The Western Organization of Resource Councils Education Project (WORCEP) is a left-leaning charitable nonprofit organization closely affiliated with the left-environmentalist lobbying group Western Organization of Resource Councils (WORC).

The Western Organization of Resource Councils Education Project serves to fund WORC and eight affiliated left-leaning activist organizations in western US states. The two “program service accomplishments” listed by WORCEP were contributions to WORC and the WORC constituent groups. ^[1]

The eight subsidiary organizations are Dakota Rural Action, Dakota Resource Council, Idaho Organization of Resource Councils, Northern Plains Resource Council, Oregon Rural Action, Powder River Action Resource Council, Western Colorado Congress (formerly Western Colorado Alliance for Community Action), and Forward Montana. ^[2] Under “Squad”, Anna Lucas is listed as the Political Director of Political Director, Western Organization of Resource Councils.^[3]

The Western Organization of Resource Councils Education Project’s 501(c)(3) designation allows donors to make tax-deductible donations to WORCEP, which are then transferred directly to the affiliated Western Organization of Resource Councils and the eight subsidiary groups which, as political activist and lobbying 501(c)(4) organizations, are not able to receive tax-deductible donations. ^[4]

Funding

The Western Organization of Resource Councils Education Project is funded by left-leaning institutions including the Chorus Foundation,^[5] Tides Foundation,^[6] Charles Stewart Mott Foundation,^[7] William and Flora Hewlett Foundation,^[8] Farm Aid,^[9] Nathan Cummings Foundation,^[10] NEO Philanthropy, ^[11] Educational Foundation of America,^[12] McCune Charitable Foundation,^[13] Beldon Fund,^[14] and The Tiffany and Co. Foundation. ^[15]

The Western Organization of Resource Councils Education Project raised $2,801,745 in 2017 and $2,921,700 in 2016. Almost all WORCEP’s budget was donated to its politically active allied organization, the Western Organization of Resource Councils, and its subsidiaries. ^[16]

Activities

The Western Organization of Resource Councils Education Project states on its 2017 tax return that its donations to the Western Organization of Resource Councils are for WORC’s “charitable and educational activities.” ^[17]

Other than funding the Western Organization of Resource Councils and its subsidiaries, the Western Organization of Resource Councils Education Project lists no other program services activities on its 2017 Internal Revenue Service tax return. ^[18]

People

Mitch Wolgamott

Mitch Wolgamott is chair of the Western Organization of Resource Councils Education Project board^[19] and also on the board of the Western Organization of Resource Councils. ^[20]

Linda Leeuwrik

Linda Leeuwrik is a board member of the Western Organization of Resource Councils Education Project ^[21] and also on the board of the Western Organization of Resource Councils. ^[22] She is an elected member of Pocatello, Idaho City Council who unsuccessfully ran in 2016 for the Bannock County, Idaho county commission as the Democratic Party nominee. ^{[23] [24] [25]}

Stacy Page

Stacy Page is vice-chair of the Western Organization of Resource Councils Education Project board^[26] and also is on the board of the Western Organization of Resource Councils. ^[27] Page has contributed to the Democratic National Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and several Democratic Party candidates. ^[28]

Page is also active with efforts to ban businesses from supporting candidates for public office in Wyoming. ^[29]

Linda Weiss

Linda Weiss is a board member of the Western Organization of Resource Councils Education Project^[30] and also is on the board of the Western Organization of Resource Councils. ^[31] Weiss has written in opposition to extension of the Keystone Pipeline. ^[32]

John Smillie

John Smillie is the executive director for the Western Organization of Resource Councils Education Project and is also the executive director of the Western Organization of Resource Councils. ^{[33] [34]}