Method Donor-advised fund Website www.tides.org Founded 1976 Motto What's Possible Revenue 94.25 million USD (2010) | Endowment $116,000,000 (2011) Founder Drummond Pike Headquarters California, United States Assets 77.3 million USD (2010) | |
Location San Francisco, California and New York City, New York Mission To work toward a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world Similar Open Society Foundations, W K Kellogg Foundation, Center for Community Change, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Center for American Progress | ||
Tides is a donor-advised fund that directs money to politically liberal causes. 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. Tides oversees the Tides Center, which serves as an incubator for fledgling progressive organizations.
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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. 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. Drummond founded a similar organization, Tides Canada, in 2000.
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.
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. The Tides website lists 130 current grantees.
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.
In 2011, Tides received about $90 million in funding, and awarded about $96 million to various individuals and organizations.
Tides has received at least $3.5 million from financier and political activist George Soros.
From 2003 to 2012, Tides gave around $4.4 million to media advocacy organization Media Matters for America.
The Advocacy Fund
Tides is affiliated with the Advocacy Fund, a liberal lobbying group. 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. The Advocacy Fund has also supported the environmentally-focused groups Bold Nebraska, National Wildlife Federation Action Fund, NRDC Action Fund, and the Sierra Club.
In 2008, the Advocacy Fund contributed to campaigns opposing Colorado Amendment 46, Colorado Amendment 47, Colorado Amendment 49 and Colorado Amendment 54. 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.
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."