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Non-profit

Resource Generation

Website:

resourcegeneration.org/
Location:

NEW YORK, NY
Tax ID:

27-1847561
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2019):

Revenue: $3,071,701
Expenses: $2,145,697
Assets: $2,579,909
Formation:

1998 (as Comfort Zone)
Executive Director:

Yahya Alazrak

Resource Generation (RG) is a left-of-center organization which organizes and encourages wealthy young people to “devote a portion of their financial assets to left-of-center causes.” 1 RG has been described as a “politicization machine” for wealthy and “socialist-minded” 2 18- to 35-year-olds. 3

RG affirms wealth is predicated on “stolen land, stolen labor and stolen lives,” 4 operates conferences and webinars on wealth redistribution, 5 and supports doing “voluntary redistribution in service of involuntary redistribution” of wealth. 6 RG has 17 chapters around the United States and at least 1104 dues-paying members as of January 2022. 7 The family fortunes of RG members total approximately $22 billion. 8

RG is a member of the left-of-center Unmasking Fidelity coalition 9 and the New Economy Coalition. 10 RG supports the Black Lives Matter movement, 11 is a member of the left-of-center Funders for Justice platform, 12 and is a national campaign partner with the left-of-center Center for Popular Democracy and the left-of-center racial advocacy organization Movement for Black Lives. 13 14 Local groups supported by Resource Generation include the left-of-center Community Labor United (CLU), Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en la Lucha, Make the Road New York, Alliance of Californians for Community Action, Make the Road Connecticut, the radical-left Black Visions Collective, Southerners on New Ground, and the Philadelphia Community Bail Fund. 15

History and Leadership

Resource Generation (RG) was founded as Comfort Zone in 1998 by Tracy Hewat and Lynne Gerber. 16 In 1999, Comfort Zone worked with the left-of-center Third Wave Fund, Tides Foundation, and The Funding Exchange to host the first Making Money Make Change Conference, which aims to generate a vision of a future in which wealth, land, and power are “equitably shared.” 17 In 2000, Comfort Zone became Resource Generation. 18 In 2020, RG launched a lobbying and electoral advocacy group, Resource Generation Action. 19

Yahya Alazrak is Resource Generation’s executive director. 20 Alazrak participated in the Occupy Wall Street and the 2014 Black Lives Matter movement protests. He is on the board of the left-of-center Bread and Roses Community Fund. 21

Nora Leccese is RG’s high-net-wealth organizer and the coordinator for RG Action. Previously she worked as a field organizer for the unsuccessful 2018 gubernatorial campaign of Stacey Abrams (D-GA) and as a core organizer for the far-left Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) DC. 22

Activities and Funding

Resource Generation is an organization which encourages and organizes wealthy young people to “devote a portion of their financial assets to left-wing causes.” 23 A “politicization machine” for wealthy and “socialist-minded” 24 18- to 35-year-olds 25 with 17 chapters around the United States, 26 the organization has at least 1104 dues-paying members who pay at least $250 to RG, depending on the level of their wealth. 27

Membership

Members are encouraged to give away one to seven percent of their net wealth each year, to keep up with annual anticipated stock returns. If they give away less than that, they are still making money off their wealth which is a “no-no.” 28 Despite the high net wealth of its members, RG believes wealth is predicated on “stolen land, stolen labor and stolen lives.” 29 RG operates conferences and webinars on wealth redistribution 30 and supports “voluntary redistribution in service of involuntary redistribution” of wealth. 31

As of January 2022, RG has at least 1104 dues-paying members 32 who are committed to the “equitable distribution of wealth, land, and power” with a goal of divestment from racial capitalism and white supremacy.” 33 34 The family fortunes of Resource Generation members total approximately $22 billion 35 and donations are often guided by RG’s “Social Justice Philanthropy Principles” on giving for systemic change that addresses “racial, economic, and environmental injustices.” 36

Grantmaking by Members

In 2021, Resource Generation’s members made 801 donation pledges totaling $98.3 million to critical race theory-influenced social justice movements. In 2020, members pledged $68 million, and in 2019, members pledged $27 million. 37

RG members’ 2020 pledges included $6.49 million for the left-of-center racial-advocacy organization Movement for Black Lives (MBL), $1.1 million for the Center for Popular Democracy, $1.1 million for the Southern Power Fund, and more than $1 million for the Electoral Justice Project, which is a 501(c)(4) project of MBL. 38 39 40

Coalitions and Associates

RG is a member of the left-wing Unmasking Fidelity coalition 41 and the New Economy Coalition. 42 RG supports the far-left Black Lives Matter movement, 43 is a member of the left-of-center Funders for Justice platform, 44 and is a national campaign partner with the left-of-center Center for Popular Democracy and the left-of-center racial advocacy organization Movement for Black Lives. 45

RG’s local associates include Community Labor United (CLU), Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en la Lucha, Make the Road New York, Alliance of Californians for Community Action,  Make the Road Connecticut, the radical-left Black Visions Collective, Southerners on New Ground, and the Philadelphia Community Bail Fund. 46

Resource Generation has called for donations to the Southern Power Fund, which is a project of Alternate Roots, Highlander Research and Education Center, Project South, and Southerners on New Ground (SONG), to support their battle towards black liberation. 47

Individual members of Resource Generation have also given money to Turning the Tide, which stops police and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) collaborations. They have also supported pro-illegal immigration organizations such as 3rd space (a program of the Audre Lorde Project), illegal immigration advocacy organization Puente Human Rights Movement and Arizona Dream Act Coalition, raised $135,000 for Social Justice Fund Northwest, and posted bond to release an illegal immigrant from ICE detention. 48

Redistribution Pledge

Resource Generation’s efforts include a three-point redistribution pledge to help guide donors in how to use their wealth to act in the name of the critical race theory-influenced concept of “social justice”:

Commit to yourself, your inherent worth and dignity, and the ways in which you’ll benefit from a world where everyone has enough, and that together we’ll all have much more than that.

Commit to putting in the work to make that world real: take action, have courageous conversations, join a chapter, or take on a leadership role. Today, sign our Redistribution Pledge and commit to supporting our partners the Center for Popular Democracy and the Movement for Black Lives.

Commit to Resource Generation, join or renew as a member pledging 5% of your annual giving. Being a membership organization is a political strategy in a long lineage of organizing (base-building organizations, unions, political parties, and more). This builds the collective power we need to bring about the world we all deserve and multiplies our impact far beyond the sum of our individual actions. 49 50

RG also supports land reparations as a long-term transformative process and ongoing practice of accountability. 51 To this end, RG supports far-left NDN Collective’s LANDBACK Campaign, which calls for the transfer federal lands to native American tribal authorities. 52

Funding

In 2019, Resource Generation received $2,876,925 in grants and contributions and spent $2,145,697. These figures are an increase from 2018, where Resource Generation received $1,832,554 in grants and contributions and spent 1,653,979. 53

In 2020, Resource Generation received $110,000 from the left-of-center Tides Foundation. 54 Tides also contributed $110,000 in 2019, 55 $85,000 in 2018, and $15,000 in 2017 56 to Resource Generation. 57

In 2019, Resource Generation also received $709,2000 from Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, 58 $110,000 from the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego in 2019, 59 $35,000 from Impactassets; 60 $15,000 in grants from All Hands on Deck Network; 61 and $20,500 from Triangle Community Foundation in 2019. 62

Resource Generation received $210,000 from the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation; 63 $17,500 from the Social Justice Fund Northwest; 64 and $7,000 from the American Endowment Foundation in 2018. 65 Resource Generation received its first major grant from a foundation in 2002: $50,000 from the Ford Foundation. 66

References

  1. Olen, Helaine. “Can Rich Millennials Be Convinced to Give Their Money Away?” The Atlantic. November 20, 2017. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/11/resource-generation-philanthropy/546350/.
  2. Beery, Zoë. “The Rich Kids Who Want to Tear Down Capitalism.” New York Times. November 27, 2020. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/27/style/trust-fund-activism-resouce-generation.html.
  3. Beery, Zoë. “The Rich Kids Who Want to Tear Down Capitalism.” New York Times. November 27, 2020. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/27/style/trust-fund-activism-resouce-generation.html
  4. Beery, Zoë. “The Rich Kids Who Want to Tear Down Capitalism.” New York Times. November 27, 2020. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/27/style/trust-fund-activism-resouce-generation.html
  5. “Programs & Conferences.” Resource Generation. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://resourcegeneration.org/what-we-do/#our-methods.
  6. Altman, Anna. “The Millennials Who Want to Get Rid of Their Class Privilege.” Washington Post Magazine. March 2, 2020. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2020/03/02/their-families-built-fortunes-these-millennials-are-trying-figure-out-how-undo-their-class-privilege/.
  7.  Altman, Anna. “The Millennials Who Want to Get Rid of Their Class Privilege.” Washington Post Magazine. March 2, 2020. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2020/03/02/their-families-built-fortunes-these-millennials-are-trying-figure-out-how-undo-their-class-privilege/.
  8. Schleifer, Theodore. “A new generation of philanthropists are ticked off at Trump – and their parents.” Vox Recode. January 13, 2020. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://www.vox.com/recode/2020/1/13/20827389/young-donors-philanthropists-resource-generation-politics-trump.
  9. “About Us.” Unmasking Fidelity. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://unmaskingfidelity.org/about-us/.
  10. “Member Directory” New Economy Coalition. Accessed January 29, 2020. https://neweconomy.net/member-directory/.
  11. “Tweet.” Twitter. Posted June 1, 2020. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://twitter.com/resourcegen/status/1267599497451966464?s=21.
  12. “Resource Generation.” Funders for Justice. December 12, 2014. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://fundersforjustice.org/resource-generation/.
  13. Redistribution Pledge.” Resource Generation. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://resourcegeneration.org/redistribution-pledge/.
  14. “Starting Our 2021 Fall Membership and Redistribution Pledge Drive!” Resource Generation. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://resourcegeneration.org/starting-our-2021-fall-membership-and-redistribution-pledge-drive/.
  15. “How to Give to RG’s National Campaign Partners.” Resource Generation. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://docs.google.com/document/d/106x55UqKW5qg1UvPcLpoYAm1QIyoQu7zGXg9gOBECmY/edit.
  16. Altman, Anna. “The Millennials Who Want to Get Rid of Their Class Privilege.” Washington Post Magazine. March 2, 2020. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2020/03/02/their-families-built-fortunes-these-millennials-are-trying-figure-out-how-undo-their-class-privilege/.
  17. “Making Money Make Change 2021.” Resource Generation. Accessed January 30, 2022. https://resourcegeneration.org/events/making-money-make-change/.
  18. Altman, Anna. “The Millennials Who Want to Get Rid of Their Class Privilege.” Washington Post Magazine. March 2, 2020. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2020/03/02/their-families-built-fortunes-these-millennials-are-trying-figure-out-how-undo-their-class-privilege/.
  19. “Annual Report 2020.” Resource Generation. Accessed January 30, 2022. https://resourcegeneration.org/annual-report-2020/.
  20. “Yahya Alazrak.” LinkedIn. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/yahya-alazrak-89965650/.
  21. [1] “Staff.” Resource Generation. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://resourcegeneration.org/who-we-are/staff/.
  22.  “Nora Leccese.” LinkedIn. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/company/resource-generation/.
  23. Olen, Helaine. “Can Rich Millennials Be Convinced to Give Their Money Away?” The Atlantic. November 20, 2017. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/11/resource-generation-philanthropy/546350/.
  24. Beery, Zoë. “The Rich Kids Who Want to Tear Down Capitalism.” New York Times. November 27, 2020. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/27/style/trust-fund-activism-resouce-generation.html.
  25. Beery, Zoë. “The Rich Kids Who Want to Tear Down Capitalism.” New York Times. November 27, 2020. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/27/style/trust-fund-activism-resouce-generation.html
  26. “Resource Generation Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (From 990). 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/271847561/202003179349306805/full.
  27.  Altman, Anna. “The Millennials Who Want to Get Rid of Their Class Privilege.” Washington Post Magazine. March 2, 2020. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2020/03/02/their-families-built-fortunes-these-millennials-are-trying-figure-out-how-undo-their-class-privilege/.
  28. [1] Altman, Anna. “The Millennials Who Want to Get Rid of Their Class Privilege.” Washington Post Magazine. March 2, 2020. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2020/03/02/their-families-built-fortunes-these-millennials-are-trying-figure-out-how-undo-their-class-privilege/
  29. Beery, Zoë. “The Rich Kids Who Want to Tear Down Capitalism.” New York Times. November 27, 2020. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/27/style/trust-fund-activism-resouce-generation.html
  30. “Programs & Conferences.” Resource Generation. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://resourcegeneration.org/what-we-do/#our-methods.
  31. Altman, Anna. “The Millennials Who Want to Get Rid of Their Class Privilege.” Washington Post Magazine. March 2, 2020. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2020/03/02/their-families-built-fortunes-these-millennials-are-trying-figure-out-how-undo-their-class-privilege/.
  32. [1] “Annual Report 2020.” Resource Generation. Accessed January 30, 2022. https://resourcegeneration.org/annual-report-2020/.
  33. “Reparations and Redistribution.” Resource Generation. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://resourcegeneration.org/redistribution-guidelines/.
  34. “Annual Report 2020.” Resource Generation. Accessed January 30, 2022. https://resourcegeneration.org/annual-report-2020/.
  35. Schleifer, Theodore. “A new generation of philanthropists are ticked off at Trump – and their parents.” Vox Recode. January 13, 2020. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://www.vox.com/recode/2020/1/13/20827389/young-donors-philanthropists-resource-generation-politics-trump.
  36. “Social Justice Philanthropy Principles.” Resource Generation. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://resourcegeneration.org/social-justice-philanthropy-and-giving/.
  37.  [1] “Tweet.” Twitter. Posted December 16, 2021. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://twitter.com/resourcegen/status/1267599497451966464?s=21.
  38. Annual Report 2020.” Resource Generation. Accessed January 30, 2022. https://resourcegeneration.org/annual-report-2020/.
  39. “San Francisco Foundation.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). Schedule I. 2017. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/10679337/201941339349301714/IRS990ScheduleI.
  40. “Our Approach.” Electoral Justice Project. Accessed January 30, 2022. https://electoraljusticeproject.org/.
  41. “About Us.” Unmasking Fidelity. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://unmaskingfidelity.org/about-us/.
  42. [1] “Member Directory” New Economy Coalition. Accessed January 29, 2020. https://neweconomy.net/member-directory/.
  43. [1] “Tweet.” Twitter. Posted June 1, 2020. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://twitter.com/resourcegen/status/1267599497451966464?s=21.
  44. “Resource Generation.” Funders for Justice. December 12, 2014. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://fundersforjustice.org/resource-generation/.
  45. “Starting Our 2021 Fall Membership and Redistribution Pledge Drive!” Resource Generation. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://resourcegeneration.org/starting-our-2021-fall-membership-and-redistribution-pledge-drive/.
  46. “How to Give to RG’s National Campaign Partners.” Resource Generation. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://docs.google.com/document/d/106x55UqKW5qg1UvPcLpoYAm1QIyoQu7zGXg9gOBECmY/edit.
  47.  “Donate to Southern Power Fund.” Resource Generation. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://resourcegeneration.org/donate-to-the-southern-power-fund/.
  48. Hoffower, Hillary. “Rich millennials with more money than they need or want have found a new way to spend their cash.” Insider. September 23, 2018. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://www.businessinsider.com/resource-generation-rich-millennials-donate-money-social-injustice-2018-9.
  49. “Starting Our 2021 Fall Membership and Redistribution Pledge Drive!” Resource Generation. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://resourcegeneration.org/starting-our-2021-fall-membership-and-redistribution-pledge-drive/.
  50. “Redistribution Guidelines.” Resource Generation. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://resourcegeneration.org/redistribution-guidelines/.
  51. “Reparations and Redistribution.” Resource Generation. Accessed January 30, 0222. https://resourcegeneration.org/reparations-and-redistribution/.
  52.  “Land in RG.” Resource Generation. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://resourcegeneration.org/land-in-rg/.
  53. “Resource Generation Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (From 990). 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/271847561/202003179349306805/full.
  54. “Tides Foundation.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2020. Schedule I. https://www.tides.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2020_Tides-Foundation_Form-990-Public-Disclosure-1.pdf.
  55. “Tides Foundation.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax.” (Form 990). 2019. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/510198509/202043149349304239/full.
  56. “Tides Foundation.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2019. Schedule I. https://www.tides.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Tides-Foundation-2018-Public-Disclosure-Copy-1.pdf.
  57.  “Tides Foundation.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income tax. (Form 990). 2019. Schedule I. https://www.tides.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2017-Tides-Foundation-Fed-Form-990-amended.pdf.
  58. “Greater Kansas City Community Foundation.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2019. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/431152398/202003219349310010/full.
  59. “Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2018. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/952504044/202041489349301904/full.
  60. “Imactassets, Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (From 990). 2019. Schedule I. https://www.impactassets.org/files/19_IA_Form_990_-_Public_Disclosure.pdf.
  61. [1] “All Hands on Deck Network Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2019. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/371697474/202141769349301039/full.
  62. “Triangle Community Foundation Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2019. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/561380796/202141309349303304/full.
  63. “Greater Kansas City Community Foundation.” (Form 990.) 2018. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/431152398/201933179349305368/full.
  64. “Social Justice Fund Northwest.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2018. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/911036971/201903199349312370/full.
  65. “American Endowment Foundation.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2018. Schedule I. https://familycourtmatters.files.wordpress.com/2019/12/aefonline.org-fy2018-aef-ohio-ein-341747398-public-disclosure-only-yr-posted-no-audited-fs-posted-form-990-printed-2019dec5.pdf.
  66. “History.” Resource Generation. Accessed January 30, 2022. https://resourcegeneration.org/about-us/history/.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: May 1, 2014

    • 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
    2019 Dec Form 990 $3,071,701 $2,145,697 $2,579,909 $90,358 N $2,876,925 $187,958 $4,291 $112,443 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $2,063,475 $1,653,979 $1,612,923 $49,376 Y $1,832,554 $225,579 $3,083 $87,401 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $1,585,785 $1,382,800 $1,214,526 $60,475 N $1,463,897 $122,145 $0 $94,627 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $1,308,342 $1,372,920 $1,022,136 $71,070 N $1,135,357 $175,061 $0 $76,863 PDF
    2015 Dec Form 990 $1,668,785 $653,141 $1,042,481 $26,837 N $1,555,558 $113,227 $0 $35,924 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990EZ $800 $800 $100 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990EZ $0 $100 $100 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

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    Resource Generation

    18 W. 27th Street, 2nd Floor
    NEW YORK, NY