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Non-profit

Virgin Unite

Website:

unite.virgin.com/unite/
Location:

New York, NY
Tax ID:

20-3963486
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2020):

Revenue: $1,676,699
Expenses: $7,724,487
Assets: $7,244,056
Formation:

2005
President:

Jean Oelwang

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Virgin Unite is a left-of-center organization sponsored by billionaire Richard Branson that advocates environmentalist and soft-on-crime policies. In addition, Virgin Unite provides grants to individuals and businesses that seek to provide market-oriented solutions to large-scale societal problems.

Funding

In 2019, Virgin Unite received $4,299,702 in contributions, 1 $4,506,648 in total revenue, 2 incurred $12,594,065 in expenses, 3 and held $11,932,159 in net assets. 4

Carbon War Room

Carbon War Room was formed in 2009 to promote market based pathways to shifting from non-weather dependent to weather dependent sources of energy. 5 In 2014, the Carbon War Room’s resources were merged with the Rocky Mountain Institute, 6 a left-of-center environmentalist think tank. 7

Between 2009 and 2014 the Carbon War Room attempted to propose various market-oriented pathways to shifting to weather dependent sources of energy, 8 including establishing a free shipping vessel efficiency index that measured vessel greenhouse gas emissions and advocating for the expansion of the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program. 9 PACE is a program that allows state governments to finance the purchase of weather dependent energy production, such as solar panels, and then recoup the loan by assessing an enhanced property taxes on the property owner. 10

Policing and Crime

Virgin Unite has supported soft-on-crime policies, including eliminating cash bail requirements for individuals held awaiting trial. 11 In 2017, Virgin Unite raised $1.5 million to support what it referred to as “front line” organizations advocating for soft-on-crime positions, 12 and listed the left-of-center Bail Reform Project as one of its partners. 13 The Bail Reform Project advocates for both the wholesale elimination of cash bail, and raises funds to release individuals that are held in jail and awaiting trial. 14

Leadership

Jean Oelwang is the founding CEO and president of Virgin Unite. 15

Oelwang’s background is in the telecommunications industry, 16 she has worked for a number of mobile phone companies. 17 Prior to joining Virgin Unite, Oelwang was the CEO of Virgin Mobile’s Australia office. 18

References

  1. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Virgin Unite. Part I, line 8. 2019.
  2. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Virgin Unite. Part I, line 12. 2019.
  3. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Virgin Unite. Part I, line 18. 2019.
  4. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Virgin Unite. Part I, line 22. 2019.
  5. “Carbon War Room” Virgin Unite. https://unite.virgin.com/unite/carbon-war-room
  6. “Carbon War Room” Rocky Mountain Institute. https://rmi.org/carbon-war-room/
  7. “About” Rocky Mountain Institute. https://rmi.org/about/
  8. “Carbon War Room” Rocky Mountain Institute. https://rmi.org/carbon-war-room/
  9. “Carbon War Room” Rocky Mountain Institute. https://rmi.org/carbon-war-room/
  10. “Property Assessed Clean Energy Programs” Department of Energy. https://www.energy.gov/scep/slsc/property-assessed-clean-energy-programs#:~:text=PACE%20programs%20allow%20a%20property,property%20rather%20than%20an%20individual
  11. Kelly, Claire. “Ending cash bail in America’s Deep South” Virgin. May 24, 2021. Accessed January 20, 2023. https://www.virgin.com/virgin-unite/latest/ending-cash-bail-in-americas-deep-south
  12. “Virgin Unite Impact Report – 2017 – Criminal Justice Reform” Virgin Unite. October 2018. Accessed January 20, 2023. https://indd.adobe.com/view/12483d55-e07b-4f25-b490-2028ce8ca33b
  13. “Virgin Unite Impact Report – 2017 – Criminal Justice Reform” Virgin Unite. October 2018. Accessed January 20, 2023. https://indd.adobe.com/view/12483d55-e07b-4f25-b490-2028ce8ca33b
  14. “After Cash Bail:A Framework for Reimagining Pretrial Justice” The Bail Project. https://bailproject.org/after-cash-bail/#endcashbail
  15.  “Jean Oelwang” Virgin Unite. https://unite.virgin.com/unite/person/jean-oelwang-0
  16. “Jean Oelwang” Virgin Unite. https://unite.virgin.com/unite/person/jean-oelwang-0
  17. “Jean Oelwang” Virgin Unite. https://unite.virgin.com/unite/person/jean-oelwang-0
  18. “Jean Oelwang” Virgin Unite. https://unite.virgin.com/unite/person/jean-oelwang-0
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: February 1, 2007

    • 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 Dec Form 990 $1,676,699 $7,724,487 $7,244,056 $112,463 N $1,649,902 $0 $39,371 $544,377
    2019 Dec Form 990 $4,506,648 $12,594,065 $14,736,857 $2,804,698 N $4,299,702 $0 $220,877 $945,438 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $6,517,178 $8,508,274 $19,448,930 $739,894 N $6,326,576 $0 $190,602 $878,330 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $8,594,905 $6,747,327 $22,257,717 $2,713,482 N $8,505,191 $0 $89,713 $0 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $6,515,803 $4,301,437 $18,365,343 $1,620,734 N $6,293,865 $0 $15,991 $0 PDF
    2015 Dec Form 990 $5,132,977 $3,599,151 $16,165,915 $1,663,001 N $4,717,600 $0 $14,236 $0 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $4,186,245 $1,675,648 $13,526,152 $692,318 N $3,560,488 $0 $8,279 $0 PDF
    2014 Mar Form 990 $7,837,191 $2,199,910 $10,252,055 $124,910 N $7,750,450 $0 $6,354 $0 PDF
    2013 Mar Form 990 $4,961,248 $2,654,122 $5,250,419 $760,555 N $4,959,134 $0 $2,114 $121,490 PDF
    2012 Mar Form 990 $3,871,850 $3,145,898 $3,940,753 $1,758,015 N $4,208,752 $0 $1,459 $166,701 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Virgin Unite

    65 BLEECKER STREET
    New York, NY 10012-2420