NextGen Nevada is a chapter of the left-wing advocacy group NextGen America, a part of the Steyer Network associated with left-wing billionaire and Democratic politician Tom Steyer. ¹

NextGen Nevada was committed to “sending all six electoral votes to the Democratic nominee for president”² in 2020 and spent more than $2.94 million dollars in the 2020 election cycle in Nevada. ³

NextGen Nevada has a history of partnering with left-leaning organizations since its founding, including Everytown for Gun Safety, ⁴ the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Action Fund,⁵  and the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN). ⁶  NGNV claims to have “secured Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s victory through novel community organizing” in Nevada. ⁷

History and Leadership

NextGen America was founded in 2013 by left-wing billionaire and unsuccessful 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer,⁸ and NextGen Nevada has been active in statewide elections since at least 2016, when the group rallied against Donald Trump and then-Representative Joe Heck (R-NV) on climate change issues. ⁹

Mark Riffenburg is the state director of NextGen Nevada. ¹⁰ Riffenburg is also the Nevada state director of the left-wing environmental organization Defend our Future. ^{11 12} Riffenburg previously worked as a regional organizing director for the Nevada State Democratic Party and as a field organizer for Hillary for America. ¹³

Activities and Funding

NextGen Nevada was committed to “sending all six electoral votes to the Democratic nominee for president”¹⁴ and spent more than $2.94 million during the 2020 election cycle in support of Democratic nominee Joe Biden. ¹⁵ This final total was significantly higher than an initial $1,000,000 investment in 2019 to “keep Nevada Blue in 2020.” ¹⁶

Out of the $2.94 million it spent in 2020, NextGen Nevada spent $2.865 million on organizers and fellows to “turn out young voters and defeat Donald Trump,” ¹⁷ with a focus on 80 early voting sites on college campuses across the state. ¹⁸

NextGen Nevada also hosted and promoted several events prior to the 2020 election in Clark County, Nevada, which were paid for by the left-of-center NextGen Climate Action Committee Super PAC. These events included a ballot drop-off celebration with Clark County commissioner Justin Jones (D)¹⁹ and free food at polling locations. ²⁰

In 2018, NextGen Nevada spent $2.4 million in support of Democratic candidates across the state. ²¹

That same year, NextGen Nevada partnered with anti-gun organizations Giffords, Everytown for Gun Safety, and ACRONYM to launch the $1.75 million Our Lives, Our Vote program designed to empower high school students and to vote out politicians “beholden to the NRA.” ^{22 23} Through this program, NextGen Nevada worked with left-leaning Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN) to register high school students to vote. ²⁴

In 2018, NextGen Nevada partnered with the left-of-center labor union group For Our Future (FOF) and knocked on over 530,000 doors. NextGen Nevada also worked as a part of GiveGreen,²⁵ a fundraising partnership between NextGen America, the League of Conservation Voters Victory Fund (LCV Victory Fund), and Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Action Fund, which raised $683,655.45 for Democratic candidates in Nevada in 2018. ²⁶

1. “About.” NextGen Nevada. Facebook. Accessed April 25, 2021. https://www.facebook.com/pg/NextGenNevada/about/?ref=page_internal.
2. “Nevada Caucus Guide.” NextGen America. Accessed April 25, 2021. https://nextgenamerica.org/nv-caucus/.
3. NextGen Nevada Celebrates #YouthVote Impact in Unprecedented Election Year. Press Release. November 7, 2020. https://36idp73l9pta25627q676bwt-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/NV-Post-E-Day-Release.pdf.
4. Message to NextGen Nevada Allies and Supporters. November 1, 2018. https://nextgenamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/NV-Pre-Election-Memo.pdf.
5. Message to NextGen Nevada Allies and Supporters. November 1, 2018. https://nextgenamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/NV-Pre-Election-Memo.pdf.
6. Message to NextGen Nevada Allies and Supporters. November 1, 2018. https://nextgenamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/NV-Pre-Election-Memo.pdf.
7. “About.” NextGenAmerica.org. Accessed April 25, 2021. https://nextgenamerica.org/.
8. “Who We Are.”  NextGenAmerica.org. Accessed April 25, 2021. https://nextgenamerica.org/about-us/.
9. Nunley, Kyndell. “NextGen Nevada group rallies against Donald Trump, Rep. Joe Heck, and climate change.” July 21, 2016. NBC 3 News. https://news3lv.com/news/local/nextgen-nevada-group-rallys-against-donald-trump-rep-joe-heck-and-climate-change.
10. Kyser, Heidi. “Checking In With Minority Voting Organizers On Election Day.” Nevada Public Radio. https://knpr.org/knpr/2020-11/checking-minority-voting-bloc-organizers-election-day.
11. “Mark Riffenburg – NV State Director.” Defend Our Future. Accessed April 25, 2021. https://defendourfuture.org/team-member/mark-riffenburg/mark-riffenburg-nv-state-director/.
12. “Mark Riffenburg.” Defend Our Future. Accessed April 25, 2021. https://defendourfuture.org/team-member/mark-riffenburg/.
13. “Mark Riffenburg.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed April 25, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-riffenburg-5533b993/.
14. “Nevada Caucus Guide.” NextGen America. Accessed April 25, 2021. https://nextgenamerica.org/nv-caucus/.
15. NextGen Nevada Celebrates #YouthVote Impact in Unprecedented Election Year. Press Release. November 7, 2020.  https://36idp73l9pta25627q676bwt-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/NV-Post-E-Day-Release.pdf.
16. Messerly, Megan. “Progressive group NextGen announces $1 million investment to keep Nevada blue in 2020.” The Nevada Independent. December 4, 2019. https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/nextgen-announces-1-million-investment-to-keep-nevada-blue-in-2020.
17. NextGen Nevada Celebrates #YouthVote Impact in Unprecedented Election Year. Press Release. November 7, 2020.  https://36idp73l9pta25627q676bwt-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/NV-Post-E-Day-Release.pdf.
18. Messerly, Megan. “Progressive group NextGen announces $1 million investment to keep Nevada blue in 2020.” The Nevada Independent. December 4, 2019. https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/nextgen-announces-1-million-investment-to-keep-nevada-blue-in-2020.
19. “Mail Ballot Drop Off with Commissioner Jones.” NextGen Nevada Facebook Post. October 23, 2020. https://www.facebook.com/events/640535189979897/.
20. “Hungry for Change.” NextGen Nevada Facebook Post. October 20, 2020. https://scontent-mia3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/s960x960/122028836_1690799074430802_5702241020675656893_n.png?_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=uPF0CXiExuIAX-eTV1L&_nc_ht=scontent-mia3-1.xx&tp=30&oh=f6982f1ee4bf09d47b41456624ebdf81&oe=60AA4545.
21. Message to NextGen Nevada Allies and Supporters. November 1, 2018. https://nextgenamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/NV-Pre-Election-Memo.pdf.
22. Message to NextGen Nevada Allies and Supporters. November 1, 2018. https://nextgenamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/NV-Pre-Election-Memo.pdf.
23. “Voting is the most powerful weapon.” Our Lives, Our Vote. Accessed April 25, 2021. https://ourlivesourvote.com/.
24. Message to NextGen Nevada Allies and Supporters. November 1, 2018. https://nextgenamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/NV-Pre-Election-Memo.pdf.
25. Message to NextGen Nevada Allies and Supporters. November 1, 2018. https://nextgenamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/NV-Pre-Election-Memo.pdf.
26. Message to NextGen Nevada Allies and Supporters. November 1, 2018. https://nextgenamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/NV-Pre-Election-Memo.pdf.