The Veterans Organizing Institute is a left-of-center training organization that provides community organizing and political advocacy training to veterans. The group is a training arm of Common Defense, a left-of-center organization that organizes veterans to support left-of-center political causes. Common Defense formed in 2016 by organizing “Vets Against Trump” protests. The group is dedicated to left-of-center policies with the broad goal of promoting a “social justice alignment” within the United States.

The Veterans Organizing Institute aims to turn left-leaning veterans into activists and community organizers. Other organizations affiliated with the Common Defense umbrella include the Common Defense Education Fund (CDEF), Common Defense Civic Engagement (CDCE), and the Common Defense Action Fund, which form the education, lobbying, and political action committee (PAC) arms of the network. ^{1 2 3}

Background

Veterans Organizing Institute is a program of Common Defense, a left-of-center organization that claims it is comprised of U.S. military veterans that works to train its members to become leaders in political campaigns related to climate change, anti-militarism, and voting rights. Common Defense Civic Engagement (CDCE) is the 501(c)(4) lobbying and electoral advocacy arm of the Common Defense Education Fund (CDEF). While the Education Fund specializes in training and organizing, the Civic Engagement branch focuses on policy issues and electoral advocacy. The Common Defense umbrella of organizations also includes Common Defense Action Fund, a political action committee (PAC). ⁴

Activities

The Veterans Organizing Institute exists to provide political and organizing trainings for veterans to create a network of “highly diverse, former service members, with sophisticated political analysis and practical organizing skills” in hopes of “reshaping the long-term American political landscape.” The group provides training on social change and the social justice movement, political analysis, grassroots organizing, education on domestic and international policy issues. The group has a training team with “extensive experience” across left-of-center political movements. ⁵

The group also has a commitment on its website pledging to create “training opportunities for all veterans, especially those who represent directly impacted communities, including women, people of color, Indigenous, Muslim, LGBTQ+, and disabled veterans.” ⁶

The organization’s website does not specifically state issues on which the organization trains program participants, but states a goal to “cultivate long-term progressive veteran leaders who will play a crucial role in the historic tasks of (1) forging a viable path for a new American peace movement, and (2) embedding a deeper progressive peace and security analysis within an emerging social justice alignment in the United States.” ⁷

Funding

While the Veterans Organizing Institute does not disclose donors, organizations under the Common Defense umbrella have received funding from the Sixteen Thirty Fund, a pass-through grantmaking organization managed by major left-of-center consultancy Arabella Advisors . ⁸

Common Defense groups have also received funding from the Tides Foundation, Open Society Policy Center, Onward Together, Need to Impeach, North Fund, and Communications Workers of America. ⁹

1. “About.” Veterans Organizing Institute. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://veteransorganizinginstitute.org/about-voi-1
2. “Home.” Veterans Organizing Institute. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://veteransorganizinginstitute.org/
3. “About Us.” Common Defense Civic Engagement. Accessed September 10, 2023. https://commondefense.us/about-us
4. “About Us.” Common Defense Civic Engagement. Accessed September 10, 2023. https://commondefense.us/about-us
5. “Home.” Veterans Organizing Institute. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://veteransorganizinginstitute.org/
6. “Home.” Veterans Organizing Institute. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://veteransorganizinginstitute.org/
7. “About.” Veterans Organizing Institute. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://veteransorganizinginstitute.org/about-voi-1
8. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Sixteen Thirty Fund. 2021. Schedule I, Part II – Grants and Other Assistance to Domestic Organizations and Domestic Governments.
9. “Full-Text Search.” ProPublica. Accessed September 10, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/full_text_search?q=common+defense+civic+engagement