Galaxy Gives Action Fund is an advocacy group that conducts the political advocacy giving efforts of investment banker and technology entrepreneur Michael Novogratz, his wife Sukey Novogratz, and the Novogratz family. ¹ The action fund is closely associated with left-of-center private grantmaking organization Galaxy Gives, the grantmaking foundation of the Novogratz family, which supports left-of-center criminal justice policies. ²

Galaxy Gives Action Fund’s board of directors includes Michael Novogratz, Billy Watterson, ³ Alex Duran, Galaxy Labs CEO and The Future US founder Xander Schultz, Robert Rooks, ⁴ and Vera Institute of Justice vice president Insha Rahman. ⁵

In 2023, Galaxy Gives Action Fund received $150,000 from the left-of-center Heising-Simons Action Fund for the Democratizing Justice Initiative. ⁶

History and Leadership

Galaxy Gives Action Fund was launched in 2021. ⁷ Investment banker and technology entrepreneur Michael Novogratz is Galaxy Gives Action Fund’s director. Novogratz also is the founder of Galaxy Gives Action Fund’s sister 501(c)(3) organization, Galaxy Gives, and the chairman of the board of the Bail Project. ⁸ William Watterson is Galaxy Give Action Fund’s president. He is also on the board of the left-of-center One for Democracy and the Alliance for Safety and Justice. ^{9 10 11}

Galaxy Gives Action Fund’s board of directors includes Novogratz, Watterson, ¹² Alex Duran, Galaxy Labs CEO and The Future US founder Xander Schultz, Robert Rooks, ¹³ and  Vera Institute of Justice vice president Insha Rahman. ¹⁴

Activities and Funding

Galaxy Gives Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization that conducts the political advocacy giving efforts of technology entrepreneur Michael Novogratz, his wife Sukey Novogratz, and the Novogratz family. ¹⁵

Galaxy Gives Action Fund shares the same address as Galaxy Gives, ¹⁶ the Novogratz family foundation that supports organizations that support or focus on left-of-center criminal justice policies. ¹⁷

Galaxy Gives Action Fund supports leaders and organizations that it views as building power, narratives, and solutions to “fight systems of oppression,” heal communities, and transform the future of the United States. ¹⁸

Galaxy Gives Action Fund has given funding to criminal justice policy organizations working on lobbying efforts to change the American criminal and legal system. ¹⁹

In 2022, Galaxy Gives Action Fund spent $194,847 on its program expenses. These expenses included driving what the organization considers “systemic change,” identifying and supporting leaders with multi-year funding, providing technical support for these individuals, and investing in individuals, including victims of crime and the formerly incarcerated. ²⁰

In 2022, Galaxy Gives Action Fund Paid lobbying firm Putala Strategies $240,000 for lobbying expenses before terminating the contract. ^{21 22} In 2021, Galaxy Gives Action Fund paid Putala Strategies $100,000 for lobbying expenses. The fund has also paid Seema Nandan at least $120,000 for lobbying expenses. ²³

Funding

Galaxy Gives Action Fund receives its funding from individual contributions and grants. In 2022, Galaxy Gives Action fund reported revenue of $198,930 and expenses of $395,252. In 2021, the organization reported revenue of $445,000 and expenses of $248,578. ²⁴

In 2023, Galaxy Gives Action Fund received $150,000 from the left-of-center Heising-Simons Action Fund for the Democratizing Justice Initiative. ²⁵

In 2021, Galaxy Gives Action Fund received $25,000 from the Sixteen Thirty Fund, which is administered by Arabella Advisors. ²⁶

1. “What We Do.” Galaxy Gives. Accessed July 28, 2024. https://www.galaxygives.com/our-work.
2. “Our Investments.” Galaxy Gives. Accessed July 29, 2024. https://www.galaxygives.com/our-investments.
3. “Billy Watterson.” Galaxy Gives. Accessed July 29, 2024. https://www.galaxygives.com/team/bill-watterson.
4. “Xander Schultz.” Xander Schultz LinkedIn Profile. Accessed July 292, 204. https://www.linkedin.com/in/xanderschultz/.
5. “Galaxy Gives Action Fund.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2022. Part VII. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/871302772/202333189349308868/full.
6. “Grants.” Heising-Simons Action Fund. Accessed July 29, 2024. https://www.hsaction.org/grants/.
7. “Galaxy Gives Action Fund Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2021. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/871302772/202333189349308718/full.
8.  “Mike Novogratz.” Galaxy Gives. Accessed July 26, 2024. https://www.galaxygives.com/team/mike-novogratz.
9. “Galaxy Gives Action Fund Inc.” ProPublica Organization Information Page. Accessed July 28, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/871302772.
10. “Galaxy Gives Action Fund Inc.” ProPublica Organization Information Page. Accessed July 28, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/871302772.
11. “Billy Watterson.” Galaxy Gives. Accessed July 29, 2024. https://www.galaxygives.com/team/bill-watterson.
12. “Billy Watterson.” Galaxy Gives. Accessed July 29, 2024. https://www.galaxygives.com/team/bill-watterson.
13. “Xander Schultz.” Xander Schultz LinkedIn Profile. Accessed July 292, 204. https://www.linkedin.com/in/xanderschultz/.
14. “Galaxy Gives Action Fund.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2022. Part VII. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/871302772/202333189349308868/full.
15. “What We Do.” Galaxy Gives. Accessed July 28, 2024. https://www.galaxygives.com/our-work.
16. “Galaxy Gives Foundation Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2021. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/261587226/202203199349100615/full.
17. “Our Investments.” Galaxy Gives. Accessed July 29, 2024. https://www.galaxygives.com/our-investments.
18.  “Galaxy Gives Action Fund.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2022. Part III. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/871302772/202333189349308868/full.
19. “Galaxy Gives Action Fund.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2022. Schedule C. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/871302772/202333189349308868/full.
20. “Galaxy Gives Action Fund.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2022. Part III. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/871302772/202333189349308868/full.
21. “Registrations & Quarterly Activity.” U.S. Senate LDA Page. Accessed July 28, 2024. https://lda.senate.gov/filings/public/filing/search/?registrant=&registrant_country=&registrant_ppb_country=&client=Galaxy+Gives&client_state=&client_country=&client_ppb_country=&lobbyist=&lobbyist_covered_position=&lobbyist_conviction_disclosure=&lobbyist_conviction_date_range_from=&lobbyist_conviction_date_range_to=&report_period=&report_year=&report_dt_posted_from=&report_dt_posted_to=&report_amount_reported_min=&report_amount_reported_max=&report_filing_uuid=&report_house_doc_id=&report_issue_area_description=&affiliated_organization=&affiliated_organization_country=&foreign_entity=&foreign_entity_country=&foreign_entity_ppb_country=&foreign_entity_ownership_percentage_min=&foreign_entity_ownership_percentage_max=&search=search.
22. Oprysko, Caitilin. “K Street’s windfall continues thanks to chips, reconciliation bills.” Politico Influence. October 21, 2022. Accessed July 29, 2024. https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-influence/2022/10/21/k-streets-windfall-continues-thanks-to-chips-reconciliation-bills-00063013.
23. “Galaxy Gives Action Fund.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2022. Part VII. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/871302772/202333189349308868/full.
24. ^[1] “Galaxy Gives Action Fund Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2022. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/871302772/202333189349308868/full.
25. “Grants.” Heising-Simons Action Fund. Accessed July 29, 2024. https://www.hsaction.org/grants/.
26. “Sixteen Thirty Fund.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2021. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/264486735/202243119349300829/IRS990.