Simone Lawson
In the wake of the murder of George Floyd, donations to the Black Lives Matter movement surged. However, the boost in fundraising also brought increased scrutiny and calls for transparency, with many questioning whether the donations were being funnelled to the Democratic Party. Black Lives Matter leaders have dismissed these claims as conspiracy theories, and campaign finance experts have confirmed that donations to the Black Lives Matter group do not go to the Democratic National Committee or to Democratic presidential campaigns.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of search | June 2020 |
| Fundraising platform used by Black Lives Matter | ActBlue |
| ActBlue's function | Similar to PayPal or Stripe, which are conduits for online purchases |
| ActBlue's role in donations to BLM | Passes along contributions from its fundraising platform directly to the charities or nonprofits that asked for them |
| ActBlue's statement on donations | "We pass along the contribution directly to the receiving campaign or entity. We do not choose the recipient of the contribution, the donor does." |
| Black Lives Matter's statement on claims of money being routed to Democrats | "An organized disinformation campaign against BLM, from actors clearly trying to blunt the growing support for this movement." |
| Thousand Currents' statement on claims of donations being rerouted to political campaigns | "Our 501(c)(3) status would be in jeopardy if charitable donations made through the organization were rerouted to political campaigns." |
| Black Lives Matter's political stance | "A decentralized political and social movement" that campaigns over racism and racial inequality |
| Black Lives Matter's political campaigns | Against racism and racial inequality |
| Black Lives Matter's stance on funding Democratic candidates | Does not fund Democratic candidates |
| Black Lives Matter's campaigns that could benefit Democrats | #WhatMatter2020, which focuses on racial injustice, economic injustice, LGBTQ rights, voter suppression, and “common-sense” gun laws |
| Corporations that have donated to BLM | BlackRock ($810 million), Capital One Financial ($10 million), Morgan Stanley ($30 million), US Bank ($160 million), Goldman Sachs ($10.1 million), Walt Disney Company, and the Pokémon Company |
| Celebrity donations to BLM | K-pop boy band BTS donated $1 million |
| Total amount raised by ActBlue in 2019 | $1 billion |
| Total amount raised by ActBlue in the week following George Floyd's murder | $19 million |
| Total amount raised by ActBlue the day following Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death | $70 million |
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What You'll Learn
ActBlue donations to BLM
Black Lives Matter uses ActBlue's fundraising platform to take donations. ActBlue is a conduit for these donations, passing them along directly to the charities or nonprofits that requested them. ActBlue has no control over where donations are directed; the donor chooses the recipient of the contribution.
ActBlue is a fundraising platform for Democratic campaigns and liberal political groups. It was founded in 2004 by Benjamin Rahn and Matt DeBergalis, and has been used by Democratic presidential nominees including Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and Bernie Sanders. In 2019, ActBlue raised roughly $1 billion for Democratic campaigns. In 2020, ActBlue broke several fundraising records, including raising $19 million in the week following George Floyd's murder, the highest single-day total up to that point in the year.
ActBlue has been the target of fraud accusations and investigated by Republican public officials over allegations of donor fraud. However, experts have expressed doubt about the veracity of these claims. ActBlue has called these investigations "partisan political attacks and scare tactics".
The Black Lives Matter Global Network is "fiscally sponsored" by a global nonprofit called Thousand Currents. A Thousand Currents audit for 2019 shows that, as of June 2019, the organization held nearly $3.4 million in net assets for Black Lives Matter.
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Thousand Currents' 501(c)(3) status
Thousand Currents is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides grants to organizations led by women, youth, and Indigenous people. These organizations are focused on building food sustainability, fighting climate change, and developing alternative economic models for their communities worldwide. Thousand Currents was founded in 1985 as the International Development Exchange and changed its name to Thousand Currents in 2016. It is funded by many left-leaning institutional donors, including the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
In 2016, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement approached Thousand Currents for fiscal management and administrative assistance, leading to a fiscal sponsorship agreement that launched the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation. This type of tax arrangement is used by newer non-profits while they fundraise and apply for their own tax-exempt status. A fiscal sponsor receives donation money on the non-profit's behalf and decides how and where the money is spent, according to Internal Revenue Service requirements.
The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation is a non-profit organization, but it is not tax-exempt. Thousand Currents' own 501(c)(3) status would be in jeopardy if charitable donations made through the organization were rerouted to political campaigns. According to the IRS, all 501(c)(3) organizations are prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in any political campaign.
Regarding the question of whether donations to Black Lives Matter go to a Democrat Super PAC, this has been refuted by fact-checking organizations and campaign finance experts. Black Lives Matter uses ActBlue's fundraising platform, which passes along contributions directly to the receiving campaign or entity chosen by the donor. ActBlue is classified as a political action committee by the Federal Election Commission but has a non-contribution account, meaning it has a separate bank account that is not used for contributions.
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BLM's #WhatMatters2020 campaign
In 2020, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement launched the #WhatMatters2020 campaign, focusing on the upcoming US presidential election. The campaign aimed to increase political participation among underrepresented communities, particularly young and Black voters, through education and voter registration drives. BLM's #WhatMatters2020 had four main goals:
- Vigorously engage underrepresented communities in the electoral process: BLM sought to empower Black voters, who are often repressed within the democratic process, to increase their political participation and make their voices heard. Data from the 2018 midterm elections showed that Black voters could tip the balance in close elections.
- Educate constituents about candidates and issues: BLM wanted to amplify and deep dive into the issues that affect Black communities the most, holding candidates accountable for their positions on these matters. These issues included racial injustice, police brutality, criminal justice reform, Black immigration, economic injustice, LGBTQIA+ and human rights, environmental injustice, access to healthcare, education, and voting rights.
- Promote voter registration: The campaign targeted Millennials, Generation Z, the Black community, and allies, encouraging them to register to vote and participate in the democratic process.
- Combat disinformation: BLM recognized the increased threats of disinformation during the 2020 election cycle, which affected both their constituents and the public at large. They aimed to counter false narratives and provide accurate information to the public.
Regarding the question of how much money BLM has donated to political campaigns, it is important to clarify that BLM is a nonprofit organization. Under IRS regulations, 501(c)(3) organizations like BLM are prohibited from making direct contributions to political campaigns. Instead, BLM utilizes fundraising platforms like ActBlue to receive donations. ActBlue is a conduit, similar to PayPal or Stripe, that passes along contributions directly to the designated charities or nonprofits. While ActBlue has been associated with Democratic campaigns, experts confirm that donations to BLM through ActBlue are earmarked specifically for BLM and do not go to any other group or campaign. Therefore, BLM's donations do not go directly to political campaigns, and the organization's impact is through its grassroots engagement and educational efforts, as seen in the #WhatMatters2020 campaign.
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Corporations' multi-million dollar donations
According to reports, several major corporations have made multi-million dollar donations to Black Lives Matter (BLM) and related causes. For instance, asset management firm BlackRock contributed a substantial $810 million, while other financial institutions also provided significant funding, including Capital One Financial ($10 million), Morgan Stanley ($30 million), US Bank ($160 million), and Goldman Sachs ($10.1 million). Additionally, entertainment companies like Walt Disney and the Pokémon Company have also contributed to BLM.
These donations have been directed towards various purposes, including future operations, real estate purchases, grants for BLM chapters, and supporting progressive community leaders and activists. While BLM has faced scrutiny and conspiracy theories regarding the allocation of funds, it is important to note that BLM is a decentralized movement, and its financial activities are subject to regulatory oversight.
BLM utilizes fundraising platforms like ActBlue, which is commonly used by Democrats and progressive organizations. ActBlue has clarified that donations made through their platform are directed to the specified recipient and are not shared across candidates or groups. This means that contributions to BLM through ActBlue are exclusively for BLM and not distributed to other entities. ActBlue's role is similar to that of PayPal or Stripe, which are conduits for online transactions.
ActBlue has been a target of fraud accusations and investigations by Republican officials, who have questioned the platform's donor verification processes. However, ActBlue has defended itself against these allegations and worked on enhancing donor verification, such as expanding CVV verification for credit card donations.
While the exact breakdown of how BLM allocates its funds is not publicly available, the organization has stated that its programs focus on civic engagement, chapter expansion, arts and culture, organizing, and digital advocacy. BLM has also launched the #WhatMatters2020 campaign, which aims to amplify the voices of black voters and address issues like racial and economic injustice, LGBTQ rights, and voter suppression, which align with the Democratic Party's agenda.
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Accusations of donor fraud
Black Lives Matter (BLM) has faced scrutiny and accusations of donor fraud. In 2023, it was reported that only about a third of the $90 million donated to BLM following George Floyd's murder in 2020 went to other charitable organizations, with millions being paid out to individuals close to the organization's founders. For example, $1.6 million was paid to the father of BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors for "security services," and $2.1 million was paid to BLM board member Shalomyah Bowers for "consulting."
BLM has also been accused of routing money to Democratic political campaigns. In 2020, a viral video claimed that donations to BLM went to Democratic presidential candidates like Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden. However, this was refuted by fact-checking organizations and campaign finance experts, who clarified that ActBlue, the fundraising platform used by BLM, simply facilitates transactions for nonprofit organizations and does not direct donations to political campaigns. Furthermore, as a 501(c)(3) organization, BLM is prohibited by the IRS from making contributions to political campaigns.
In 2023, a fraud lawsuit was filed against the BLM foundation in California, alleging that its leaders had siphoned off millions of dollars for nefarious purposes, including the purchase of a $6 million Los Angeles-area compound. However, the lawsuit was dismissed, with the judge ruling that the plaintiffs failed to provide sufficient evidence to support their claims.
Separately, in 2024, an individual named Sir Maejor Page was sentenced to 42 months in prison for wire fraud and money laundering. Page had defrauded donors of more than $450,000 for his nonprofit "Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta," which he used for personal expenses. This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by the Department of Justice, demonstrating their commitment to pursuing fraudulent charity schemes.
It is worth noting that BLM has also faced criticism from families of victims they use to fundraise, who feel that the organization is capitalizing on tragedies without providing support or communication. These accusations highlight the importance of transparency and accountability in nonprofit organizations, particularly those dealing with sensitive social and racial issues.
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Frequently asked questions
No, despite claims made on social media, donations to BLM do not go to a Democrat Super PAC. BLM is a nonprofit and the IRS prohibits 501(c)(3) organizations from making contributions to political campaigns.
BLM uses ActBlue as a fundraising platform. ActBlue is a conduit for online purchases, similar to PayPal or Stripe. However, ActBlue does not have any control over how funds are allocated.
BLM does not donate to political campaigns. However, it has launched a #WhatMatter2020 campaign aimed at increasing the voice of Black voters, which could potentially benefit Democrats.
No, BLM leaders have dismissed these claims as a political disinformation campaign. Any donations to the DNC would have to be publicly reported to the Federal Election Commission.
No, despite appearances of multi-million dollar contributions to Democratic presidential candidates like Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden, these donations are not from BLM.
