “Chauncey McLean” LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/chauncey-mclean-753a8b74/
18. “About Us” Berkley Yeast. https://berkeleyyeast.com/about