Progressive Maryland is a lobbying and advocacy organization and network of left-progressive organizations in Maryland. The organization works to promote its agenda by outreach, public education campaigns, lobbying, direct public action, research, and support for left-of-center candidates. The Progressive Maryland Education Fund, Progressive Maryland’s affiliate organization, supports these efforts.

Progressive Maryland is a member of the Economic Analysis and Research Network, a left-of-center umbrella group for various pro-organized labor research organizations. ¹ It is also a member of People’s Action, a consortium of left-wing community organizing groups. ² Progressive Maryland is also a member of Social Security Works, a left-of-center organization that calls for expanded entitlement programs around retirement. ³

Progressive Maryland has a strong labor union presence in its network. ⁴ Progressive Maryland has also worked on issues with the left-wing Working Families Party. ⁵

Overview

Progressive Maryland is a network of left-of-center organizations that works to promote left-of-center policies in the state of Maryland through direct outreach, public education campaigns, lobbying, support for left-of-center candidates. ⁶

Progressive Maryland includes a number of left-of-center affiliates, including the local chapters of several major labor unions. These include the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689, the Communications Workers of America District 2-13, the Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 2, Ironworkers Local 5, the Baltimore Washington Laborers District Council, the Plumbers and Steamfitters UA Local 486, SEIU Local 119, Steamfitters Local 602, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 27, UFCW Local 400, and UFCW Local 1994 (MCGEO). ⁷

Progressive Maryland is also affiliated with left-of-center organizations outside of organized labor. These include the Maryland chapter of the American Jewish Congress, the Lower Shore Progressive Caucus, the Maryland Employment Lawyers Association, Maryland NOW, Maryland United for Peace and Justice, the Maryland State Conference of the NAACP, the Montgomery County NAACP, and Progressive Cheverly. ⁸

The organizations are also represented on Progressive Maryland’s board of directors. ⁹

Leadership

Larry Stafford Jr. is the executive director of Progressive Maryland. He has been the executive director since 2015. Previously, Stafford was a staffer for the controversial and now-defunct voter engagement organization ACORN. He also works as executive director for the Progressive Maryland Education Fund. ¹⁰

Jennifer Mendes Dwyer is the deputy executive director of Progressive Maryland. She has been working for the organization since 2016. Before joining the organization, she helped to prevent a Wal-Mart store from opening in her town. ¹¹

Patty Snee is the special projects lead organizer for Progressive Maryland. She has worked and lead canvassing operations for numerous left-wing organizations, including the Working Families Party, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), and the Progressive Action Network (PAN), since the 1980s. ¹²

Working Families Party Collaboration

Progressive Maryland has collaborated with the New York-based, left-wing Working Families Party.

In 2020, the two groups worked together to influence Baltimore city elections. The two groups endorsed a slate of left-wing candidates for Baltimore City Council and mayor, announcing the beginning of an ongoing partnership between the organizations. ¹³

In January 2021, Progressive Maryland and the Working Families Party collaborated to send a billboard truck around the state of Maryland to call for a special session of the Maryland General Assembly. The goal of the proposed special session was to pass a COVID-19 relief bill that expanded government spending programs during the pandemic. The truck drove through the districts of lawmakers who had not supported the special session. ¹⁴

Financials

Progressive Maryland generated $611,054 in revenue and spent $663,663 in 2018. ¹⁵ The group awarded a $25,000 grant to Common Cause. ¹⁶

1.            “Our Network”. 2021. EARN. Accessed February 8. https://earn.us/directory/.
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3. “Coalition Members”. 2021. Strengthen Social Security. Accessed February 8. https://strengthensocialsecurity.org/steering-committee/.
4. “Affiliates And Board Of Directors”. 2021. Progressive Maryland. Accessed February 8. https://www.progressivemaryland.org/board.
5.            Dieterle, Marcus. 2021. “Progressive Maryland, Working Families Party Use Billboard Truck To Advocate For COVID-19 Legislative Needs”. Patch. https://baltimorefishbowl.com/stories/progressive-maryland-working-families-party-use-billboard-truck-to-advocate-for-covid-19-legislative-needs/.
6. “About”. 2021. Progressive Maryland. Accessed February 8. https://www.progressivemaryland.org/about.
7. “Affiliates And Board Of Directors”. 2021. Progressive Maryland. Accessed February 8. https://www.progressivemaryland.org/board.
8. “Affiliates And Board Of Directors”. 2021. Progressive Maryland. Accessed February 8. https://www.progressivemaryland.org/board.
9.            “Affiliates And Board Of Directors”. 2021. Progressive Maryland. Accessed February 8. https://www.progressivemaryland.org/board.
10. “Staff Directory & Contacts”. 2021. Progressive Maryland. Accessed February 8. https://www.progressivemaryland.org/theteam.
11. “Staff Directory & Contacts”. 2021. Progressive Maryland. Accessed February 8. https://www.progressivemaryland.org/theteam.
12. “Staff Directory & Contacts”. 2021. Progressive Maryland. Accessed February 8. https://www.progressivemaryland.org/theteam.
13. Kurtz, Josh. 2020. “Teaming Up, Md. Progressive Groups Say Remaking City Hall Is Job One”. Maryland Matters. https://www.marylandmatters.org/2020/02/10/teaming-up-md-progressive-groups-say-remaking-city-hall-is-job-one/.
14. Dieterle, Marcus. 2021. “Progressive Maryland, Working Families Party Use Billboard Truck To Advocate For COVID-19 Legislative Needs”. Patch. https://baltimorefishbowl.com/stories/progressive-maryland-working-families-party-use-billboard-truck-to-advocate-for-covid-19-legislative-needs/.
15. Form 990. 2018. Ebook. Guidestar.
16. Form 990. 2018. Ebook. Guidestar.