Ground Game Fund is a left-of-center civic engagement group that advocates on issues of voter registration and voter mobilization within the state of Texas. It is working to change the politics of the state of Texas. ^{1 2}

Ground Game Fund has a sister organization, Ground Game Texas, which it describes as a “social welfare organization” on its 2022 tax return. ³

Background

Ground Game Fund is a left-of-center civic engagement group that advocates on issues of voter registration and voter mobilization within the state of Texas. ^{1 2}

Ground Game Fund has a sister nonprofit group, Ground Game Texas, which it describes as a “social welfare organization” on its 2022 tax return. ³

Financials

In 2022, Ground Game Fund reported a total revenue of $2,550,545, total expenses of $2,572,657, and net assets of $696,499. ⁴

Grantmaking

In 2022, Ground Game Fund provided grants to several left-of-center organizations including Bridges to Empowerment ($9,500), Communities Building Attitudes to Encourage Success (CBATES) ($38,145), Center for Common Ground ($33,866), Center for AZ Sustainable Economy ($15,500 for “educational support”), Community News Center ($275,000 for “non-part GOTV mail program”), Future Now Action ($1,000,000), NEO Philanthropy ($116,233 for “Transfer SAAVETX fiscal sponsorship”), Soul Food Community Development ($93,400 for “DJs at polling locations”), and Un-PAC Action ($95,000 for “educational support”). ⁵

Leadership

According to Ground Game Fund’s 2022 tax return, its chairman that year was Mike Siegel. Other board directors listed include Julie Oliver, Jeremy Smith, Glen Maxey, Karthik Balasubramanian, Charles Christie, Ana Luisa Salas-Porras, and CJ Zhao. ⁶

In July 2024, Siegel received an ethics complaint from Julie Oliver, the campaign treasurer for Austin District 7 council candidate Gary Bledsoe. Oliver alleged that Siegel, who was also running for the office at the time, did not file finance reports for emails sent through ActionNetwork.org. The complaint was later dismissed by the city of Austin’s Ethics Review Commission in August 2024. ⁷

1. “Ground Game Fund.” Cause IQ, Accessed October 3, 2024. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/register2vote-fund,842487707/#:~:text=The%20Ground%20Game%20Fund%2C%20a%20non-partisan%20civic%20engagement,and%20mobilizes%20them%20to%20get%20out%20the%20vote.
2. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Ground Game Fund. 2022. Part I, Summary.
3. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Ground Game Fund. 2022. Schedule R, Part II – Identification of Related Tax-Exempt Organizations.
4.  Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Ground Game Fund. 2022. Part I, lines 12, 18, 22.
5. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Ground Game Fund. 2022. Schedule I, Part II – Grants and Other assistance to Domestic Organizations and Domestic Governments.
6. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Ground Game Fund. 2022. Part VII – Compensation of Officers, Directors, Trustees, Key Employees, Highest Compensated Employees, and Independent Contractors.
7. Martin, Ken. “Mike Siegel hit with ethics complaint.” The Austin Bulldog, July 15, 2024. Accessed September 30, 2024. https://theaustinbulldog.org/mike-siegel-hit-with-ethics-complaint/.