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Political Party/527

Youth Progressive Action Catalyst

Location:

Washington, DC
Type:

Carey Committee (Super PAC/PAC Hybrid)
Formation:

2017
Presidents:

Nick Guthman and Morgan Stahr
Budget (2022):

Revenue: $783,772
Expenses: $837,106
Assets: $76,775

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Youth Progressive Action Catalyst is a left-of-center hybrid Political Action Committee (hybrid PAC). The organization labels itself as a “youth-led” organization that, as a hybrid PAC, can both engage in general election-related speech activity and also make financial contributions to the campaigns of left-of-center politicians. Blue Future, a Democratic Party-aligned incubator that trains left-leaning “community organizers,” is a project funded by the Youth Progressive Action Catalyst. 1

Background

Nick Guthman and Morgan Stahr co-founded the Youth Progressive Action Catalyst in 2017. 2

Guthman has stated that he drew inspiration to become involved in left-of-center politics from his time participating in Organizing for Action (OFA), a now-defunct left-of-center incubation center for community organizing that was founded by members of the President Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. 3 OFA’s stated purpose was to advance the agenda of Obama campaign. 4 The organization re-surfaced again to oppose the Trump administration, 5 but was eventually folded into the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC). 6

Finances

In the 2021-2022 spending cycle, Youth Progressive Action Catalyst received $783,772 in contributions, 7 made $837,106 in expenditures, 8 and held $76,775 in net asset. 9

Political Contributions

In the 2021-2022 spending cycle the Youth Progressive Action Catalyst received contributions from Democracy PAC II ($250,000), 10 Grassroots Democrats HQ ($13,050), 11 More Blue PAC ($5,000), 12 and the Brady PAC ($1,500). 13

During the 2020 presidential campaign, Youth Progressive Action Catalyst contributed to the Working Arizona PAC ($8,500), made numerous contributions to individual “community organizers” engaging in electioneering, 14 and made processing fee and consulting service payments to ActBlue LLC ($2,151) and Summit Campaign Strategies ($11,000). 15

Leadership

Nick Guthman and Morgan Stahr are the co-founders and co-presidents of Youth Progressive Action Catalyst and Blue Future. 16

Prior to founding the organization, Guthman was a deputy field director for Americans For Tax Fairness, 17 a project of the left-of-center New Venture Fund that has advocated for higher taxes on individuals and businesses; 18 claimed to have played a major role in the repeal of George W. Bush administration tax cuts; 19 and opposed the Trump administration tax cuts. 20

Morgan Stahr was an intern for the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation prior to co-founding the organization. 21 In addition to Youth Progressive Action Catalyst, Stahr is the president of Progressive Leadership Initiative Education Fund (PLIEF), a leadership and coaching program for left-leaning activists. 22

References

  1. “About us.” Blue Future.  https://ourbluefuture.us/about-us/about-us/
  2. “ Impact Report – 2022” Blue Center. https://ourbluefuture.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Blue-Future-Impact-Report-2022-final.pdf
  3. Bauder, Penny. “Young Change Makers: Why and How Nick Guthman of Blue Future Is Helping To Change Our World” Medium. March 26, 2021. Accessed August 23, 2023. https://medium.com/authority-magazine/young-change-makers-why-and-how-nick-guthman-of-blue-future-is-helping-to-change-our-world-cc0ba0bf1cd1
  4. Seitz-Wald, Alex. “Obama-Aligned Organizing for Action Relaunches for Trump Era.” NBC News. February 10, 2017. Accessed August 23, 2023. http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/democrats-vs-trump/obama-aligned-organizing-action-relaunches-trump-era-n719311.
  5. Seitz-Wald, Alex. “Obama-Aligned Organizing for Action Relaunches for Trump Era.” NBC News. February 10, 2017. Accessed August 23, 2023. http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/democrats-vs-trump/obama-aligned-organizing-action-relaunches-trump-era-n719311
  6. Edward-Isaac Dovere. “Barack Obama Goes All In Politically to Fight Gerrymandering.” The Atlantic. December 20, 2018. Accessed August 23, 2023. https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/12/obamas-political-group-shifts-focus-gerrymandering/578770/
  7. “2021-2022 PAC Profile: Youth Progressive Action Catalyst” OpenSecrets. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/youth-progressive-action-catalyst/C00670216/summary/2022
  8. “2021-2022 PAC Profile: Youth Progressive Action Catalyst” OpenSecrets. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/youth-progressive-action-catalyst/C00670216/summary/2022
  9. “2021-2022 PAC Profile: Youth Progressive Action Catalyst” OpenSecrets. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/youth-progressive-action-catalyst/C00670216/summary/2022
  10. “2021-2022 Youth Progressive Action Catalyst PAC to PAC/Party” OpenSecrets. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/youth-progressive-action-catalyst/C00670216/pac-to-pac/2022
  11. “2021-2022 Youth Progressive Action Catalyst PAC to PAC/Party” OpenSecrets. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/youth-progressive-action-catalyst/C00670216/pac-to-pac/2022
  12. “2021-2022 Youth Progressive Action Catalyst PAC to PAC/Party” OpenSecrets. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/youth-progressive-action-catalyst/C00670216/pac-to-pac/2022
  13. “2021-2022 Youth Progressive Action Catalyst PAC to PAC/Party” OpenSecrets. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/youth-progressive-action-catalyst/C00670216/pac-to-pac/2022
  14. [1]“2021- YEAR END REPORT OF RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS – Youth Progressive Action Catalyst PAC” Federal Election Commission. https://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/536/202101149404564536/202101149404564536.pdf#navpanes=0
  15. “2021- YEAR END REPORT OF RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS – Youth Progressive Action Catalyst PAC” Federal Election Commission. https://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/536/202101149404564536/202101149404564536.pdf#navpanes=0
  16. “Impact Report – 2022” Blue Center. https://ourbluefuture.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Blue-Future-Impact-Report-2022-final.pdf
  17. “Nick Guthman.” LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-guthman/
  18. “About.” Americans For Tax Fairness. https://americansfortaxfairness.org/about/
  19. “BUSH TAX CUTS.” Americans For Tax Fairness. https://americansfortaxfairness.org/issues/bush-tax-cuts/
  20. “TRUMP TAX CUT TRUTHS.” Americans For Tax Fairness. https://americansfortaxfairness.org/issues/trumptaxcuttruths/
  21. “Morgan Stahr.” LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/morganstahr/details/experience/
  22. “About Us. Progressive Leadership Initiative Education Fund. https://www.plief.org/about
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Youth Progressive Action Catalyst


Washington, DC