Western Futures Fund is a lobbying and electoral-advocacy organization that finances left-of-center groups across the northwestern United States and Alaska. The group has a website that provides little information about its activity, including its leadership. ^{1 2}

Grantmaking

In 2024, the Fund made a $1.5 million grant to Your Community PAC, a left-of-center economic policy PAC; $970,000 to Retire Career Politicians, $400,000 to the Alaska Jobs Coalition, $300,000 to Working Montanans, $200,000 to Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, $100,000 to the 907 Initiative, $100,000 to Wyoming Way, $100,000 to Your Nebraska, $95,000 to the AFL-CIO of Montana, the advocacy group for the state-level AFL-CIO; $75,000 to the Wyoming Donor Alliance; $60,000 to Idahoans United for Women and Business; $50,000 to Anchorage School Bond Yes; $50,000 to A Better Big Sky; $50,000 to the Secure Elections Project; $30,000 to Better Wyoming Action and Research; $20,000 to the Votes Idaho Company; $10,000 to 02 UT; and $10,000 to Western States Strategies. ²

In 2023, the Western Futures Fund made 23 grants, the largest of which was for $275,000 to the 907 Initiative. ³ That year, the Fund made a $252,000 grant to Middle Fork Strategies, $150,000 to Alaskans for Prosperity, $145,000 to Conservation Voters of Idaho, $100,000 to Anchorage Care for Kids, $100,000 to Alaskans for Fair Courts, $80,000 to Alaskans for Better Elections, $75,000 to the Montana State AFL-CIO, $70,000 for Shelter JH, $60,000 to the Western Organization of Resource Councils, $55,000 to Votes Idaho Corporation, $55,000 to the Open Democracy PAC, $50,000 to Way Back PAC, $44,000 to the Alaska AFL-CIO, $40,000 to the Voter Defense Association of South Dakota, $32,500 to the Utah Donor Collaborative, $27,125 to the Kansas Values Institute,  $25,000 to the Alliance for a Better Utah, $25,000 to the Alaska Progressive Donor Table, $25,000 to the Wild Montana Action Fund, $20,000 to 02 Utah, and $20,000 to Utah Women and Politics PAC. ³

Leadership

As of 2026, the website of the Western Futures Fund did not list the leaders or employees of the organization. According to the group’s 2024 public tax records, at that time Michael Hennesy was president, Christopher Hirsch was secretary, and Jeremy Krones was treasurer. A 2026 article from Must Read Alaska, a political and cultural media outlet, reported that Hennesy, Hirsch, and Krones are part of the “who’s who of progressive philanthropy” leaders in Alaska. In 2024, none of the three leaders received a reported salary from the Western Futures Fund. ^{1 4}

1. “Homepage.” Western Futures Fund. Accessed March 10, 2026. https://www.westernfuturesfund.org/.
2. “Western Futures Fund Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed March 10, 2026. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/873907363/202523149349303212/full.
3. “Western Futures Fund Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed March 10, 2026. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/873907363/202413129349302356/full.
4. “Who’s Really Calling the Shots in Alaska?.” Must Read Alaska, February 20, 2026. Accessed March 26, 2026. https://mustreadalaska.com/whos-really-calling-the-shots-in-alaska/.