The Marguerite Casey Action Fund is a left-of-center advocacy group formed, wholly funded, and operated by the Marguerite Casey Foundation, a large left-of-center grantmaking foundation created from the legacy of UPS founder James E. Casey. The Action Fund advocates for legislation and regulations to promote social welfare, racial equity, and other topics and has programming around left-of-center “anti-racist” teachings.

Since the formation of the group in 2021, the Marguerite Casey Foundation has not publicized the existence of the group on its website or in any other means. The existence of the group is only confirmed through public tax records for both the foundation and the action fund. Carmen Rojas, the president and CEO of the Marguerite Casey Foundation, also works as the president and CEO of the action fund. ^{1 2}

Background

The Marguerite Casey Action Fund was formed in 2021 and granted tax-exempt states from the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization. The group’s stated purpose according to its tax filings is to lobby on behalf of the legislation, regulations, and government programs that support social welfare policies and programs as well as racial equity. ³

The action fund was founded and is fully funded by the Marguerite Casey Foundation, a left-of-center grantmaking foundation based in Seattle, Washington, that is the smaller of the two major left-of-center private foundations created from the legacy of United Parcel Service founder James E. Casey, the other being the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The Marguerite Casey Foundation funds hundreds of left-of-center organizations and reports over $800 million in assets. ⁴

Activity

The Marguerite Casey Action Fund reported $950,000 in revenue in 2022 and is wholly operated and funded by the Marguerite Casey Foundation. The Marguerite Casey Foundation’s tax forms state that the Marguerite Casey Action Fund is operated by the foundation and uses the foundation staff and resources through a shared services agreement. ⁵

The sole program operated by the Marguerite Casey Action Fund according to its tax forms is its “anti-racist CEO’s group program” which, according to the group, is convened by the Marguerite Casey Foundation, Stupski Foundation, Walter & Elise Haas Foundation, Woodcock Foundation, and other foundations as “a community of practice.” The program allows for “CEOs of philanthropic institutions [to] learn about leading practices, engage in challenging conversations, and develop a common agenda in service of supporting organizations building a just and equitable society.” ⁶

Leadership

Carmen Rojas is the president and CEO of the Marguerite Casey Foundation and the Marguerite Casey Action Fund. Rojas sits on the boards of Nonprofit Quarterly, Blue Ridge Labs, and San Francisco Federal Reserve’s Community Advisory Council and is also a member of the Confluence Racial Equity Initiative Advisory Committee. ⁷

Kalra Monterroso is the board chair of the action fund, she is the former CEO of Code2040 and a left-of-center activist promoting “equity and social justice.” ⁸

1. Return of an Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Marguerite Casey Action Fund. 2022. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/873520326/202313189349316781/full
2. Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF). Marguerite Casey Foundation. 2022.  https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/912062197/202333189349106243/full
3. Return of an Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Marguerite Casey Action Fund. 2022. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/873520326/202313189349316781/full
4. Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF). Marguerite Casey Foundation. 2022.  https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/912062197/202333189349106243/full
5. Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF). Marguerite Casey Foundation. 2022.  https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/912062197/202333189349106243/full
6. Return of an Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Marguerite Casey Action Fund. 2022. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/873520326/202313189349316781/full
7. “Dr. Carmen Rojas.” Marguerite Casey Foundation. Accessed March 9, 2024. https://www.caseygrants.org/mcf-members/dr-carmen-rojas
8. “Karla Monterroso.” Code 2040. Accessed March 9, 2024. https://www.code2040.org/karla-monterroso