The Green Advocacy Project, sometimes referred to as the Green Advocacy Fund, 1 is a left-of-center organization that provides funds to left-of-center to far-left political organizations to promote Democratic candidates and environmentalist issue campaigns. The group was founded by Michael Kieschnick, an activist who founded and operated CREDO Mobile, an online advocacy software and who also sat on the board of the Tides Foundation. The project was formed in 2017 to advocate for the elimination of the use of traditional energy sources in the United States and a government-subsidized transition to weather-dependent energy. The organization has funded many left-of-center political groups and advocacy organizations including the Working Families Party, Planned Parenthood Votes, and the LCV Victory Fund. 2 3 4
Background
The Green Advocacy Project was formed in 2017 by Michael Kieschnick, an entrepreneur and activist best known for founding CREDO Mobile (formerly Working Assets), a cell-phone company that explicitly uses its profits to support left-wing causes and states that by doing business with CREDO its customers “fund progressive causes and power social activism.” CREDO also formed the CREDO Victory Fund (CREDO Action) and the CREDO Mobile Super PAC. 5 3
A 2018 job posting from the Green Advocacy Project states that the group was founded to “elect environmental champions at the local level” and planned to expand its operations beginning in the 2018 election cycle. The group’s early efforts funded campaigns for mayors, city and county councils, and port commissions. The group supports a “transition to 100% clean energy and sustainable agriculture or blocking fossil fuel infrastructure” and that the electoral efforts include “networking with activists, environmental groups and progressive political organizations, identify[ing] high impact campaigns,” and “evaluat[ing] the relative climate impact of possible campaigns based on the likelihood of success and the possible policy outcomes that follow electoral victory.” 6
In 2018, the group stated its goal was to use local and state “power” to “resist the Trump fossil fuel agenda and accelerate the transition to clean energy as rapidly as possible.” 6
Leadership
Michael Kieschnick is the president and founder of the Green Advocacy Project. Kieschnick is best known as the founder of CREDO Mobile (formerly Working Assets), a cell-phone company that uses its profits to support left-wing causes. CREDO Mobile has over $100 million in annual revenue and funds left-of-center advocacy and political groups. Kieschnick also co-founded the Real Justice PAC and the Carbon Advocacy Project. 4
Becky Bond is a board member for the group. She was co-author of Rules for Revolutionaries: How Big Organizing Can Change Everything, was a senior advisor to the Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign, and was political director of CREDO Mobile. 3
Zack Malitz, is another of the group’s board members. He was the digital organizing department for Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign and led NextGen Climate’s campus organizing program in the 2016 general election. He previously worked for CREDO and the CREDO SuperPAC. 3
Contribution Recipients
Groups funded by the Green Advocacy Project include the PAC for America’s Future, the Working Families Party, Planned Parenthood Votes, the Food and Water Action PAC, the LCV Victory Fund, the Texas Organizing Project, Conservation Ohio, Worker Power PAC, Open Democracy PAC, Forward Justice, and Justice for All Michigan. 2
References
- “Green Advocacy Project.” Propublica 527 Explorer. Accessed July 8, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/527-explorer/contributions/23883285
- “Green Advocacy Project Summary” Open Secrets. Accessed July 8, 2024. https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/green-advocacy-project/recipients?candscycle=2024&id=D000073754&toprecipscycle=2022
- “About.” Green Advocacy Project. Accessed July 8, 2024. https://www.greenadvocacyproject.org/about-1
- “Michael Kieschnick.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed July 8, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-kieschnick-b554412/
- “CREDO’s Mission.” CREDO Mobile. Accessed July 8, 2024. https://www.credomobile.com/mission
- “Great Job.” Green Advocacy Project. Accessed July 8, 2024. https://www.greenadvocacyproject.org/great-job