Non-profit

Providence Student Union

Website:

www.pvdstudentunion.org

Location:

Providence, RI

Tax ID:

45-5052229

Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2020):

Revenue: $301,097
Expenses: $251,467
Assets: $220,602

Type:

K-12 Student Activist Group

Executive Director:

Precious Lopez

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The Providence Student Union (PSU) is a student organizing and activist organization based in Providence, Rhode Island that promotes left-of-center policies within the Providence public school system. The organization was formed in 2010 and has organized campaigns opposing student resource officers in public school, advocating for curricular changes including instituting “ethnic studies” programs in public schools, and supporting student protests. The organization promotes a “Student Bill of Rights” that calls for the school system to provide public education and free and reduced meal services to students regardless of immigration status. 1 2

The Providence Student Union receives funding from the left-of-center funding group the New Venture Fund, which is managed by left-of-center consultancy Arabella Advisors, as well as the radical-left funding organization Haymarket People’s Fund. 3 4

Background

The Providence Student Union was formed in early 2010 when students from Hope High School in Providence, Rhode Island started a campaign opposing the elimination of the school’s block-scheduling system. The group became the first PSU chapter and was called Hope United. The group then began organizing similar student-activist groups at other high schools in the city. 5

The organization now hosts many school-specific and city-wide campaigns supporting significant changes to policies within the school system. PSU describes itself as a “true union for students” and states on its website that students face “racist and arbitrary discipline practices, including police violence in and out of school.” The group also contends that “national institutions have silenced and ignored young people’s voices for decades.” 6

Campaigns

The Providence Student Union has led dozens of campaigns advocating for a variety of changes to school policies and funding increases. Early campaigns led by the PSU following its founding in 2010 included topics such as school bathroom repairs and improvement, healthy school lunches and “diverse” lunch menus, and establishing a “student jury” to weigh in on student punishments. Another campaign operated by PSU in 2013 opposed the planned closure of Alvarez High School in Providence, a school of 400 students. 7

From 2013 to 2014 the group led a campaign to loosen graduation standards by eliminating a requirement that students pass an exam to graduate high school. The exam was eventually eliminated in all Rhode Island public schools. 8

Affiliated Organizations and Coalitions

The Providence Student Union is a key organizer of the Providence Alliance for Student Safety (PASS) which operates the “Counselors Not Cops” campaign opposing the use of student resource officers in public schools and alleging that schools would be safer with the hiring of more guidance counselors. The coalition includes the Alliance of Rhode Island Southeast Asians for Education (ARISE), Providence Youth Student Movement (PrYSM), and the Rhode Island Urban Debate League. 9 10 11

The PSU is also an organizer of the Our Schools PVD coalition, which promotes critical-race theory inspired policies and curricula in Providence schools to promote a “racially just and equitable public education system.” The Coalition is led by the Alliance of Rhode Island Southeast Asians for Education (ARISE), Providence Youth Student Movement (PrYSM), Rhode Island Urban Debate League (RIUDL), and Youth In Action (YIA). 12

PSU is also a member of the left-of-center Rhode Island Civic Learning Coalition. 13 14

Funding

The Providence Student Union receives funding from the left-of-center funding group the New Venture Fund, which is operated by left-of-center consultancy Arabella Advisors, as well as the radical-left funding organization the Haymarket Peoples Fund. 15 16

The group uses the Democratic-aligned fundraising platform ActBlue. 17

References

  1. “Student Bill of Rights.” Providence Student Union. Accessed October 13, 2022. https://www.pvdstudentunion.org/student-bill-of-rights
  2. “Youth-led Campaigns.” Providence Student Union. Accessed October 13, 2022. https://www.pvdstudentunion.org/campaign
  3. Haymarket Peoples Fund. Return of an Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990). 2020. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/42586725/202130609349300838/IRS990ScheduleI
  4. New Venture Fund. Return of an Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990). https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/205806345/202043389349300039/IRS990ScheduleI
  5. “About.” Providence Student Union. Accessed October 13, 2022. https://www.pvdstudentunion.org/about
  6. “About.” Providence Student Union. Accessed October 13, 2022. https://www.pvdstudentunion.org/about
  7. “Youth-led Campaigns.” Providence Student Union. Accessed October 13, 2022. https://www.pvdstudentunion.org/campaign
  8. “Youth-led Campaigns.” Providence Student Union. Accessed October 13, 2022. https://www.pvdstudentunion.org/campaign
  9. “About.” Providence Student Union. Accessed October 13, 2022. https://www.pvdstudentunion.org/about
  10. “Providence Alliance for Student Safety PASS.” Facebook. Accessed October 16, 2022. https://www.facebook.com/PASSPVD
  11. “Residents, students protest policing in Providence schools following attack, arrest of high school student by school resource officer.” Brown Daily Herald. Accessed October 16, 2022.  https://www.browndailyherald.com/article/2022/03/residents-students-protest-policing-in-providence-schools-following-attack-arrest-of-high-school-student-by-school-resource-officer
  12. “Coalitions.” Providence Student Union. Accessed October 25, 2022. https://www.pvdstudentunion.org/about-us
  13. “Home.” Rhode Island Civic Learning Federation. Accessed October 16, 2022.  https://www.ricivics.org/
  14. “Youth-led Campaigns.” Providence Student Union. Accessed October 13, 2022. https://www.pvdstudentunion.org/campaign
  15. Haymarket Peoples Fund. Return of an Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990). 2020. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/42586725/202130609349300838/IRS990ScheduleI
  16. New Venture Fund. Return of an Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990). 2020. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/205806345/202043389349300039/IRS990ScheduleI
  17. “Providence Student Union.” ActBlue. Accessed October 16, 2022.  https://secure.actblue.com/donate/psu
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: June - May
  • Tax Exemption Received: May 1, 2016

  • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2020 Jun Form 990 $301,097 $251,467 $220,602 $23,507 N $298,667 $2,430 $0 $41,726
    2019 Jun Form 990 $218,607 $207,017 $146,931 $69 N $215,136 $3,471 $0 $35,949 PDF
    2018 Jun Form 990 $265,625 $187,272 $135,341 $69 N $263,785 $1,840 $0 $31,410 PDF
    2017 Jun Form 990 $220,747 $185,921 $56,919 $0 N $220,747 $0 $0 $30,160 PDF

    Providence Student Union


    Providence, RI