Dark money in Nevada politics

Money whose ultimate source is obscured because it passes through one or more 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or 527 vehicles before reaching its operational destination. The original donor's name doesn't appear on the recipient's filings; only the pass-through's name does. Federal regulation does not require c4 social-welfare orgs to disclose donors publicly. Fiscal-sponsorship arrangements compound the opacity. This page maps the pass-through ecosystem feeding NV politics, anchored on Paul Mitchell's research and reconciled against our state and federal datasets.

Paul-mapped flow to NV (2019-2024): $44,091,000

Pass-through hub entities

Out-of-state funder entities

National advocacy orgs

NV NGO recipients

Verified in our data

Partial reconciliation

Missing (research leads)

Why this page exists

NV campaign-finance disclosure (NRS 294A) covers candidate committees and PACs reporting their own contributions and disbursements. It does not reach the tax-exempt nonprofits — 501(c)(3) charities, 501(c)(4) social-welfare orgs, 527 political organizations — that move money between donors and the eventual political expenditure. The federal IRS Form 990 series is the only public window into those entities, and Schedule B (donor list) is redacted on the public copy. The result: large flows can be traced into and out of these vehicles, but the original donor and the ultimate political beneficiary are linked only by the pass-through's books.

The pattern documented below — where money from out-of-state foundations enters a CA- or DC-headquartered hub like Arabella Advisors, New Venture Fund, or Tides, and exits as a grant to a NV-based 501(c)(4) like Silver State Voices or Battle Born Progress, which then funds political activity — is the working architecture of how progressive national money reaches NV state politics. (The same architecture exists on the Republican / corporatocracy side; that mirror-map is in progress as a separate page.)

This is not by itself wrongdoing. Pass-through giving is legal under IRS rules. The page documents the architecture so that readers can apply their own judgment about whether the resulting opacity serves the public interest. Each entity name below is from Paul Mitchell's research artifact (`Reports/paul-network-of-networks-v2.md`); the verification status is from our cross-reference against NV cf_*, lobbyist clients, NV SOS, federal LDA, and IRS 990 data. Missing-status entries are research leads — the entity is named by Paul but does not yet appear in our datasets, and may be a federal-only filer or operating under a different filed name.

Federal-layer governance overlap (IRS 990 Part VII)

Independent of money-flow, the network is also visible in shared governance. Form 990 Part VII Section A requires every 501(c) to publicly disclose its officers and directors. Cross-referencing across our 60-org IRS 990 snapshot surfaces the people who sit on multiple boards simultaneously — the federal-layer equivalent of NV-SOS shared-officer detection. Most-overlapped:

Janiece Evans-Page — CEO of Tides Foundation, CEO of Tides Center, Director of Tides Advocacy (one person running the Tides triangle).
Andrew Schulz — General Counsel of Hopewell Fund AND New Venture Fund (legal hub for two of the largest Arabella-network 501(c)(3) pass-throughs).
Lee Bodner — Board Chair / President at both Hopewell Fund and New Venture Fund.
On the corporatocracy mirror: Weston Edwards Secretary of Americans for Prosperity, AFP Foundation, AND The Seminar Network (Koch network triangle); Emily Seidel, Brent Gardner, Gretchen Reiter, Kim Penner — all directors on both Americans for Prosperity (501(c)(4)) and AFP Foundation (501(c)(3)) — canonical 501c4/c3 governance pair.

Full 23-person cross-org list at /data/irs-990-officers.json. Surfaced as a Tier B finding on /anomalies/.

How the chain works

Donor (foundation, individual, or corporation) gives to a 501(c)(3) charity or 501(c)(4) social-welfare org — Sixteen Thirty Fund, New Venture Fund, Tides Foundation, Hopewell Fund. The donor gets the tax deduction; their name appears on the recipient's private Schedule B but not the public 990.
Pass-through grants forward to a fiscally-sponsored project (NV-specific) or to a peer c4. A fiscally-sponsored project shares the parent's EIN, has no separate 990, and disclosure obligations are minimal.
Pass-through 2 (optional) further routes funds — c4-to-c4 transfers, or c3-to-c4 transfers via grant agreements, can repeat as many times as needed.
NV state recipient (Silver State Voices, Battle Born Progress, PLAN Action, Make the Road Nevada) receives the grant. By this point, original-donor identity is buried 2-3 layers deep.
Operational expenditure: ad spend, canvassing, lobbying, voter registration drives. Reports show the NV recipient as the source. The original donor's name appears nowhere in the public NV record.

The same chain operates in reverse for the corporate / Republican side: corporate PAC → Republican State Leadership Committee or similar → NV PAC → candidate spending. That parallel is the subject of the Republican corporatocracy mirror-map (in progress).

D-side / progressive cross-state coordinating PACs

National-network parent organizations operate in NV via state-named subsidiary PACs (typically with "- Nevada", "NV PAC", or known parent-org prefix on cf_groups.group_name). 16 committee(s) across 13 parent org(s) have disbursed $25,655,313 in NV since 2019. Most are HQ'd in DC or NY but operationally NV-targeted. Click each parent to see its NV committee roster.

Democratic Attorneys General Association

2 NV cf_groups committee(s)

$7,981,164

disbursed in NV (2019+)

DAGA Nevada People's Lawyer Project Washin $7,707,164 · 33 payments
DAGA Nevada Washin $274,000 · 5 payments

Somos Votantes / We Are Voters

1 NV cf_groups committee(s)

$5,204,284

disbursed in NV (2019+)

Somos Votantes - Nevada WASHIN $5,204,284 · 38 payments

UNITE HERE

1 NV cf_groups committee(s)

$4,916,756

disbursed in NV (2019+)

UNITE HERE State and Local Fund - Nevada New Yo $4,916,756 · 171 payments

Make the Road Action / Network

2 NV cf_groups committee(s)

$2,169,211

disbursed in NV (2019+)

Make the Road Action Inc. NV $2,053,914 · 165 payments
Make the Road Action IEC Brookl $115,297 · 6 payments

Planned Parenthood Action Fund / Votes

2 NV cf_groups committee(s)

$1,630,991

disbursed in NV (2019+)

Planned Parenthood Votes New Yo $1,329,956 · 17 payments
Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties' Community Action Fund PAC Anahei $301,035 · 3 payments

Democratic Governors Association

1 NV cf_groups committee(s)

$1,343,315

disbursed in NV (2019+)

Democratic Governors Association - Nevada Washin $1,343,315 · 36 payments

EMILYs List

1 NV cf_groups committee(s)

$1,074,032

disbursed in NV (2019+)

EMILY's List - NV Washin $1,074,032 · 177 payments

Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee

1 NV cf_groups committee(s)

$666,731

disbursed in NV (2019+)

DLCC Nevada Washin $666,731 · 38 payments

BlackPAC

1 NV cf_groups committee(s)

$233,004

disbursed in NV (2019+)

BlackPAC - Nevada Washin $233,004 · 5 payments

Working Families Party / PAC

1 NV cf_groups committee(s)

$204,649

disbursed in NV (2019+)

Working Families PAC NV $204,649 · 1 payments

NextGen Climate Action / NextGen America

1 NV cf_groups committee(s)

$130,780

disbursed in NV (2019+)

NextGen Climate Action Committee Washin $130,780 · 10 payments

Sierra Club

1 NV cf_groups committee(s)

$63,396

disbursed in NV (2019+)

Sierra Club Nevada PAC NV $63,396 · 13 payments

Latino Victory Fund / Project

1 NV cf_groups committee(s)

$37,000

disbursed in NV (2019+)

Latino Victory Fund Washin $37,000 · 18 payments

Pass-through hubs (5 entities)

The chokepoints. Money enters from out-of-state foundations and donors; exits as grants to NV recipient organizations. The Arabella Advisors network alone is documented as a $2.5M+ pass-through in Paul's research. Tides Advocacy reports $65.8M in 990 revenue nationally — only a fraction reaches NV, but that fraction is opaque without cross-document research.

Sixteen Thirty Fund

○ partial Indirect · DC

$1,200,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: 501(c)(4)

Cross-reference status: NV cf_contributors: 3 IRS 990: 1

IRS Form 990: EIN 264486735 · 501(c)(4) · $181,353,252 revenue (tax period 202312).

New Venture Fund

✓ verified Direct · DC

$1,000,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: 501(c)(3)

Cross-reference status: NV cf_contributors: 1 NV lobbyist clients: 1 NV SOS: 2 Federal LDA: 3 IRS 990: 1

IRS Form 990: EIN 205806345 · 501(c)(3) · $669,088,461 revenue (tax period 202312).

Tides Advocacy

✓ verified Direct · CA

$917,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: 501(c)(4)

Cross-reference status: NV cf_contributors: 1 NV lobbyist clients: 1 NV SOS: 2 Federal LDA: 2 IRS 990: 1

IRS Form 990: EIN 943153687 · 501(c)(4) social welfare · $65,829,577 revenue (tax period 202312).

Arabella Advisors Network

⨯ missing Inference · DC

$2,500,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: for-profit consulting

Cross-reference status: No matches in our datasets

Hopewell Fund

○ partial Indirect · DC

$600,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: 501(c)(3)

Cross-reference status: NV cf_contributors: 1 IRS 990: 1

IRS Form 990: EIN 473681860 · 501(c)(3) · $157,709,416 revenue (tax period 202312).

Out-of-state funders (9 entities)

Foundations and national funders contributing to NV politics through pass-through chains or directly. The flow is national → pass-through → NV. Total Paul-mapped from this tier: $8,624,000 (2019-2024).

Arabella Advisors

⨯ missing Inference · CA

$1,250,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: pass-through

Cross-reference status: No matches in our datasets

New Venture Fund

✓ verified Direct · CA

$1,000,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: foundation

Cross-reference status: NV cf_contributors: 1 NV lobbyist clients: 1 NV SOS: 2 Federal LDA: 3 IRS 990: 1

IRS Form 990: EIN 205806345 · 501(c)(3) · $669,088,461 revenue (tax period 202312).

Tides Foundation

○ partial Indirect · CA

$917,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: foundation

Cross-reference status: NV cf_contributors: 2 IRS 990: 1

IRS Form 990: EIN 510198509 · 501(c)(3) · $350,128,498 revenue (tax period 202312).

Climate Power

○ partial Indirect · DC

$720,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: advocacy

Cross-reference status: IRS 990: 1

IRS Form 990: EIN 922307261 · 501(c)(4) · $35,315,235 revenue (tax period 202312).

Latino Victory Fund

○ partial Indirect · DC

$807,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: PAC/foundation

Cross-reference status: NV cf_contributors: 5 NV cf_groups: 1

SEIU State Council

⨯ missing Inference · CA

$1,660,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: union

Cross-reference status: No matches in our datasets

Service Employees International Union

○ partial Indirect · national

$1,470,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: union

Cross-reference status: NV cf_contributors: 5 IRS 990: 1

IRS Form 990: EIN 360852885 · 501(c)(5) · $254,234,044 revenue (tax period 202212).

Rockefeller Brothers Fund

○ partial Indirect · NY

$500,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: foundation

Cross-reference status: IRS 990: 1

IRS Form 990: EIN 131760106 · 501(c)(3) · $70,847,825 revenue (tax period 202312).

Ford Foundation

○ partial Indirect · NY

$300,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: foundation

Cross-reference status: NV cf_contributors: 3 IRS 990: 1

IRS Form 990: EIN 131684331 · 501(c)(3) · $502,432,276 revenue (tax period 202312).

NV NGO recipients (11 entities)

Nevada-based 501(c)(3) / 501(c)(4) / fiscal-sponsorship recipients of the pass-through flows above. Total Paul-mapped to this tier: $28,150,000 (2019-2024). Recipients with both 990 reporting AND cf_contributors hits are double-verified — they appear in both the federal nonprofit registry and the NV campaign-finance database.

Silver State Voices

○ partial Indirect · NV

$6,700,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: 501(c)(3) advocacy

Cross-reference status: NV lobbyist clients: 1

Battle Born Progress

✓ verified Direct · NV

$4,500,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: 501(c)(4)

Cross-reference status: NV cf_contributors: 5 NV lobbyist clients: 1 NV SOS: 1

Culinary Union Local 226

○ partial Indirect · NV

$3,200,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: union

Cross-reference status: NV cf_contributors: 2

Progress Nevada

○ partial Indirect · NV

$2,750,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: 501(c)(4)

Cross-reference status: NV cf_contributors: 4 NV cf_groups: 1

Make the Road Nevada

○ partial Indirect · NV

$2,200,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: fiscally sponsored

Cross-reference status: NV cf_contributors: 4 NV lobbyist clients: 1

PLAN

○ partial Indirect · NV

$2,000,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: 501(c)(3)

Cross-reference status: NV cf_contributors: 5

IRS Form 990: EIN 841191279 · 501(c)(4) social welfare · $915,343 revenue (tax period 202309).

Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada

○ partial Indirect · NV

$2,000,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: 501(c)(3)

Cross-reference status: NV cf_contributors: 5 IRS 990: 1

IRS Form 990: EIN 880318655 · 501(c)(3) charity · $1,407,627 revenue (tax period 202312).

Nevadans for the Common Good

○ partial Indirect · NV

$1,750,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: advocacy

Cross-reference status: NV cf_contributors: 1

The Children's Cabinet

✓ verified Direct · NV

$1,200,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: 501(c)(3)

Cross-reference status: NV cf_contributors: 3 NV lobbyist clients: 1 NV SOS: 1

PLAN Action

✓ verified Direct · NV

$1,000,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: donor collaborative

Cross-reference status: NV cf_contributors: 5 NV cf_groups: 1 NV lobbyist clients: 1 NV SOS: 1

Vegas Strong Initiative

⨯ missing Inference · NV

$850,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: 501(c)(4)

Cross-reference status: No matches in our datasets

National advocacy / issue groups (5 entities)

National 501(c)(4) issue advocates whose NV chapters or grants form part of the flow. Most are partisan-aligned and operate as the public-facing brand under which the funded activity happens.

NARAL Pro-Choice America

○ partial Indirect · DC

$300,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: 501(c)(4)

Cross-reference status: NV cf_contributors: 5

ACLU Foundation

○ partial Indirect · DC

$250,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: 501(c)(3)

Cross-reference status: NV cf_contributors: 5 NV lobbyist clients: 1

Human Rights Campaign

○ partial Indirect · DC

$250,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: 501(c)(4)

Cross-reference status: NV cf_contributors: 5

Earthjustice

⨯ missing Inference · DC

$150,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: 501(c)(3)

Cross-reference status: No matches in our datasets

IRS Form 990: EIN 821981944 · 501(c)(4) · $2,391,524 revenue (tax period 202306).

Center for American Progress

○ partial Indirect · DC

$150,000

Paul-mapped to NV (2019-2024)

Paul's classification: 501(c)(3)

Cross-reference status: IRS 990: 1

IRS Form 990: EIN 300126510 · 501(c)(3) · $46,089,112 revenue (tax period 202312).

Methodology & provenance

Source artifact: Paul Mitchell research summary, extracted from a hand-drawn establishment-map image into Reports/paul-network-of-networks-v2.md. Paul's figures are minimums per his methodology.
Reconciliation: Each entity is searched (substring, case-insensitive) across our 6 reference datasets: cf_contributors (NV donor registry), cf_groups (NV PAC registry), lobbyist-client list (NV legislature), NVSOS corporate registry, federal LDA filings, and IRS 990 snapshot. Status: verified (3+ datasets), partial (1-2 datasets), missing (none).
Evidence-strength tier: Adopted from Paul's map. Direct = verified by filing. Indirect = correlated but not directly linked. Inference = pattern suggests but data does not yet confirm.
Known gaps: (1) IRS Form 990 Schedule B is redacted on public copies — original-donor identity is not reachable from public sources without litigation. (2) Fiscally-sponsored projects have no separate 990 — they share the parent's EIN and report in aggregate. (3) Our IRS 990 snapshot covers 57 of 84 NV-related queries (Phase E3 import, task #112); expanding to the full Arabella ecosystem is task #143 / #167. (4) Federal-only 527 committees are not in our state cf_* dataset; FEC import is task #160.
Verification policy: This page is a research index, not a published claim. Each entity row reproduces a search across public-records datasets. Discrepancies should be reported via the tip line.