The Disruption Project is a radical-left direct-action nonprofit. In March 2025 the group was credited with organizing #TeslaTakedown protests against Tesla chief executive officer Elon Musk, because of his association with the second Trump administration. ^{1 2}

The group claims the United States is a “racist society” that contains a system of “racial capitalism, the heteropatriarchy, white supremacy and settler colonialism.” The Disruption Project has promoted nonviolent “uprisings, resistance and mass direct action” and “a true citizens rebellion” against these alleged systems. Specific objectives of these uprisings include an “open US border,” abolishing police, reparations for Black Americans, and land reparations for Native Americans. The Disruption Project has produced protester instruction guides titled “Finding a Target’s Home Address” and “How to Take Over a Home.” ^{3 4 5}

Since its formation, The Disruption Project has reported the same office address as the Movement Alliance Project on its tax returns.^{6 2 7} From its formation in 2020 through May 2023, the group reported $143,000 total revenue raised, and during that period Tides Advocacy reported $80,000 in cumulative grants to The Disruption Project. ^{2 8}

Background

The Disruption Project claims the United States is a “racist society” that contains a system of “racial capitalism, the heteropatriarchy, white supremacy and settler colonialism.” The group promotes nonviolent “uprisings, resistance and mass direct action” and “a true citizens rebellion” against these alleged systems. Objectives of these uprisings include an “open US border,” abolishing police, reparations for Black Americans, and land reparations for Native Americans. ^{3 4}

The group’s 2023 IRS filing lists “Jeffrey Ordower” as its founder. A LinkedIn profile lists a person with that name, and a Philadelphia residence, as the North American director at the radical climate group 350.org. A separate LinkedIn profile for Jeffrey Ordower shows that person as the “Missouri Head Organizer at ACORN,” the left-of-center organizing coalition that disbanded in 2010.^{9 10 11}

Also on the 2023 tax return, “Wende Marshall” is listed as the board chair of The Disruption Project. ¹⁰ A person with that name is also co-editor of a book titled Insurrectionary Uprisings: A Reader in Revolutionary Nonviolence. ¹²

A bio attached to an online summary of the book says this of Marshall: ¹³

Wende Marshall has been an activist in southern African liberation support work and anti-apartheid organizing, was a tenant organizer in Harlem NYC, a volunteer and board member of the first needle exchange program in Philadelphia, an ethnographer of the decolonization movement in Hawaii, a living wage activist, and a leader/organizer with Stadium Stompers, a North Philadelphia-based campaign of community residents, students and workers who fought to stop Temple University’s proposed football stadium. As an adjunct at Temple, Marshall was a leader in the effort to unionize adjuncts, served as Chair of the Adjunct Constituency Council and Member of the Executive Committee. Currently, she is on the National Organizing Committee of Peoples Strike. ¹³

Protest Promotion

As of March 2025, many of the items covered on The Disruption Project web page are from street protests against police that occurred in summer 2020. As of March 2025, the last item listed was a “How to Support Gaza” protest guide posted in December 2023. ¹⁴

The group has produced “Action Planning” guides to assist activists. “Finding a Target’s Home Address” was produced because the group claimed that in “some cases, going to an office building is insufficient.” The guide suggests tips such as searching campaign finance reports, property records and voter rolls. ¹⁵

“Home Defense” provided tips on how to avoid eviction for unpaid mortgages and rent. Suggestions included “Put a sign in your window and in your yard that says you are not leaving” and holding protests at foreclosure auctions. For the latter, the group advised: “Seek to postpone. Seek to appear threatening.” ¹⁶

“How to Take Over a Home” provided advice on how to take over an unoccupied residence. ¹⁷

Finances

Disruption Project tax returns covering 2020, 2022, and 2023 show a combined total of $148,650 received through May 2023, and $55,267 in total combined spending. The group reported zero dollars received in 2022 and $28,400 received for 2023. (As of March 2025, the 2023 filing was the most recent that was publicly available.) No tax return was publicly available for 2021, possibly because there was no revenue to report. ²

As of the tax return covering the year through May 2023, the Disruption Project reported net assets of $91,742. ¹⁸

In tax returns covering 2020 through 2023, Tides Advocacy lists a combined total of $80,000 in grants to the Disruption Project, provided as $20,000 grants each year. This would account for more than half of the funding reported by Disruption Project from its first tax return in 2020 through May 2023. However, 81 percent of Disruption Project revenue reported through May 2023 ($120,250) was reported on The Disruption Project’s May 2020 tax return, and this does not line up chronologically with the timing of the $20,000 annual grants reported by Tides Advocacy. ^{8 2}

Movement Alliance Project Connection

Tax returns for The Disruption Project through May 2023 cite the same Philadelphia headquarters address as the Movement Alliance Project: “924 Cherry St 5th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107.” Movement Alliance is a left-wing educational nonprofit. The first Disruption Project filing, for the year through May 2020, lists “c/o MAP” in the address line. ^{6 2 7}

In IRS filings for 2021, 2022 and 2023, Tides Advocacy listed “c/o Movement Alliance Project” in the address line for its $20,000 annual grants to The Disruption Project. In all three years, plus 2020, Tides Advocacy cited the common Philadelphia address. ⁸

#TeslaTakedown

In March 2025, some media accounts credited The Disruption Project as a sponsor of the #TeslaTakedown protest movement against Tesla chief executive officer Elon Musk and his association with the second Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). NewsNation reported, “According to the Action Network, sponsors include two groups, Troublemakers and Disruption Project.” ¹⁹

On March 22, 2025, NBC News reported: ²⁰

For weeks now, protests have been organized by groups including People Over Profits and Disruption Project to denounce Tesla CEO Elon Musk and his involvement in the federal government.” ²⁰

On March 29, 2025, an Idaho television station reported: ¹

About 30 protesters attended the “Tesla Takedown” demonstration organized by groups called Troublemakers and The Disruption Project. At the same time, close to 200 counter-protesters mobilized by the Idaho Liberty Dogs appeared in support of Musk and the dealership. ¹

1. Bringhurst, Tracy. “Idaho man arrested after allegedly hitting protester with car at Tesla dealership.” March 29, 2025. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/crime/idaho-man-arrested-after-hitting-protester-with-car-at-tesla-dealership-politics/277-502b5456-d4f7-446c-a311-a60ceece2d85
2. Disruption Project. IRS Forms 990. EIN 85-1066939. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/851066939
3. About. The Disruption Project. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.disruption-project.org/about
4. “A World Without Police.” The Disruption Project. June 17, 2020. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.disruption-project.org/blog/a-world-without-police
5. “Blog.” The Disruption Project. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.disruption-project.org/blog
6. “Disruption Project.” 2020 IRS Form 990. EIN #85-1066939. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/851066939/download990pdf_08_2022_prefixes_83-85%2F851066939_202005_990EO_2022083120312579
7. “Connecting Communities. Winning Power.” (the MAP donor page). Accessed March 31, 2025. https://movementalliance.allyrafundraising.com/
8. “Tides Advocacy.” IRS Forms 990. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/943153687
9. “Jeffrey Ordower.” LinkedIn. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-ordower-5695105
10. Disruption Project. 2023 IRS Form 990. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/851066939/202323049349201227/full
11. “Jeffrey Ordower.” LinkedIn. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-ordower-50219220a
12. Insurrectionary Uprisings: A Reader in Revolutionary Nonviolence. Goodreads.com. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/75402260-insurrectionary-uprisings
13. “Wende Marshall / Matt Meyer.” Daraja Press. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://darajapress.com/authors/wende-marshall-matt-meyer
14. “How to support Gaza.” The Disruption Project. December 7, 2023. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.disruption-project.org/blog
15. “Finding a Target’s Home Address.” The Disruption Project. March 5, 2022. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.disruption-project.org/blog/finding-a-targets-home-address
16. “Home Defense.” The Disruption Project. June 1, 2020. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.disruption-project.org/blog/home-defense
17. “How to Take Over a Home.” The Disruption Project. June 1, 2020. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.disruption-project.org/blog/how-to-take-over-a-home
18. Disruption Project. 2023 IRS Form 990. EIN 85-1066939. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/851066939/202323049349201227/full
19. Shafer, Brooke; and Nancy Loo. “Protesters push global movement aimed at bankrupting Musk.” NewsNation. March 24, 2025. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.newsnationnow.com/politics/protesters-takedown-tesla-global-musk/
20. Eaglin, Maya. “Protesters gather outside Tesla showrooms and dealerships to denounce Elon Musk and DOGE.” NBC News. March 22, 2025. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/protesters-gather-tesla-showrooms-dealerships-denounce-elon-musk-doge-rcna197595