What is the difference between Movement Voter Project, PAC, and Fund?

Movement Voter Project, Movement Voter PAC, and Movement Voter Fund are three legally distinct and separate organizations.

Movement Voter Project was initiated in 2015. It is a 501(c)(4) Social Welfare Organization, EIN 37-1697474. You can find Movement Voter Project’s registration and legal filings under its official corporate name, All Hands On Deck Network, a predecessor organization founded in 2012. Here are Movement Voter Project’s IRS Form 990s for 2019 and 2020. (More recent years are currently undergoing amendment.)

Movement Voter PAC is a political action committee created in 2019 and registered with the Federal Election Commission (FEC ID# C00728360).

Movement Voter Fund became an independent 501(c)(3) Public Charity in the fall of 2021 when it was granted IRS approval. Currently, Movement Voter Fund processes 501(c)(3) donations and grants via a fund that has existed since 2016 at the Tides Foundation. Learn more at the Movement Voter Fund website.

 

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Differences between c4, PAC, and c3

The following table summarizes the main differences between 501(c)(4), PAC, and 501(c)(3) organizations. Many of MVP’s grantees have affiliates with these same distinctions.

Nonpartisan work: All c3 groups’ work (and ~60% of c4 groups’ work) must be strictly nonpartisan. This includes voter education, engagement, and turnout. It can also include issue advocacy and advocacy for or against ballot initiatives. However, it never promotes a particular political party or candidate, either directly or indirectly.

Partisan work: This reflects the proportion of funds an entity can use to support partisan or political activity, such as explicitly endorsing or commenting on candidates for office. Partisan work often heats up as elections approach, and it is critical for some groups to have enough partisan political funding to compete and win.

FEC reporting: All Political Action Committees, including Movement Voter PAC, must report to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) the name, employer, and occupation of donors who give more than $200. This is the same FEC requirement donors encounter when giving to House, Senate and Presidential candidates.

 

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Benefits of PAC and C4 Giving

A PAC donation may be right for you if:

• You are looking to maximize your partisan impact on elections.
• You are aware that your gift will be publicly disclosed.
• Your gift does not require tax deductibility.
• You are not looking to utilize a corporate matching gift program, which generally only match 501(c)3 gifts.
• Learn more about the benefits of PAC giving for electoral impact.

A 501(c)(4) donation may be right for you if:

• You want to fund both partisan and nonpartisan activities.
• You do not want your gift publicly disclosed.
• Your gift does not require tax deductibility.
• You are not looking to utilize a corporate matching gift program, which generally only match 501(c)3 gifts.

 

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