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. ²

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. ³

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. ⁴

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. ⁵

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. ⁶

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. ⁷

Jonathan Scott Anderson, who is the executive director of Committee on States, serves as a director of the organization. ⁸ 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. ⁹

Funding

Between 2018 and 2019, the State Engagement Fund received $15.5 million in donations from the National Education Association.

Ties to Other Democracy Alliance Affiliates

For more information, see Democracy Alliance (Other Group)

The State Engagement Fund shares a Washington, D.C. address with Democracy Alliance, and the two organizations share board members and advisors. ¹⁰ The NEA gave $441,000 to Democracy Alliance during the same period. ¹¹

In 2016, State Engagement Fund made a $755,000 grant to Committee on States. ¹²

Also in 2016, State Engagement Fund made a $647,500 grant to the left-wing group America Votes. Anne Bartley is a co-founder of America Votes. ¹³

1. Shepherd, Todd. 2018. “Dark Money Group Teams With Progressive Fund Led By Steyer And Soros”. Washington Free Beacon. https://freebeacon.com/issues/dark-money-group-teams-progressive-fund-led-steyer-soros/.
2. Shepherd, Todd. 2018. “Dark Money Group Teams With Progressive Fund Led By Steyer And Soros”. Washington Free Beacon. https://freebeacon.com/issues/dark-money-group-teams-progressive-fund-led-steyer-soros/.
3. Shepherd, Todd. 2018. “Dark Money Group Teams With Progressive Fund Led By Steyer And Soros”. Washington Free Beacon. https://freebeacon.com/issues/dark-money-group-teams-progressive-fund-led-steyer-soros/.
4. Shepherd, Todd. 2018. “Dark Money Group Teams With Progressive Fund Led By Steyer And Soros”. Washington Free Beacon. https://freebeacon.com/issues/dark-money-group-teams-progressive-fund-led-steyer-soros/.
5.  Vadum, Matthew, and James Dellinger. 2008. “The Democracy Alliance Does America: The Soros-Founded Plutocrats’ Club Forms State Chapters”. Capital Research Center. https://capitalresearch.org/article/the-democracy-alliance-does-america-the-soros-founded-plutocrats-club-forms-state-chapters/.
6.  Vadum, Matthew, and James Dellinger. 2008. “The Democracy Alliance Does America: The Soros-Founded Plutocrats’ Club Forms State Chapters”. Capital Research Center. https://capitalresearch.org/article/the-democracy-alliance-does-america-the-soros-founded-plutocrats-club-forms-state-chapters/.
7. “Global Conference 2008 – Speaker: Anne Bartley”. 2019. Milken Institute. Accessed March 11. https://www.milkeninstitute.org/events/conferences/global-conference/2008/speaker-detail/3272.
8. “The DA’s 2020 State Funds: Spring Updates”. 2016. Democracy Alliance. https://democracyalliance.org/da-blog/das-2020-state-funds-april-updates/.
9. “The DA’s 2020 State Funds: Spring Updates”. 2016. Democracy Alliance. https://democracyalliance.org/da-blog/das-2020-state-funds-april-updates/.
10. Antonucci, Mike. “Analysis: Tracking the NEA’s and AFT’s $43 Million in Donations to PACs, Advocacy Organizations, Nonprofits — and the State Engagement Fund?” The74million.org. https://www.the74million.org/article/analysis-tracking-the-neas-and-afts-43-million-in-donations-to-pacs-advocacy-organizations-nonprofits-and-the-state-engagement-fund/ (Accessed January 27, 2020).
11. Antonucci, Mike. “Analysis: Tracking the NEA’s and AFT’s $43 Million in Donations to PACs, Advocacy Organizations, Nonprofits — and the State Engagement Fund?” The74million.org. https://www.the74million.org/article/analysis-tracking-the-neas-and-afts-43-million-in-donations-to-pacs-advocacy-organizations-nonprofits-and-the-state-engagement-fund/ (Accessed January 27, 2020).
12. Shepherd, Todd. 2018. “Dark Money Group Teams With Progressive Fund Led By Steyer And Soros.” Washington Free Beacon. https://freebeacon.com/issues/dark-money-group-teams-progressive-fund-led-steyer-soros/.
13. Shepherd, Todd. 2018. “Dark Money Group Teams With Progressive Fund Led By Steyer And Soros”. Washington Free Beacon. https://freebeacon.com/issues/dark-money-group-teams-progressive-fund-led-steyer-soros/.