The Peace Action Fund of New York State is the charitable arm of Peace Action New York State, which is one among dozens of state and local level affiliates of the left-of-center anti-war advocacy organization Peace Action, which was founded during the Cold War in opposition to nuclear proliferation. Peace Action has dozens of affiliates at the state and local level throughout the United States. ^{1 2 3}

Peace Action New York State and the Peace Action Fund of New York State were involved in organizing and supporting high-profile anti-Israel student protests in 2024, and the group was among several anti-Israel groups that received funding from the New York City Council. Issues of priority for the group include calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, calling for drastic cuts to U.S. defense spending, and a ban on nuclear weapons. ^{4 1 2 3}

History

Peace Action New York State was granted tax-exempt status in 1986, making it among the oldest local affiliates of the national Peace Action organization. In 2007, the Peace Action Fund of New York State was formed as an educational arm with charitable status, which allows it to accept tax-deductible contributions, while Peace Action New York State is the group’s lobbying arm. Most of the funding for the New York Peace Action apparatus is handled by the Peace Action Fund of New York State, which reported $200,000 in revenue in 2022, while Peace Action New York State only reported $12,000 in revenue the same year. ^{5 6 7 8}

The national Peace Action organization was first formed in 1957 as the National Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy, better known as SANE. ⁹ SANE opposed U.S. military involvement in Vietnam, and in November 1965, organized the “largest antiwar demonstration up to that time.” SANE supported U.S. Senator Eugene McCarthy’s 1968 presidential campaign, which centered around bringing an end to the Vietnam War. ⁹ SANE continued its activities throughout the twentieth century, and in 1987, became Peace Action when it merged with the Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign, also known as FREEZE, an anti-nuclear testing group that was formed in 1979. SANE and FREEZE also had several local and state affiliates prior to the merger, including Peace Action New York State. ⁹

Activity

The Peace Action Fund of New York State operates most of the activities for Peace Action New York State outside of direct lobbying, and notably operates the group’s Campus Organizing Program, which has chapters at fifteen New York colleges and universities. Notably, such chapters were key organizers of anti-Israel protests in 2024. Reporting on the protests, the Peace Action Fund of New York State stated that “student organizers in the Peace Action Fund of New York State (PAFNYS) Campus Organizing Program have acted as leaders in their campus communities in response to the unfolding conflict and genocide in Gaza. Unfortunately, many have been met with hostile responses from their school administrations and targeted for exercising their right to peacefully protest. Despite this, our student organizers have not backed down, and have expanded their focus from demanding a ceasefire to calling on their universities to divest from Israel as part of the emerging SUNY Boycott, Divest, and Sanction (BDS) movement.” ¹⁰

At New York University, which had some of the most notable and intense anti-Israel protests, the group stated that “Members of the chapter participated in walkouts for Gaza on campus throughout the semester, and supported the NYU Gaza encampment before its quick shutdown. The chapter also worked closely with members of Students for Justice in Palestine to support their efforts.” ¹⁰

Peace Action New York State was among several anti-Israel groups that received funding from the New York City Council along with the Center for Popular Democracy, the Tides Center, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations New York (CAIR-NY). ¹¹

Peace Action New York State’s other policy goals include supporting drastic cuts to the U.S. defense budget and opposing nuclear weapons, stating that “As the United States continues to increase military spending, fails to meet obligations set out in the Non-Proliferation Treaty, refuses to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and fails to take meaningful action to address climate change, it is more important than ever to hold the government accountable.” ¹²

1. “Home.” Peace Action New York State. Accessed November 10, 2024. https://www.panys.org/
2. Peace Action New York State. “Statement of Solidarity with Student Protests for Gaza.” Accessed December 3, 2024. https://www.panys.org/news-updates/statement-of-solidarity-with-student-protests-for-gaza
3. “Who We Are.” Peace Action. Accessed November 10, 2024. https://www.peaceaction.org/who-we-are/
4. “Peace Action.” Library of Congress Web Archive. Accessed November 10, 2024. https://www.loc.gov/item/lcwaN0002416/
5. “About the Fund.” Peace Action New York State. Accessed November 15, 2024. https://www.panys.org/the-fund
6. “About.” Peace Action New York State. Accessed November 15, 2024. https://www.panys.org/about
7. “Peace Action Fund of New York State.” ProPublica. Accessed November 15, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/10885806
8. “Peace Action New York State.” ProPublica. Accessed November 15, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/141801528
9. “History.” Peace Action. Accessed November 10, 2024. https://www.peaceaction.org/who-we-are/our-mission/history/
10. “Spring 2024 Campus Organizing Program Update.” Peace Action New York State. Accessed November 15, 2024. https://www.panys.org/news-updates/spring-2024-campus-organizing-program-update
11. Calder, Rick and Sedaca, Matthew. “Anti-Israel campus protest backers raked in $2.7M in lefty NYC Council pork funds.” New York Post. May 4, 2024. Accessed November 15, 2024. https://nypost.com/2024/05/04/us-news/anti-israel-campus-protest-backers-got-2-7m-in-nyc-council-pork/
12. “Our Work.” Peace Action New York State. Accessed November 15, 2024. https://www.panys.org/our-work