For more information, see Sixteen Thirty Fund (Nonprofit) and Arabella Advisors (For-Profit)

The North Fund is a left-of-center nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. and part of the multi-billion-dollar nonprofit network created and administered by Arabella Advisors. North Fund is particularly close to the Arabella-run 501(c)(4) group Sixteen Thirty Fund.

Like Arabella’s other nonprofits, North Fund operates as an umbrella group for various left-of-center advocacy organizations and has spent millions to promote causes including expanding the number of seats on the Supreme Court (known as “packing the court”), abolishing the Electoral College, legalizing recreational marijuana, opposing a 22-week abortion ban, expanding Medicaid, and making Washington, D.C. a state. ¹

The North Fund has been characterized as a leading “dark money” nonprofit for its significant ballot-measure funding, which totaled $34 million in the 2020 election. ^{2 3}

In 2021, the North Fund posted total revenues of $43 million and total expenditures of $33.4 million, including nearly $11 million in grants paid out to (largely left-of-center) nonprofits. ⁴

The North Fund is registered as a lobbyist principal in Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin. After a complaint in 2020, the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices’ Office (COPP) determined the North Fund’s primary purpose as an organization is to support or oppose election related issues.

Background

The North Fund was incorporated as a nonprofit on December 28, 2018. ⁵ As of late 2020, it had no website and listed a physical address in Washington, D.C. that is managed by Carr Workplaces, a co-working space. A receptionist with Carr told a Montana newspaper that the North Fund is not on the company’s registry, though Carr allows customers to use the location as a street address to conduct virtual office business. ⁶

North Fund leadership includes a number of former Democratic officials, including Melanie Beller, a former aide to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV); Jim Gerstein, a former Democratic pollster; and Cristina Uribe, a Democratic Party organizer and labor union organizer with the National Education Association.^{7 8}

Funding & Ties to Arabella Advisors

Also see Arabella Advisors (For-Profit)

The North Fund is the most recently created member of the nonprofit network created and run by Arabella Advisors, a for-profit consulting firm in Washington, D.C., whose nonprofit “clients” almost exclusively fund left-of-center political activism. The Arabella Advisors network has been called a “‘dark money’ behemoth” and raised over $1.7 billion in revenue during the 2020 elections. ⁹

In 2019, the Arabella-run Sixteen Thirty Fund, a 501(c)(4) organization, provided 100 percent of the North Fund’s $9.3 million revenues. ¹⁰

In 2020, the Sixteen Thirty Fund granted the North Fund roughly $30 million and the Arabella-run New Venture Fund granted it another $11 million, providing more than half of the North Fund’s $66 million revenues that year. ^{11 12} That year, the North Fund, in-turn, granted $800,000 to the Sixteen Thirty Fund and $500,000 to the New Venture Fund. ¹³

In 2021, however, the Sixteen Thirty Fund only provided North Fund $1.1 million. ¹⁴ North Fund also received $150,000 from Arabella’s  Windward Fund and $12.9 million from Arabella’s New Venture Fund in 2021, both of which are 501(c)(3) nonprofits. ^{15 16}

In 2021, 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 the Arabella controlled nonprofits. The North Fund also reports that its books and records are kept by Arabella Advisors. ¹⁷

Donors to North Fund

In 2021, the North Fund reported the following anonymous contributors (contributions below $200,000 are omitted): ¹⁸

• $12,870,870 (from New Venture Fund)
• $7,100,000
• $5,000,000
• $4,300,000
• $2,000,000
• $1,500,000 (1)
• $1,500,000 (2)
• $1,136,250 (from Sixteen Thirty Fund)
• $1,000,000
• $732,000
• $500,000 (1)
• $500,000 (2)
• $500,000 (3)
• $500,000 (4)
• $300,000
• $250,000 (1)
• $250,000 (2)
• $250,000 (3)
• $237,500
• $223,716
• $200,000 (1)
• $200,000 (2)
• $200,000 (3)
• $200,000 (4)

2020 Spending

Below is a table listing the North Fund’s reported grants during 2020.

Recipient	Amount ($)
A Philip Randolph Educational Fund	65,000
Abortion Access for All	1,350,000
Alliance for A Better Minnesota	220,000
Alliance of Families for Justice Inc	10,000
Arizona Advocacy Network Inc	1,072,614
Black Women for Wellness Action Project	10,000
Care in Action	700,000
Casa in Action Inc	50,000
Ceasefire Pennsylvania	75,000
Citizen Action of Wiscoinsin Inc	50,000
Clean Missouri	1,000,000
Colorado Families First	4,400,000
Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania	75,000
Delaware Coalition Against Gun Violence Inc	30,000
Emerging American Majorities	375,000
For Our Future Action Fund	75,000
Forward Together Action	150,000
Fsic American Innovatio0n And Opportunity Fund	10,000
Future Forward USA Action	6,736,650
Georgia Investor Action Fund	250,000
Groundswell Action Fund	400,000
Gun Violence Prevention Action Committee	50,000
Human Rights Campaign Inc	20,000
League of Conservation Voters Inc	350,000
Living United for Change in Arizona	100,000
Make NC First	350,000
Michigan League of Conservation Voters	75,000
Missourians for Healthcare	1,913,370
Mothering Justice Action Fund	75,000
Naral Pro-choice America	400,000
National Black Justice Coalition	10,000
National Womens Law Center Action	400,000
New Approach Montana	4,727,500
New Venture Fund	500,000
North Carolina Black Alliance	10,000
North Carolinians Against Gun Violence Action Fund	62,500
Ohioans for Raising The Wage	1,657,277
Opportunity Arizona	250,000
Organizers in the Land of Engagement	90,000
Overall	220,000
PA Alliance Action	280,000
Peoples Action	150,000
Planned Parenthood Action Fund Inc	1,000,000
Planned Parenthood Advocates of MI	225,000
Planned Parenthood ND/SD/MS	75,000
Planned Parenthood PA Advocates	100,000
Planned Parenthood Votes	50,000
PPRM Action Fund	280,000
Prosperity Michigan	200,000
Protect Colorado's Recovery	750,000
Secure Democracy	1,000,000
Sixteen Thirty Fund	800,000
South Carolina Progressive Network Education Fund	10,000
Spark Repreductive Justice Now Inc	10,000
State Policy Institute	200,000
States Newsroom	85,000
Takeaction Minnestoa	50,000
The Fairness Project	10,000
Voters Not Politicians	130,000
Working America	75,000
Working Families Party	15,000
Yes on National Popular Vote	250,000
Total	$34,109,911

Ballot Measure Spending

In 2020, the North Fund spent $25.1 million in expenditures and $17.3 million of which went towards organizations that supported or opposed ballot measures.¹⁹

In 2020, the North Fund gave $4.7 million in direct contributions and spent an additional $339,520 in support of New Approach Montana regarding ballot measures I-190 and C-118.²⁰

The North Fund also made significant expenditures on several ballot measures in Colorado and Missouri. The North Fund contributed $2.1 million in favor of a ballot initiative to expand family and medical leave benefits in Colorado and spent an additional $1.1 million to defeat a ballot initiative to ban abortions after 22 weeks. ^{21 22}

Previously, the North Fund spent $500,000 to advocate for a 2019 Colorado ballot initiative to withhold state tax refunds from taxpayers in order spend any surplus funding on public schools, higher education, roads, and public transit. ²³

The North Fund gave $1 million to oppose a 2020 ballot initiative that would undo the current Missouri legislative districting system and replace it with an independent redistricting commission. ²⁴ The North Fund further gave $1.5 million to Missourians for Health, a political action committee that advocates in favor of a ballot initiative to expand Medicaid in Missouri.²⁵

Sponsored Political Groups

According to the D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, the North Fund operates several different entities. ²⁶ These include Just Democracy, an organization that promotes left-of-center policy on racial issues. Just Democracy also endorses giving D.C. statehood, abolishing the Electoral College, “packing” the Supreme Court with “progressive” justices, and ending the Senate’s filibuster. ²⁷

The North Fund also sponsors 51 for 51, a group that advocates solely for D.C. statehood. ²⁸ Launched in 2019, the 51 for 51 campaign announced a seven-figure ad buy in the 2020 presidential primary states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina. ²⁹

The North Fund also sponsors Voting Rights Lab Action, which advocates for changes to voting laws across the country and has opposed anti-election fraud measures. ³⁰

The North Fund’s other projects include Opportunity Wisconsin, Accountable Tech, Civic (Re)Solve Action Fund, Free and Fair Elections USA, and the Count Every Vote Project. ^{31 32}

Leadership

Board of Directors

North Fund’s 2021 board of directors included: ³³

Jim Gerstein (president and chairman): Founding partner for the Democratic polling firm GBAO Research and Strategy and a former campaign advisor to multiple Democratic politicians and the 1996 Democratic National Convention. Gerstein formerly led James Carville’s nonprofit polling organization Democracy Corps. ³⁴ Gerstein received no compensation from North Fund in 2021.

Saurabh Gupta (general counsel): Also general counsel to Arabella Advisors. His total compensation in 2021 was $19,895. ³⁵

Melanie Beller (secretary): A consultant in Texas who works on “voter enfranchisement” and “health care reform” and a former vice president of government affairs for the Wilderness Society. ³⁶

Cristina Uribe (treasurer): A union organizer with the National Education Association.

Key Staff

Megan Lewis (project director): Co-founder and executive director of the Voting Rights Lab, a former project of the 501(c)(3) New Venture Fund. Lewis is the former executive vice president of Everytown for Gun Safety, a lobbying group founded by former New York Mayor and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg that advocates for gun control measures. ³⁷ Her total compensation in 2021 was $122,921. ³⁸

Jesse Lehrich (project advisor): Co-founder and senior advisor to Accountable Tech, a North Fund project that seeks restrictions on free speech on online platforms. Lehrich is a former foreign policy spokesman for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. ³⁹ His total compensation in 2021 was $148,359. ⁴⁰

Controversies and Lawsuits

Zabawa v. North Fund

In October 2020, Steve Zabawa, Treasurer of the anti-marijuana legalization group Wrong for Montana, filed a complaint with the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices’ Office alleging that the North Fund was incorrectly registered in Montana as an incidental political committee but qualifies as an independent committee. Zabawa argues that for this reason, it should have to reveal its donors.⁴¹

COPP Commissioner Jeff Mangan reached out to the North Fund for additional information in response to the complaint. The request was to help the COPP to determine if the North Fund’s main purpose is to support or oppose ballot issues, which would make it an independent committee and have to disclose its donors.⁴²

In response to the Commissioner’s request for additional information, the North Fund provided a letter including financial disclosures, and claimed, in 2020, 10 percent of its expenditures went to ballot committees in Montana, 30 percent went towards ballot measures in total, and that the remaining amount of its expenditures were unrelated to elections. The letter also stated the North Fund’s purpose, to include, “promoting social welfare, including, but not limited to, providing public education on and conducting advocacy regarding progressive policies.”⁴³

Commissioner Mangan ultimately concluded that there is “sufficient evidence” for a Finding and Decision to institute a civil fine or prosecution of the North Fund and referred the case to the County Attorney of Lewis and Clark County to consider prosecution. In making his decision, Mangan cited the North Funds provided financial disclosures that stated in 2020 over $17 million of its $25 million in expenditures went to organizations supporting or opposing ballot measures. Mangan stated that his investigation found that the North Fund’s primary purpose is to support or oppose ballot issues.⁴⁴

Not Located at Listed Address

In May 2022, a reporter from the Washington Free Beacon visited the office of North Fund in Washington, D.C., located in a co-working rental space but was told by the front desk manager that “the North Fund uses the address but doesn’t maintain a presence there. ‘I’m not sure where they’re actually located,’ he said.” Similarly, she reported that “at Arabella’s office building in D.C., the lobby receptionists told the Free Beacon they were under strict orders from the firm to turn away all outside visitors.” ⁴⁵

When the Free Beacon stopped by the listed D.C. address for the Sixteen Thirty Fund and the New Venture Fund—the North Fund’s primary donors—their cavernous, full-floor office suite was deserted.

The groups had recently moved out, leaving just a couple of office chairs, the logo for Arabella Advisors emblazoned on the floors, and a piece of paper taped to a radiator that read, “Loose Lips Sink Ships.”

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2. Kelly, Matthew. “Dark Money Accounts for Roughly a Quarter of pro-Medicaid Expansion Committee’s Funds,” July 13, 2020. https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article244192572.html.
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7. North Fund. Open Corporates. Accessed October 30, 2020. https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_dc/EXTUID_4231080
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15. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). New Venture Fund. 2021. Schedule I. Archived: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2022/11/New-Venture-Fund-2021-Form-990.pdf
16. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Windward Fund. 2021. Schedule I. Archived: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2022/11/Windward-Fund-2021-Form-990.pdf
17. 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.
18. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). North Fund. 2021. Schedule B. Archived: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2022/11/North-Fund-2021-Form-990.pdf
19. Mangan, Jeff. “PDF.” Helena: Montana Commissioner of Political Practices, December 28, 2020. Document can be accessed at http://prod.politicalpractices.mt.gov/Portals/144/2020%20Decisions/Zabawa%20v%20North%20Fund_SD.pdf?ver=2020-12-28-113408-787.
20. Mangan, Jeff. “PDF.” Helena: Montana Commissioner of Political Practices, December 28, 2020. Document can be accessed at http://prod.politicalpractices.mt.gov/Portals/144/2020%20Decisions/Zabawa%20v%20North%20Fund_SD.pdf?ver=2020-12-28-113408-787.
21. Wyloge, Evan. “High Profile Ballot Measures Flooded With Out-of-State Campaign Cash.” Colorado Politics. October 26, 2020. Accessed October 31, 2020. https://www.coloradopolitics.com/2020-election/high-profile-ballot-measures-flooded-with-out-of-state-campaign-cash/article_d3ea8c50-0e55-11eb-bd6d-cbd2ace018a3.html
22. Wyloge, Evan. “High Profile Ballot Measures Flooded With Out-of-State Campaign Cash.” Colorado Politics. October 26, 2020. Accessed October 31, 2020. https://www.coloradopolitics.com/2020-election/high-profile-ballot-measures-flooded-with-out-of-state-campaign-cash/article_d3ea8c50-0e55-11eb-bd6d-cbd2ace018a3.html
23. Fish, Sandra. “Dark Money and Big Donors Fuel the Ballot Battle Over Proposition CC in Colorado.” Colorado Sun. October 17, 2019. Accessed October 31, 2020. https://coloradosun.com/2019/10/17/dark-money-donors-proposition-cc-colorado/
24. Rosenbaum, Jason. “In Explosive and Partisan Missouri Redistricting Fight, Voters Get the Final Say.” NPR. October 18, 2020. https://www.npr.org/2020/10/18/923304112/in-an-expensive-and-partisan-missouri-redistricting-fight-voters-get-the-final-s
25. Kelly, Matthew. “Dark Money Accounts for Roughly a Quarter of Pro-Medicaid Expansion Committee’s Funds.” Kansas City Star. July 13, 2020. Accessed October 31, 2020. https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article244192572.html
26. Slanger, Addi. “Progressive Leaning D.C.-Nonprofit Spends Nearly $5 Million for Marijuana Legalization.” Bozeman Daily Chronicle. October 26, 2020. Accessed October 30, 2020. https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/politics/progressive-leaning-d-c-nonprofit-spends-nearly-5-million-for-marijuana-legalization/article_90fded5b-1e86-5ea8-a98e-3e6949430993.html
27. Kerma, Roge. “To Achieve Racial Justice America’s Broken Democracy Must be Fixed.” Vox. September 21, 2020. Accessed October 30, 2020. https://www.vox.com/21446880/just-democracy-reform-gun-violence-police-brutality-climate-change
28. Slanger, Addi. “Progressive Leaning D.C.-Nonprofit Spends Nearly $5 Million for Marijuana Legalization.” Bozeman Daily Chronicle. October 26, 2020. Accessed October 30, 2020. https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/politics/progressive-leaning-d-c-nonprofit-spends-nearly-5-million-for-marijuana-legalization/article_90fded5b-1e86-5ea8-a98e-3e6949430993.html
29. Kirzius, Rachel. “This New Campaign Plans To Spend ‘Seven Figures’ Pushing For D.C. Statehood. But It Won’t Disclose Its Funders.” DCist. May 23, 2019. Accessed https://dcist.com/story/19/05/23/this-new-campaign-plans-to-spend-seven-figures-pushing-for-d-c-statehood-but-it-wont-disclose-its-funders/
30. Slanger, Addi. “Progressive Leaning D.C.-Nonprofit Spends Nearly $5 Million for Marijuana Legalization.” Bozeman Daily Chronicle. October 26, 2020. Accessed October 30, 2020. https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/politics/progressive-leaning-d-c-nonprofit-spends-nearly-5-million-for-marijuana-legalization/article_90fded5b-1e86-5ea8-a98e-3e6949430993.html
31. Slanger, Addi. “Progressive Leaning D.C.-Nonprofit Spends Nearly $5 Million for Marijuana Legalization.” Bozeman Daily Chronicle. October 26, 2020. Accessed October 30, 2020. https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/politics/progressive-leaning-d-c-nonprofit-spends-nearly-5-million-for-marijuana-legalization/article_90fded5b-1e86-5ea8-a98e-3e6949430993.html
32. Screenshot Archived Here: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2022/05/North-Fund-Trade-Names.pdf. Accessed May 23, 2022.
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37. “About The Voting Rights Lab.” Voting Rights Lab. Accessed Nov. 22, 2022. https://www.votingrightslab.org/
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39. “About.” Accountable Tech. Accessed Nov. 22, 2022. https://accountabletech.org/about/
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41. Ambarian, Jonathon. “Montana Marijuana Legalization Opponents Want pro-Legalization Group to Reveal Donors.” KTVH. KTVH, October 12, 2020. https://www.ktvh.com/news/election-2020/montana-marijuana-legalization-opponents-want-pro-legalization-group-to-reveal-donors.
42. Mangan, Jeff. “PDF.” Helena: Montana Commissioner of Political Practices, December 28, 2020. Document can be accessed at http://prod.politicalpractices.mt.gov/Portals/144/2020%20Decisions/Zabawa%20v%20North%20Fund_SD.pdf?ver=2020-12-28-113408-787.  
43. Maltbie, Amber, and James Molloy. Letter to Jeffrey A. Mangan, Commissioner. “Re: North Fund Incidental Committee Classification – Response to Request for Additional Information,” October 23, 2020.
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