Logo for Influence Watch Influence Watch

Non-profit

RePower Fund (Wellstone Action Fund)

Website:

www.repower.org
Location:

SAINT PAUL, MN
Tax ID:

35-2191193
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2015):

Revenue: $2,505,698
Expenses: $1,689,267
Assets: $1,870,110
Formation:

2003
Type:

Political Training Organization
Executive Director:

Sara Beth Mueller

RePower Fund (sometimes written Re:Power), formerly known as Wellstone Action Fund, is the 501(c)(3) charitable arm of far-left political training organization RePower (formerly Wellstone Action). Formed in Minnesota in 2003, the fund helps finance the parent organization’s left-wing political leadership programs. [1]

History

U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone (D-MN), a staunch liberal; his wife, Sheila; and their daughter died in a plane crash on October 25, 2002. [2] Established in 2003 as the Wellstone Action and the Wellstone Action Fund—now known, respectively, as RePower and the RePower Fund—were created to continue the far-left legacies of the Wellstones. [3][4]

Both organizations were renamed in 2018 after the late senator’s two sons, Mark and David Wellstone, were voted off the board of directors. [5][6] Their ousting reportedly stemmed from voicing concerns about overspending in areas of the organization’s budget, and what its priorities should be in the future. [7]

Funding

In 2016, the RePower Fund reported $2.3 million in total earnings, with $1.8 million in coming from donors. [8]

Approximately 85 percent of the money donated to the group, came from three far-left groups: the Proteus Fund, Foundation to Promote Open Society, and the Ford Foundation. Broken down by group, the Proteus Fund gave $300,000; Foundation to Promote Open Society, which is run by billionaire liberal donor George Soros, gave $537,000; and the Ford Foundation contributed $700,000. [9] [10] [11]

Activities

The primary activity of the RePower Fund is financially supporting RePower’s left-wing leadership trainings. [12] Its top training program, Camp Wellstone, is entirely funded by the RePower Fund. [13][14] In addition, the fund transfers some of its income directly to RePower. [15] In 2015, the RePower Fund transferred more than 30 percent of its revenue to RePower—exceeding $1 million. [16]

Leadership

The group is led by a board of directors, which consists of seven members. [17] Sara Beth Mueller currently serves as the interim executive director of RePower and RePower Fund. [18] Prior to her employment at the organization, Mueller was the Director of Communications at Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota. [19]

Associated Organizations

Although officially separate groups, the RePower Fund exists to support RePower, its parent organization. [20]

References

  1. Wellstone Action Fund, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). 2016. ↩
  2. Wilgoren, Jodi. “Save Those Popsicle Sticks, This Camp Builds Politicos.” The New York Times. June 30, 2003. Accessed December 27, 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/30/us/save-those-popsicle-sticks-this-camp-builds-politicos.html. ↩
  3. Wellstone Action Fund, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). 2016. ↩
  4. “Wellstone Action Fund.” The Bauman Foundation. Accessed January 7, 2019. https://www.baumanfoundation.org/grantee/76. ↩
  5. Kunapuli, Deepa, and Arianna Genis. “Wellstone Is Now Re:power.” Medium. November 29, 2018. Accessed January 07, 2019. https://medium.com/@regardingpower/wellstone-is-now-re-power-24ce62dc7017. ↩
  6. Siders, David. “Wellstone Legacy ‘goes Dormant’ after Family Ousted in Democratic Feud.” POLITICO. May 13, 2018. Accessed December 27, 2018. https://www.politico.com/story/2018/05/13/wellstone-family-legacy-feud-minnesota-democrats-584205. ↩
  7. Siders, David. “Wellstone Legacy ‘goes Dormant’ after Family Ousted in Democratic Feud.” POLITICO. May 13, 2018. Accessed December 27, 2018. https://www.politico.com/story/2018/05/13/wellstone-family-legacy-feud-minnesota-democrats-584205. ↩
  8. Wellstone Action Fund, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). 2016. ↩
  9. “Grant Description.” Proteus Fund. Accessed January 08, 2019. https://www.proteusfund.org/grant/wellstoneactionfund-2/. ↩
  10. Foundation to Promote Open Society, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF). 2016. ↩
  11. “Grants Database.” Ford Foundation. April 06, 2018. Accessed December 27, 2018. https://www.fordfoundation.org/work/our-grants/grants-database/grants-all?search=&SearchText=wellstone&page=NaN&minyear=2006&maxyear=2018. ↩
  12. Wellstone Action Fund, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). 2016. ↩
  13. “Wellstone Action Fund.” The Bauman Foundation. Accessed January 7, 2019. https://www.baumanfoundation.org/grantee/76. ↩
  14. “Camp Wellstone.” Wellstone Action. Accessed December 27, 2018. https://www.wellstone.org/programs/camp-wellstone. ↩
  15. Wellstone Action Fund, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). 2015. ↩
  16. Wellstone Action Fund, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). 2015. ↩
  17. “Board of Directors.” Wellstone Action. Archived from the original November 26, 2018. Accessed December 27, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181126080341/https://www.wellstone.org/about/board-and-advisors. ↩
  18. “Board of Directors.” Wellstone Action. Archived from the original November 26, 2018. Accessed December 27, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181126080341/https://www.wellstone.org/about/board-and-advisors. ↩
  19. “Sara Beth Mueller.” LinkedIn. Accessed December 29, 2018. https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarabethmueller/. ↩
  20. Wellstone Action Fund, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). 2016. ↩
  See an error? Let us know!

Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: November 1, 2003

    • 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
    2015 Dec Form 990 $2,505,698 $1,689,267 $1,870,110 $144,017 N $2,255,256 $250,442 $0 $104,789 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $1,196,143 $1,149,441 $1,051,867 $142,205 N $994,893 $200,480 $770 $69,861 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $1,576,319 $1,007,551 $916,520 $53,560 N $1,349,464 $225,626 $1,229 $92,789 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990 $718,135 $968,459 $375,076 $80,884 N $421,265 $292,811 $818 $100,277 PDF
    2011 Dec Form 990 $1,262,121 $1,029,743 $605,536 $61,020 N $1,011,960 $253,996 $1,824 $128,497 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Map image for RePower Fund (Wellstone Action Fund)

    RePower Fund (Wellstone Action Fund)

    2446 UNIVERSITY AVE W STE 170
    SAINT PAUL, MN 55114-1795