Virginia Organizing, formerly known as the Virginia Organizing Project, is a political advocacy organization in the state of Virginia. While Virginia Organizing calls itself “non-partisan,”  the group receives major funding from left-of-center organizations like Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Johnson Family Foundation, and Surdna Foundation. ¹

Virginia Organizing is comprised of fifteen regional chapters that coordinate civic engagement, and direct action on both local and state levels. ² Virginia Organizing, and all of its chapters, support the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), tax increases on Virginians, an aggressive interpretation of LGBT rights, and liberal expansionist immigration reform, among other left-of-center issues. ³

While Virginia Organizing maintains a small staff, in past years, two employees, John P. Myers and Amy Kostant, were each paid six-figure salaries. ⁴ Amy Kostant is the founder of Science Communication Network, ⁵ a partner organization of Virginia Organizing. ⁶

Virginia Organizing has over a dozen partner organizations, and VO collects donations for many of these groups, some of which do not have their own non-profit status. ⁷

Activities

Virginia Organizing states that it is “dedicated to challenging injustice by empowering people in local communities to address issues that affect the quality of their lives.” ¹ The organization supports the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), progressive tax reform in Virginia, LGBT rights, and immigration reform, among other issues. ³

Virginia Organizing is comprised of fifteen regional chapters that coordinate civic engagement, and direct action on both local and state levels. ²

Virginia Organizing encourages individual citizens to join regional chapters, write letters to editors and elected officials, sign petitions, participate in VO organizing events, and donate to the organization. ⁸

Financial Activities

Virginia Organizing collects donations on behalf of its partner organizations like Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, Center for Sustainable Communities, and Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations (VACOLAO), as well as for non-partner activist organizations like Protect Our Water, Heritage, Rights (POWHR). ⁷

According to its 2022 990 form, Virginia Organizing reported a revenue of $12,928,973, expenses of $10,956,266, and total assets of $10,200,773. That same year, Virginia Organizing received a grant of $12,375 from the Partnership Project Action Fund. ^{9 10}

According to Virginia Organizing’s 2018 tax returns, the organization paid two employees who do not appear on Virginia Organizing’s website. John P. Myers was paid $158,974, and Amy Kostant was paid $161,000. ⁴ Both Myers and Kostant were also paid for tax years 2016, and 2017, each listed as a “highest compensated” employee for those years. ¹¹

Amy Kostant is the former program director at Environmental Media Services and founder of Science Communication Network. Kostant is a former public information specialist at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and former director of communications for Green Seal. ⁵ Science Communication Network is a partner organization of Virginia Organizing. ⁶

Leadership

Brian Johns is the executive director of Virginia Organizing. He previously worked as the organizing director for the organization, and prior to this was a community organizer for several labor unions in Pennsylvania. ¹²

Meghan McNamara is the organizing co-director of Virginia Organizing. Prior to this, she worked in social and economic policy campaigns in Washington DC, Chicago, and Virginia. McNamara is the former Richmond Canvass Director for MoveOn.org during the 2008 elections. ¹³

Lily Hungarland is the board chair of Virginia Organizing as of 2022 and is a school teacher for the Richmond public school district. She previously worked as an intern for the Danville, Pennsylvania chapter of the group, until she became part of the Pennsylvania state governing board. Prior to this, she worked at the Charlottesville, Lynchburg, and Richmond chapters of the group. ¹⁵

1. “Who is Virginia Organizing.” Virginia Organizing, 2019. Accessed April 4, 2020. https://virginia-organizing.org/who-is-virginia-organizing/.
2. “The Chapters.” Virginia Organizing, 2019. Accessed April 4, 2020. https://virginia-organizing.org/the-chapters/.
3. “The Issues.” Virginia Organizing, 2019. Accessed April 4, 2020. https://virginia-organizing.org/the-issues/.
4. Virginia Organizing Inc, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2018, Part VII, Section A, Line 1a.
5. “Amy Kostant.” Science Communication Network, 2020. Accessed April 4, 2020. http://sciencecommunicationnetwork.org/amy-kostant/.
6. “Community Partners.” Virginia Organizing, 2019. Accessed April 4, 2020. https://virginia-organizing.org/community-partners/.
7. “Virginia Organizing: Donate.” Network For Good. Accessed April 4, 2020. https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/1388125.
8. “Take Action.” Virginia Organizing, 2019. Accessed April 6, 2020.  https://virginia-organizing.org/take-action/.
9. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Virginia Organizing. 2022. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/541674992/202342279349301464/full
10. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Partnership Project Action Fund. 2022. Schedule I,  Part II. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/810606786/202303189349309860/full
11. Virginia Organizing Inc, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2017, Part VII, Section A, Line 1a; Virginia Organizing Inc, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2016, Part VII, Section A, Line 1a.
12. “Brian Johns.” Virginia Organizing, 2019. Accessed April 4, 2020. https://virginia-organizing.org/brian-johns/.
13. “Meghan McNamara, Portsmouth/Eastern Shore Organizer.” Virginia Organizing, 2019. Accessed April 4, 2020. https://virginia-organizing.org/meghan-mcnamara-portsmoutheastern-shore-organizer/.
15. “Lily Hungarland.” Virginia Organizing, Accessed December 20, 2024. https://virginia-organizing.org/lily-hungarland/

    Other board members include Addie Alexander, Brandy Faulkner, Patrice Smallwood, Barbara J. Harris, Tyran Green, and Duane Edwards. ¹⁴ “Board Members.” Virginia Organizing, Accessed December 20, 2024. https://virginia-organizing.org/board-members/