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MPower Change

Parent Organization: NEO Philanthropy
Website:

mpowerchange.org
Formation:

2016
Type:

Advocacy Group
Project of:

NEO Philanthropy
Founders:

Linda Sarsour

Mark Crain

Dustin Craun

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MPower Change is a left-of-center advocacy project of NEO Philanthropy focusing on American Muslims co-founded by controversial activist Linda Sarsour. The Action Network claims that it is the largest Muslim-led advocacy organization in the U.S. 1

MPower Change Action is the advocacy arm of MPower Change and a project of NEO Philanthropy Action Fund.

Background

MPower Change started in January 2016 in New York. It was founded by Linda Sarsour, Mark Crain, and Dustin Craun. The organization was influenced by online platforms such as Moveon.org, ColorofChange.org, and Presente.org to create a website on advocacy for Muslim American interests, principles, and values. Citizen Engagement Laboratory worked with MPower Change under its Acceleration Services Partners branch. 2

Funding

MPower Change is a project of NEO Philanthropy, a center-left funding and fiscal sponsorship nonprofit, and not an IRS-recognized nonprofit. As such, donations to MPower Change go to NEO Philanthropy, its fiscal sponsor.

MPowerChange has a history of accepting funds from left-of-center organizations. The organization uses the liberal fundraising service ActBlue Charities to accept donations. 3

Proteus Fund, a left-of-center funder, has fundraised for MPower Change through its funding branches. 4 Under NEO Philanthropy, Proteus Fund’s RISE Together Fund gave $25,000 in 2017 for MPower Change’s operations. 5 In the same year, they made a contribution of $15,000 under the Emergent Fund program. 6 Also in 2017, D.C.-area restaurant chain Busboys and Poets donated a part of its revenue to MPower Change. 7 The grant making organization Pillars Fund lists MPower Change as part of their donor network. 8

CrowdRise has opened a fundraising page through the Huffington Post to raise donations for MPower Change. 9 Voqalfund was a grant contributor in 2017 for MPower Change. 10 North Star Fund’s Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) has MPower Change listed as one of the organizations to which donors can make single or multiple contributions in its 2018 action report. 11

Leadership

Linda Sarsour is a co-founder and community organizer for MPower Change on racial and social reform for the Muslim community. She also works as a member of the Justice League of NYC and as an advisor for the Liberation Fund with Groundswell Fund. 12 She formerly served as executive director of the Arab American Association of New York.

Mark Crain is a co-founder, digital strategist, online campaigner, and organizer for MPower Change. Mark simultaneously works as a project director for Dream of Detroit and with the left-wing MoveOn.org advocacy group as mobile innovation director and senior strategist. 13 He previously worked as a communications coordinator at Inner-City Muslim Action Network as well as a member of the digital team for President Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign.

Dustin Craun is a co-founder and digital media strategist for MPower Change. He also is the founder of Beyond Borders Studios. 14 Mohammad Khan is the campaign director for MPower Change and its sister grassroots group MPower Change Action. He has worked on numerous political campaigns throughout the New York area. 15

References

  1. Network, Action. “MPower Change: MPower Change.” The Action Network. Accessed May 29, 2019. https://actionnetwork.org/groups/mpower-change.
  2. “Citizen Engagement Laboratory (CEL).” Citizen Engagement Laboratory (CEL). Accessed May 30, 2019. https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/citizen-engagement-laboratory/.
  3. “I Just Supported MPower Change.” ActBlue. Accessed May 30, 2019. https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/mpower.
  4. “#NoMuslimBanEver.” Proteus Fund. Accessed May 30, 2019. https://www.proteusfund.org/rtf/nomuslimbanever/.
  5. “NEO Philanthropy.” Proteus Fund. Accessed May 30, 2019. https://www.proteusfund.org/grant/neophilanthropy-3/.
  6. “NEO Philanthropy.” Proteus Fund. Accessed May 30, 2019. https://www.proteusfund.org/grant/neophilanthropy-5/.
  7. “MPower Love to MPower Change.” Busboys and Poets. February 9, 2017. Accessed May 30, 2019. https://www.busboysandpoets.com/mpower-love-to-mpower-change/.
  8. “MPower Change.” PIllars Fund. Accessed May 30, 2019. https://pillarsfund.org/grants/our-portfolio/mpower-change/.
  9. “Donate.” CrowdRise. Accessed May 30, 2019. https://www.crowdrise.com/donate/project/mpower-change/HuffPost/0.
  10. “Voqal Announces New Grants for Social Change • Voqal.” Voqal. April 07, 2017. Accessed May 30, 2019. https://voqal.org/voqal-announces-new-grants-social-change-2/.
  11. “North Star Fund 2018 Action Report.” North Star Fund. Accessed May 31, 2019. https://ar2018.northstarfund.org/.
  12. “Liberation Fund.” Groundswell Fund. Accessed May 31, 2019. https://groundswellfund.org/liberation-fund/.
  13. “Profile: Mark Crain and the DREAM of Detroit.” Sapelo Square. May 16, 2016. Accessed June 04, 2019. https://sapelosquare.com/2016/02/10/profile-mark-crain-and-the-dream-of-detroit/.
  14. “Mustafa Dustin Craun.” CAIR California San Diego. Accessed June 04, 2019. https://ca.cair.com/sandiego/member/dustin-craun/.
  15. “Mohammad Khan.” Netroots Nation. Accessed June 04, 2019. https://www.netrootsnation.org/profile/mohammad-khan/.

Directors, Employees & Supporters

  1. Mohammad Khan
    Campaign Director
  2. Linda Sarsour
    Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Associated Organizations

  1. MPower Change Action (Non-profit)
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