Keep Country First Policy Action is a nominally right-of-center public advocacy group that condemns right-of-center extremism. ¹ In 2022, the North Fund, a left-of-center grantmaking group administered by Arabella Advisors, gave Keep Country First Policy Action $1,050,000 for “civil rights” and “social action” advocacy. ²

Background

Keep Country First Policy Action is a nominally right-of-center 501(c)(4) advocacy group that condemns right-wing extremism. It claims to seek to start a bi-partisan “Country First” movement that will revive “center-right issues and thought” in the belief that many of the solutions to the United States’ problems are being hindered by “both ideological extremes.” It claims that America’s political discussions have been led by “the most extreme voices” and that these voices do not fulfill the interests of the average citizen. ¹

Activities

In 2022, Keep Country First Policy Action paid Longwell Partners, a political consultancy led by prominent anti-Trump Republican commentator Sarah Longwell, ³ $414,920 for communication services. It also paid CorSolutions $209,282 for consulting services and Push Digital LLC $172,428 for advertising. ⁴

Keep Country First Policy Action launched Country First Academy in 2022, a training group for politicians. According to reports, the operators of Keep Country First Policy Action are affiliated with former U.S. Representative Adam Kinzinger (R-IL). ^{5 6 7 8}

Financials

In 2022, Keep Country First Policy Action had revenues of $2,997,384, expenses of $1,058,070, and net assets of $1,969,050. ⁹

Funding

In 2022, North Fund, a grantmaking group administered by Arabella Advisors, gave Keep Country First Policy Action $1,050,000 for “civil rights” and “social action” advocacy. ² In 2021, the North Fund paid Arabella Advisors $551,809 in consulting and management fees. In 2020, the North Fund paid Arabella Advisors $941,615 in consulting fees and received over half of its $66 million in revenue from Arabella-controlled nonprofits. The North Fund also reports that its books and records are kept by Arabella Advisors. ¹⁰

In 2022, Keep Country First Policy Action received  $1,100,000 from the Western Futures Fund. ¹¹ That year, it also received $250,000 from Defending Democracy Together, $200,000 from Unite and Renew Fund, and $250,000 from the Guardian of Rights Fund. ^{12 13 14}

Grantmaking

In 2022, Keep Country First Policy Action gave $15,000 to Citizens for Secure Elections. ¹⁵

Leadership

According to its 2022 tax return, Keep Country First Policy Action is led by president Mario Castillo. ¹⁶

1. “Keep Country First.” Keep Country First Policy Action. Accessed December 8, 2024. https://keepcountryfirst.org/.
2. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). North Fund. 2022. Schedule I, Part II – Grants and Other Assistance to Domestic Organizations and Domestic Governments.
3. Longwell Partners, October 7, 2024. https://www.longwellpartners.com/.
4.  Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Keep Country First Policy Action. 2022. Part VII, Section B. – Independent Contractors.
5. “Volunteer.” Country First Academy. Accessed December 8, 2024. https://www.countryfirstacademy.org/volunteer/.
6. “About.” Country First. Accessed December 8, 2024. https://www.country1st.com/about.
7. Montellaro, Zach. “Kinzinger allies launch ‘pro-democracy’ candidate recruitment program.” Politco, August 08, 2022. Accessed December 8, 2024. https://www.politico.com/news/2022/08/08/keep-country-first-policy-action-kinzinger-00050148.
8. Hughes, Clyde. “Kinzinger’s Keep Country First group rolls out academy.” UPI, August 8, 2022. Accessed December 8, 2024. https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2022/08/08/Kinzinger-Keep-Country-First-academy/9441659978922/
9. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Keep Country First Policy Action. 2022. Part I, lines 12, 18, 22.
10.  Return of Tax-Exempt Organization. Form 990. North Fund. 2020. Page 9. Section B. https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2021/11/North_Fund_2020_Public_Disclosure_Copy-002.pdf.
11. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Western Futures Fund. 2022. Schedule I, Part II – Grants and Other Assistance to Domestic Organizations and Domestic Governments.
12. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Defending Democracy Together. 2022. Schedule I, Part II – Grants and Other Assistance to Domestic Organizations and Domestic Governments.
13. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Unite and Renew Fund. 2022. Schedule I, Part II – Grants and Other Assistance to Domestic Organizations and Domestic Governments.
14. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Guardian of Rights Fund. 2022. Schedule I, Part II – Grants and Other Assistance to Domestic Organizations and Domestic Governments.
15. “Search – Citizens for Secure Elections.” Internal Revenue Service. Accessed December 8, 2024. https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/details/.
16. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Keep Country First Policy Action. 2022. Part VII – Compensation of Officers, Directors, Trustees, Key Employes, Highest Compensated Employees, and Independent Contractors.