The State Engagement Fund is a left-of-center 501(c)(4) advocacy organization that funnels money to select left-wing groups. Observers have characterized State Engagement Fund as a “dark money” organization, since by law it does not have to disclose its donors. 1
The organization has deep connections to the Democracy Alliance. It also has ties to the State Victory Action political committee, which was seeded almost entirely by billionaire left-of-center mega-donors George Soros and Tom Steyer. The Fund is also related to the Committee On States, a left-wing group that is a part of the Democracy Alliance. 1
Political Activism
2018 Elections
From late August through September 2018, State Engagement Fund made four donations worth $2.1 million to State Victory Action. State Victory Action is a political organization that was seeded by $11 million worth of donations from left-wing billionaires George Soros and Tom Steyer. State Victory Action was active in promoting left-wing policies and candidates on the state level in 10 states. 1
There is also substantial evidence that State Engagement Fund is a Democracy Alliance network member. When the Washington Free Beacon attempted to contact the organization, it was directed to a man named Michael Weisel. Weisel is also the custodian of records for State Victory Action. 1
Leadership
The head of the State Engagement Fund is Anne Bartley. Bartley is a co-founder of the Democracy Alliance and is married to Larry B. McNeil, a former Saul Alinsky-trained organizer. McNeil is now a part of the SEIU-funded Institute for Change. 2
Bartley is a founding member of the Committee on States, which was housed in the SEIU building in Washington D.C. The Committee on States is a non-profit organization that encourages the building of a left-wing infrastructure of political networks for the state level all across the country. The Committee on States is a member of the Democracy Alliance and is seen as the DA’s attempt to build statewide versions of the organization. 2
Bartley is a trustee of the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. In that role, she has steered millions of dollars to left-wing organizations. She has also founded numerous other left-wing organizations. 3
Jonathan Scott Anderson, who is the executive director of Committee on States, serves as a director of the organization. 4 Jeff Blodgett, who is a left-wing activist from Minnesota, also serves as a director in the organization. Frank Smith, who is a DA political director, also serves as a director of the organization. 4
Funding
Between 2018 and 2019, the State Engagement Fund received $15.5 million in donations from the National Education Association.
The State Engagement Fund shares a Washington, D.C. address with Democracy Alliance, and the two organizations share board members and advisors. 5 The NEA gave $441,000 to Democracy Alliance during the same period. 5
