Washington Community Action Network Education and Research Fund, also referred to as Washington CAN Education and Research Fund, is the tax-deductible education affiliate of Washington Community Action Network. It is a left-leaning advocacy group that promotes a variety of left-progressive economic and social policy positions. ¹

Washington Community Action Network Education and Research Fund is partners with WinǀWin Network, a sister organization of WinǀWin Action. ² WinǀWin Network is a group of left-of-center organizations that work together on racial, social, and economic issues. ³

Founding and History

Washington Community Action Network Education and Research Fund was created in the 1980s and was previously known as Washington Citizen Action Education and Research Fund. ⁴ Washington Community Action Network was founded in the 1970s forming out of the Seattle/Tacoma Light Brigade, which during the 1980s became Washington Fair Share. From the 1990s until 2006 the group was called Washington Citizen Action and now is the Washington Community Action Network. ⁵

Funding

Washington Community Action Network Education and Research Fund is a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt corporation. The corporation reported $1,020,843 in revenue and $1,145,328 in expenditures in its 2017 fiscal year. ⁶ The organization reported no employees, with six volunteers. ⁷ The executive director of the group, Mary Le Nguyen, received $69,644 in compensation in 2017, with an additional $3,057 in other compensation. ⁸ She is also the executive director of Washington Community Action Network.

Washington Community Action Network paid Washington Community Action Network Education and Research Fund $36,000 in occupancy expenses for its use of building space owned by Washington Community Action Network Education and Research Fund. ⁹ Washington Community Action Network Education and Research Fund provided a grant to Washington Community Action Network for $714,758. ¹⁰ An additional grant of $90,000 was given to the Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action (PSARA) Education Fund. ¹¹

Washington Community Action Network Education and Research Fund shares its executive director, associate director, and finance director with its related organization, Washington Community Action Network. ¹²

Funders of the Washington Community Action Network Education and Research Fund include major left-of-center institutional grantmakers including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Proteus Fund, the Marguerite Casey Foundation, Social Justice Fund Northwest, and Satterberg Foundation. ¹³

1. “About Us, Vision and Values.” Washington Community Action Network. Accessed January 27, 2020. https://www.washingtoncan.org/vision
2. “Vision.” WinǀWin Network. Accessed January 27, 2020. http://winwinnetwork.org/
3. “Our Network.” WinǀWin Action. Accessed January 27, 2020. https://www.winwinaction.org/network/
4. “Washington Community Action Network Education and Research Fund.” Cause IQ. Accessed January 27, 2020. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/washington-community-action-network-education-and,911259403/
5. “About Us, Our History.” Washington Community Action Network. Accessed January 27, 2020. https://www.washingtoncan.org/vision
6. Washington Community Action Network Education and Research Fund, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990), 2017, Part I, Lines 12 and 18. Accessed January 27, 2020. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/911259403/02_2019_prefixes_90-93%2F911259403_201712_990_2019021516101520
7. Washington Community Action Network Education and Research Fund, Return of Corporation Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2017, Part I Lines 5 and 6. Accessed January 27, 2020. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/911259403/02_2019_prefixes_90-93%2F911259403_201712_990_2019021516101520
8. Washington Community Action Network Education and Research Fund, Return of Corporation Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2017, Part VII. Accessed January 27, 2020. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/911259403/02_2019_prefixes_90-93%2F911259403_201712_990_2019021516101520
9. Washington Community Action Network Education and Research Fund, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990), 2017, Schedule R, Part VII. Accessed January 27, 2020. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/911259403/02_2019_prefixes_90-93%2F911259403_201712_990_2019021516101520
10. Washington Community Action Network Education and Research Fund, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990), 2017, Schedule I, Part II, Line 1. Accessed January 27, 2020. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/911259403/02_2019_prefixes_90-93%2F911259403_201712_990_2019021516101520
11. Washington Community Action Network Education and Research Fund, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990), 2017, Schedule I, Part II, Line 1. Accessed January 27, 2020. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/911259403/02_2019_prefixes_90-93%2F911259403_201712_990_2019021516101520
12. Washington Community Action Network Education and Research Fund, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990), 2017, Schedule O. Accessed January 27, 2020. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/911259403/02_2019_prefixes_90-93%2F911259403_201712_990_2019021516101520
13. Data compiled by FoundationSearch.com subscription service, a project of Metasoft Systems, Inc., from forms filed with the IRS. Queries conducted March 10, 2020.