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Non-profit

League of Women Voters Education Fund (LWVEF)

Website:

www.lwv.org
Location:

WASHINGTON, DC
Tax ID:

53-0239013
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2017):

Revenue: $4,539,795
Expenses: $2,592,235
Assets: $7,338,513
Formation:

1959
Leadership:

Chris Carson

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The League of Women Voters Education Fund (LWVEF) is the educational and fundraising arm of the League of Women Voters of the United States, an advocacy group for electoral system changes and a number of other left-of-center policy issues. 1

It has received multiple millions in grants from major left-of-center donors, including the Craigslist Charitable Fund, the Turner Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, Open Society Foundations, and the MacArthur Foundation.

Background

The League of Women Voters Education Fund (LWVEF) is a 501(c)(3) organization and the education and fundraising arm of the League of Women Voters of the United States (abbreviated as LWV or “the League”) which is a 501(c)(4) organization that lobbies and advocates on a number of left-leaning issues. 2

Chris Carson currently serves as the chair of the board of trustees for the Education Fund. Carson has been a League member for over 30 years and in 2005 became a board member and government director of the League of Women Voters of California (LWVC). 3

Funding

The Education Fund and various other League affiliates have received support from major liberal donors such as the Ford Foundation, George Soros’s Foundation to Promote Open Society, and the Tides Foundation. 4

George Soros underwrites League activities through his two philanthropies, Open Society Foundations (formerly the Open Society Institute) which granted $1,578,020 between 1999 and 2015, and Foundation to Promote Open Society, which also granted $1,578,020 between 1999 and 2015. The Ford Foundation granted $1,075,000 between 1999 and 2015, and the Chicago-based Joyce Foundation granted $4,230,788 between 1998 and 2015. 5

Other donors include the Carnegie Corporation of New York which granted $640,000 to the Education Fund between 2006 and 2012 for “democracy”;6 the MacArthur Foundation, which granted the Education Fund $250,000 in 2012 to “support its Public Advocacy for Voter Protection Project”;7 and Pierre Omidyar’s Democracy Fund, which granted $250,000 in 2016 and $385,000 in 2018. 8

According to its tax returns, the Education Fund received a total of $2,120,065 in contributions and grants in 2015,9 $2,176,433 in 2016,10 and $3,680,750 in 2017. 11

References

  1. “Impact On Issues. 2016-2108: A Guide to Public Policy Positions League of Women Voters of the United States.” Pg. 64. League of Women Voters of the United States. 2017. Accessed November 29, 2017. http://forum.lwv.org/sites/default/files/impact_on_issues_2016-2018_full.pdf
  2. “Lobbying Spending Database-League of Women Voters of the US, 2018.” OpenSecrets.org. Accessed September 16, 2019. https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientbills.php?id=D000052977&year=2018.
  3. “Chris Carson.” League of Women Voters. Accessed September 16, 2019. https://www.lwv.org/about-us/staff-leadership/chris-carson.
  4. Gizzi, John. “League of Women Voters: A Legacy of Liberal Issues and Causes.” Capital Research Center. Capital Research Center. Accessed September 16, 2019. https://capitalresearch.org/article/lwv/.
  5. Gizzi, John. “League of Women Voters: A Legacy of Liberal Issues and Causes.” Capital Research Center. Capital Research Center. Accessed September 16, 2019. https://capitalresearch.org/article/lwv/.
  6. Carnegie Corporation. “League of Women Voters Education Fund.” Carnegie Corporation of New York. Accessed September 16, 2019. https://www.carnegie.org/grants/grants-database/grantee/league-of-women-voters-education-fund/#!/grants/grants-database/grant/45671.0/.
  7. “MacArthur Grants Support Efforts to Ensure Fair Elections, Protect Voting Rights.” RSS. Accessed September 16, 2019. https://www.macfound.org/press/press-releases/macarthur-grants-support-efforst-ensure-fair-elections-protect-voting-rights/.
  8. “League of Women Voters Education Fund.” Democracy Fund. Accessed September 16, 2019. https://www.democracyfund.org/portfolio/entry/league-of-women-voters-education-fund
  9. “LWVEF – 2015 990.” Guidestar. Accessed September 16, 2019. https://pdf.guidestar.org/PDF_Images/2015/530/239/2015-530239013-0cc7dfd9-9.pdf.
  10. “LWVEF – 2016 990.” Guidestar. Accessed September 16, 2019. https://pdf.guidestar.org/PDF_Images/2016/530/239/2016-530239013-0e100d06-9.pdf.
  11. “LWVEF – 2017 990.” Guidestar. Accessed September 16, 2019. https://pdf.guidestar.org/PDF_Images/2017/530/239/2017-530239013-0f145d15-9.pdf.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: June - May
  • Tax Exemption Received: September 1, 1959

    • 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
    2017 Jun Form 990 $4,539,795 $2,592,235 $7,338,513 $938,113 N $3,680,750 $178,676 $127,499 $0 PDF
    2016 Jun Form 990 $2,371,552 $2,995,658 $5,690,647 $1,025,358 N $2,176,433 $97,750 $97,369 $0
    2015 Jun Form 990 $2,234,048 $2,070,101 $6,184,977 $814,052 N $2,120,065 $5,025 $104,084 $0 PDF
    2014 Jun Form 990 $2,981,982 $2,592,980 $7,092,676 $1,206,132 N $2,742,484 $7,254 $232,244 $0 PDF
    2013 Jun Form 990 $3,019,691 $3,323,845 $6,115,018 $1,305,886 N $2,668,706 $3,001 $347,984 $0 PDF
    2012 Jun Form 990 $2,996,804 $3,140,924 $5,861,505 $1,147,920 N $2,865,366 $3,065 $128,373 $0 PDF
    2011 Jun Form 990 $4,079,794 $4,474,015 $5,946,256 $787,469 N $3,155,574 $5,029 $919,191 $0 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    League of Women Voters Education Fund (LWVEF)

    1730 M ST NW STE 1000
    WASHINGTON, DC 20036-4570