Tides (organization)

Tides
Motto What's Possible
Founded 1976[1]
Founder Drummond Pike
Location
Method Donor advised fund
Endowment $116,000,000 (2011)[3]
Mission To work toward a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world[4]
Website www.tides.org

Tides is a donor advised fund that directs money to politically liberal causes.[5] Founded in 1976 in San Francisco, Tides provides money to organizations working to advance progressive policy in the areas of the environment, health care, labor issues, immigrant rights, gay rights, women's rights and human rights.[1][5] Tides oversees the Tides Center, which serves as an incubator for fledgling progressive organizations.

History

Tides was founded in 1976 by Drummond Pike. Jane Bagley Lehman, heir to the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company fortune, was also involved with the founding of Tides.[6] Tides was conceived as a nationally oriented community foundation, and founded out of Pike's frustration with established philanthropy's perceived neglect of progressive issues.[1] Drummond founded a similar organization, Tides Canada, in 2000.[7]

Tides grew to become the most frequently used donor advised fund for wealthy West Coast liberals who did not want to start their own family foundations. By 2009, Tides was responsible for allocating $75 million per year in donor money, most of which went to fund progressive political causes.[6]

Funding

Organizations that began as projects of Tides include Campaign to Defend the Constitution, Higher Education Recruitment Consortium, People for the American Way, Pew Internet and American Life Project, Rockridge Institute, Social Venture Network, Urgent Action Fund, and V-Day.[8] The Tides website lists 130 current grantees.[9]

In 2000, Tides launched a program called "Bridging the Economic Divide." It focused on funding living wage campaigns and economic justice coalitions. Tides also launched the Tides Death Penalty Mobilization Fund, which supports the anti-death penalty movement. The Michigan Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence was founded with support from Tides.[4]

In 2011, Tides received about $90 million in funding, and awarded about $96 million to various individuals and organizations.[10]

Tides has received at least $3.5 million from financier and political activist George Soros.[11]

From 2003 to 2012, Tides gave around $4.4 million to media advocacy organization Media Matters for America.[12]

The Advocacy Fund

Tides is affiliated with the Advocacy Fund, a liberal lobbying group.[13] In the 2012 election cycle, the Advocacy Fund gave $11.5 million to 501(c)(4) organizations, including $2 million to the League of Conservation Voters, $1.8 million to America Votes and $1.3 million to the Center for Community Change.[5] The Advocacy Fund has also supported the environmentally-focused groups Bold Nebraska, National Wildlife Federation Action Fund, NRDC Action Fund, and the Sierra Club.[14]

In 2008, the Advocacy Fund contributed to campaigns opposing Colorado Amendment 46, Colorado Amendment 47, Colorado Amendment 49 and Colorado Amendment 54.[15] The Advocacy Fund distributed $11.8 million in grants in 2013 to groups promoting immigration reform, increased worker protections, chemical safety legal reform, and increased investment in the solar energy industry.[16] In the second quarter of 2013, the Advocacy Fund spent $2.1 million lobbying for comprehensive immigration reform.

Positions

In October 2011, Former Tides CEO Melissa L. Bradley stated in a blog post that Tides supports the Occupy Wall Street movement. She wrote that the movement "represents the best of American ideals and ingenuity."[17]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 McCarthy, Deborah; Faber, Daniel (2005). Foundations for Social Change: Critical Perspectives on Philanthropy and Popular Movements. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 133. ISBN 9780742549883.
  2. ↑ "Contact Us". Tides. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  3. ↑ "Administrative Fees for Donor-Advised Funds". Philanthropy Daily. May 27, 2012. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  4. 1 2 Anheier, Helmut; Leat, Diana (2006). Creative Philanthropy: Toward a New Philanthropy for the Twenty-First Century. Routledge. ISBN 9781134197644.
  5. 1 2 3 Blumenthal, Paul (April 9, 2014). "Nothing Really Compares To The Koch Brothers' Political Empire". Huffington Post. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  6. 1 2 Callahan, David (2010). Fortunes of Change: The Rise of the Liberal Rich and the Remaking of America. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9780470606544.
  7. ↑ "Canada Revenue Agency website, Tides Canada Foundation". Canada Revenue Agency.
  8. ↑ "History". Tides. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  9. ↑ "Project Directory". Tides. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  10. ↑ "Tides > Grantees". Tides.
  11. ↑ "Is George Soros behind Occupy Wall Street?". Russia Today. October 14, 2011.
  12. ↑ Martosko, David (February 17, 2012). "Left-wing foundations lavish millions on Media Matters". The Daily Caller.
  13. ↑ Choma, Russ; Vendituoli, Monica (July 22, 2013). "Advocacy Fund Spends Millions to Lobby on Immigration". OpenSecrets.org. Center for Responsive Politics. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  14. ↑ Yachnin, Jennifer (December 11, 2013). "Still 'electing the best, defeating the worst' -- but with far greater resources than before". E&E Publishing. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  15. ↑ "Tides Advocacy Fund". Follow The Money. National Institute on Money in State Politics. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  16. ↑ Blumenthal, Paul (January 29, 2015). "Groups With Liberal Ties Tapped To Re-Elect The GOP Establishment". Huffington Post. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  17. ↑ Bradley, Melissa L. (October 12, 2011). "Why We Support the #OccupyWallStreet Movement". Tides.
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