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Non-profit

Future Forward USA Action

Website:

www.futureforwardusa.org
Location:

PALO ALTO, CA
Tax ID:

82-4170762
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(4)

Budget (2018):

Revenue: $6,908,539
Expenses: $2,877,797
Assets: $4,030,742
Formation:

2018
President:

Chauncey McLean
Budget (2021):

Revenue: $13,185,535

Expenses: $16,782,434

Assets: $3,267,542
Latest 990 Filing:

2021 990 Form

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 is an affiliate of the Future Forward USA PAC. 2 The organization has also made considerable contributions to political action committees (PACs) that support the election of Democratic Party politicians. 3

Background

Future Forward USA was created in 2018 and led by Chauncey Mclean. The organization is an affiliate of the Future Forward USA PAC. 4

Finances

In 2018, Future Forward USA received $6,942,885 in contributions, 5 incurred $2,877,797 in expenses, 6 and possessed $4,030,742 in net assets. 7

In 2020, Future Forward USA Action received $150,902,844 in revenue, spent $149,377,966 in expenses, and had $6,864,441 in assets. 8

According to its 2021 990 form, Future Forward USA Action had a revenue of $13,185,535, expenses of $16,782,434, and assets of $3,267,542. 9

2020 Election

In 2020, Future Forward USA Action made $61,002,270 in contributions to the Future Forward USA PAC (FF PAC), 10 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. 11 Since the 2020 election, FF PAC has received roughly $77 million in donations from Future Forward USA Action. 12

According to tax forms, between July and November 2020 Future Forward USA Action received roughly $55.8 million in donations from the Impetus Fund, a left-of-center nonprofit managed by for-profit consulting firm Arabella Advisors. 13 14 In addition, Future Forward USA Action has received donations from other Arabella-affiliated nonprofits in 2020: $15.2 million from Sixteen Thirty Fund, $6.7 million from the North Fund, and $1.8 million from the Hopewell Fund. 15

Biden Administration

In 2023 right-of-center watchdog group Americans for Public Trust (APT) released a report detailing how several nonprofit organizations managed by billionaire and foreign national Hansjorg Wyss had donated roughly $475 million to several left-leaning nonprofit organizations including left-of-center grantmaking organization Fund for a Better Future (FBF). Climate Power, which FBF is the parent company of, worked with Future Forward USA Action and strategy hub Way to Win to fund a $20 million ad campaign promoting health, economic, and environmental policies passed the Biden Administration. The report though claims that media analysts deduced that the ads were, “influenced by Democratic research.” 16 17

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, 18 and which during the COVID-19 pandemic, and afterwards, was used to directly redistribute income to families with children 17 and younger. 19

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. 20

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. 21

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.” 22 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. 23

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. 24 McLean worked on the 2012 Obama Presidential Campaign, and was instrumental in developing data-mining and analytics as common practices in political campaigns. 25 McLean is also the founder and head of development for Berkeley Yeast, 26 a corporation that develops unique strains of yeast for beer and wine production. 27

References

  1. “Issues” Future Forward USA Action. https://www.futureforwardusa.org/issues
  2. 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
  3. “Future Forward USA – Top Donors, 2020 Cycle.” Open Secrets. https://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/contrib.php?cmte=C00669259&cycle=2020
  4. 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
  5. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Future Forward USA Action. Part I, line 8. 2018.
  6. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Future Forward USA Action. Part I, line 19. 2018.
  7. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Future Forward USA Action. Part I, line 22. 2018.
  8. Return of Tax Exempt Organization. IRS Form 990. Future Forward USA Action. 2020. Part 1. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/824170762/download990pdf_07_2022_prefixes_82-94%2F824170762_202012_990O_2022071220210864
  9. Return of Tax Exempt Organization. IRS Form 990. Future Forward USA Action. 2021. Part 1. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/824170762/202203279349300615/full
  10. “Future Forward USA – Top Donors, 2020 Cycle.” Open Secrets. https://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/contrib.php?cmte=C00669259&cycle=2020
  11. 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
  12. Schoffstal, Joe. “Biden’s primary 2024 outside PAC propelled by dark money group flooded with cash from mysterious entity.” Fox News, July 21, 2023. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/bidens-primary-2024-outside-pac-propelled-by-dark-money-group-flooded-with-cash-from-mysterious-entity
  13. Return of Tax Exempt Organization. IRS Form 990. Impetus Fund. 2020. Schedule I, Part II. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/851701143/202211339349309306/full
  14. Schoffstal, Joe. “Biden’s primary 2024 outside PAC propelled by dark money group flooded with cash from mysterious entity.” Fox News, July 21, 2023. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/bidens-primary-2024-outside-pac-propelled-by-dark-money-group-flooded-with-cash-from-mysterious-entity
  15. Schoffstal, Joe. “Biden’s primary 2024 outside PAC propelled by dark money group flooded with cash from mysterious entity.” Fox News, July 21, 2023. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/bidens-primary-2024-outside-pac-propelled-by-dark-money-group-flooded-with-cash-from-mysterious-entity
  16. “Report: Foreign Influence in U.S. Elections.” Americans for Public Trust, July 10, 2023. https://americansforpublictrust.org/document/report-foreign-influence-in-u-s-elections
  17. Schoffstall, Joe and Thomas Catenacci. “Liberal Swiss billionaire’s extensive nonprofit cash targeted ahead of 2024 election: ‘Needs to be stopped.’” Fox News, July 20, 2023. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/liberal-swiss-billionaires-extensive-nonprofit-cash-targeted-2024-election-needs-stopped
  18. “Issues – Economy” Future Forward USA Action. https://www.futureforwardusa.org/issues
  19.  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
  20. “Issues – Healthcare” Future Forward USA Action. https://www.futureforwardusa.org/issues
  21. “Issues – Supporting the Middle Class” Future Forward USA Action. https://www.futureforwardusa.org/issues
  22. “Issues – Protecting American Democracy” Future Forward USA Action. https://www.futureforwardusa.org/issues
  23. “Issues – Protecting American Democracy” Future Forward USA Action. https://www.futureforwardusa.org/issues
  24. Chauncey McLean” LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/chauncey-mclean-753a8b74/
  25.  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
  26. “Chauncey McLean” LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/chauncey-mclean-753a8b74/
  27. “About Us” Berkley Yeast. https://berkeleyyeast.com/about

Donor Organizations

  1. North Fund (Non-profit)
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: October 1, 2018

    • 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
    2018 Dec Form 990 $6,908,539 $2,877,797 $4,030,742 $0 N $6,942,885 $0 $0 $203,919 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Map image for Future Forward USA Action

    Future Forward USA Action

    3458 KENNETH DR
    PALO ALTO, CA 94303-4218