Progressive Congress Action Fund

The Progressive Congress Action Fund (PCAF) was a left-progressive advocacy organization affiliated with Progressive Congress. 1 2 In 2018, Progressive Congress rebranded as the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center (CPCC). CPCC is a think tank affiliated with the Congressional Progressive Caucus, a left-wing congressional caucus that works to shift the Democratic Party’s platform further to the left. 3 PCAF underwent a similar rebranding, becoming the Progressive Caucus Action Fund in 2018 and maintaining its affiliation with the CPCC. 4 5

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(4)
Issue Areas: Economic Policy
Tax ID: 27-0805235

Contents

    Left-of-center operatives associated with PCAF include Debra Cooper, a board officer at the New York affiliate of NARAL Pro-Choice America; Jim Dean, chair of the left-wing Democracy for America; and Mike Lux, founding member of Democracy Partners (DP), who previously sat on the PCAF board.

    History and Activity

    PCAF has removed its former website from the internet, but archives of the website reveal that the Action Fund began in 2010. 6 In 2011, PCAF encouraged website visitors to “help map the progressive moment,” urging users to share information on left-progressive organizations to strengthen the far-left movement’s network. The organization also led campaigns to support framing political issues with left-wing language in order to gain sympathy and support for the left-progressive movement. 7

    Before rebranding, PCAF also organized advocacy campaigns in support of left-progressive issues. PCAF organized campaigns to abolish the U.S. Senate filibuster, increase the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination based on sexuality, expand worker protections, and limit free trade agreements. 7 8 9 10 PCAF has expanded its left-of-center policy advocacy after rebranding as the Progressive Caucus Action Fund, endorsing a broad slate of left-progressive policy proposals. These include implementing strict gun control measures, loosening immigration requirements, and establishing a government-controlled healthcare system in the United States. 11 12 13

    People

    The PCAF board featured a number of high-profile, left-of-center figures. These included Robert Borosage, the founder and co-director of the Campaign for America’s Future; Debra Cooper, a board officer at NARAL ProChoice NY; Jim Dean, chair of Democracy for America; and Mike Lux, CEO of Progressive Strategies and founding member of Democracy Partners. 14

    While the Progressive Caucus Action Fund does not disclose its board members on its website, its most recent tax filings disclose that all of these members remained on the PCAF board following its rebranding, at least as of 2018. 15

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $4,580,000
    • Number of Grants: 30
    • Number of Funders: 9

    Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $750,0002021 Open Society Action Fundto support federal policy advocacy on range of issues
    $750,0002020 Open Society Action Fundto support the grantee's social welfare activities
    $275,0002020 Open Society Action Fundto support policy advocacy on good governance
    $200,0002023 Women Donors Network ActionPRIMARY-PURPOSE SUPPORT
    $200,0002023 Communications Workers of America AFL-CIO ClcGENERAL SUPPORT
    $200,0002022 Women Donors Network ActionPRIMARY PURPOSE SUPPORT
    $190,0002020 National Education Association of the United StatesFINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
    $180,0002022 National Education Association of the United StatesFINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
    $150,0002024 American Federation of State County and Municipal Employeesgeneral
    $150,0002023 National Education Association of the United StatesFINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
    $150,0002023 American Federation of State County and Municipal EmployeesGeneral
    $150,0002022 American Federation of State County and Municipal EmployeesGeneral
    $150,0002021 National Education Association of the United StatesFINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
    $100,0002024 Communications Workers of America AFL-CIO ClcGENERAL SUPPORT
    $100,0002022 Communications Workers of America AFL-CIO ClcGENERAL SUPPORT
    $100,0002021 Communications Workers of America AFL-CIO ClcGENERAL SUPPORT
    $100,0002021 American Federation of State County and Municipal EmployeesGeneral
    $100,0002020 American Federation of State County and Municipal EmployeesGeneral
    $100,0002020 Communications Workers of America AFL-CIO ClcGENERAL SUPPORT
    $50,0002020 Women Donors Network ActionGENERAL SUPPORT
    $35,0002020 International Union of Bricklayers and Allied CraftworkersDonations – political
    $25,0002020 Indivisible ProjectGENERAL SUPPORT

    All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $80,000
    • Number of Grants: 8
    • Number of Recipients: 8

    Selection of highest value grants given from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $10,0002021 NEO PhilanthropyEDUCATION & TRAINING PROGRAM
    $10,0002021 New Georgia Project Action FundEDUCATION & TRAINING PROGRAM
    $10,0002021 Rights & Democracy InstituteEDUCATION & TRAINING PROGRAM
    $10,0002021 The People's LobbyEDUCATION & TRAINING PROGRAM
    $10,0002021 West Virginia Citizen Action Group IncEDUCATION & TRAINING PROGRAM
    $10,0002022 Oneamerica VotesEDUCATION & TRAINING PROGRAM
    $10,0002021 Alliance for a Just SocietyEDUCATION & TRAINING PROGRAM
    $10,0002021 Mothering JusticeEDUCATION & TRAINING PROGRAM

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    Financials, employee compensation, and grant information provided by Candid.

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. “Home.” Progressive Congress Action Fund. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20180419125936/http://www.progressivecongressactionfund.org/.
    2. “About Us.” Action.ProgressiveCongress.org. Progressive Congress Action Fund. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20111227021747/http://action.progressivecongress.org/t/5866/content.jsp?key=3360.
    3. Killough, Ashley. “Congressional Progressives Get Their Own Center | CNN Politics.” CNN. Cable News Network, October 9, 2018. https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/09/politics/congress-progressives-center/index.html.
    4. “Tax Exempt Organization Search: Progressive Caucus Action Fund.” IRS.gov. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Accessed May 12, 2021. https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/detailsPage?ein=270805235&name=PROGRESSIVE+CAUCUS+ACTION+FUND&city=&state=&countryAbbr=US&dba=&type=COPYOFRETURNS&orgTags=COPYOFRETURNS.
    5. Progressive Caucus Action Fund. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://progressivecaucusactionfund.org/.
    6. “Connecting the Progressive Movement, Ideas, and Congress.” Action.ProgressiveCongress.org. Progressive Congress Action Fund. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20111227021747/http://action.progressivecongress.org/t/5866/content.jsp?key=3360.
    7. “Take Action!” Action.ProgressiveCongress.org. Progressive Congress Action Fund. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20110129034927/http://action.progressivecongress.org/t/5854/content.jsp?key=3369.
    8. Alperstein, Olivia, and Daniel Parkhurst. “Actions.” Progressive Congress Action Fund, November 24, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20170424074115/http://www.progressivecongressactionfund.org/take-action2.
    9. “Take Action for Queer Justice.” Progressive Congress Action Fund. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20180408174010/http://www.progressivecongressactionfund.org/take-action-for-queer-justice.
    10. “Fair Trade.” Progressive Congress Action Fund. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20170423233522/http://www.progressivecongressactionfund.org/fair-trade/.
    11. “Gun Violence Prevention.” Progressive Caucus Action Fund. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://progressivecaucusactionfund.org/issues/gun-violence-prevention.
    12. “Immigrants’ Rights.” Progressive Caucus Action Fund. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://progressivecaucusactionfund.org/issues/immigrants-rights.
    13. “Healthcare for All.” Progressive Caucus Action Fund. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://progressivecaucusactionfund.org/issues/healthcare.
    14. “Action Fund Board.” Progressive Caucus Action Fund. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20181101185814/http://www.progressivecongressactionfund.org/action-fund-board/.
    15. “Progressive Caucus Action Fund.” Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, Form 990, 2018. Part VII.