2016-10-26T18:06:12-05:00 2016-06-30 521855942 Tate and Tryon 2021 L Street NW Suite 400 Washington DC 20036 990 2015-07-01 526078441 COMMON CAUSE COMM 2028331200 805 15th Street NW No 800 Washington DC 20005 KAREN HOBERT FLYNN PRESIDENT 2028331200 2016-10-26 1 Elizabeth Heller P00397829 2022932200 2015 2017-02-10 21:41:12Z X Karen Hobert Flynn 805 15th Street NW No 800 Washington DC 20005 5174320 0 X www.commoncause.org X 1968 DC COMMON CAUSE IS A NONPARTISAN, GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO UPHOLDING THE CORE VALUES OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY. WE WORK TO ENSURE OPEN, HONEST, AND ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNMENT; TO PROMOTE EQUAL RIGHTS, OPPORTUNITY, AND REPRESENTATION FOR ALL; AND TO EMPOWER ALL PEOPLE TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD AS EQUALS IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS. COMMON CAUSE WORKS ACROSS FOUR MAJOR ISSUE AREAS: VOTING AND ELECTIONS; MONEY AND POLITICS; ETHICS, TRANSPARENCY AND GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY; AND MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY. 22 21 133 691 0 0 6301025 5029100 35650 78769 34871 5302 -2561 -28850 6368985 5084321 0 0 0 0 2628728 2994694 293641 261706 1827173 3471682 2978997 6394051 6235397 -25066 -1151076 2707830 3139150 1452371 3047114 1255459 92036 X With offices in Washington, DC and 35 states and 625,000 supporters and activists, Common Cause works to advance democracy reforms at federal, state, and local levels, through crafting model legislation, lobbying, public engagement, and joint efforts with diverse partners across the reform community. 0 0 1310867 78769 Voting and elections Automatic voter registration. Common Cause led efforts across the country on behalf of automatic voter registration:Through legislative or administrative action, Oregon, California, and Connecticut have adopted automatic registration. In Oregon, the first state to make the move, more than 51,000 voters were registered automatically in the first five months of 2016.The Illinois legislature passed automatic registration but the bill was vetoed by Gov. Bruce Rauner. Maryland lawmakers agreed to provide voter registration at multiple state agencies; Common Cause continues to lobby there for automatic registration.Other voter registration reforms. Common Cause also recorded other victories in efforts to boost voter registration:Colorado legislators passed legislation ending the state's voter registration "blackout" in the days leading up to Election Day.New Mexico passed a bill that will permit 17-year-olds to vote in primary elections if they will turn 18 by the general election. Rhode Island adopted online voter registration.Maryland legislators overrode Gov. Larry Hogan's veto of legislation automatically restoring the voting rights of more than 40,000 ex-offenders.Redistricting reform. Common Cause spearheaded redistricting reform efforts in multiple states:Activists in Maryland lobbied on behalf of legislation proposed by Gov. Larry Hogan and a bipartisan study group to create a nine-person independent commission to handle redistricting. Common Cause is lobbying for similar independent redistricting proposals in states including Nebraska, New Mexico, Illinois, and Pennsylvania.Common Cause's leadership was instrumental in the approval by 71 percent of Ohio voters last year of Issue 1, a state constitutional amendment creating a new redistricting commission for General Assembly districts with improved partisan balance. Indiana's General Assembly created a Special Interim Study Committee on Redistricting. In Nebraska, Common Cause teamed with a bipartisan pair of state lawmakers to win passage of a redistricting reform plan that would create a nine-member citizen commission to recommend new legislative and congressional districts to the legislature. Gov. Pete Ricketts vetoed the bill however. 770566 Money and politicsPublic financing of elections. Common Cause lobbied successfully across the country on behalf of small-dollar donor based public financing systems.California lawmakers lifted a ban on public financing of state and local campaigns. Public financing currently is an option only in a few chartered California cities, including Los Angeles and San Francisco. The Connecticut legislature defeated a bill that would have suspended the state's Citizens' Election Program for 2016 and cut $11.7 million from the Citizens' Election Fund.The county council in Montgomery County, MD agreed to a $5 million appropriation to implement the county's public financing program. Campaign finance disclosure. Common Cause led efforts to strengthen campaign finance disclosure requirements in several states: Colorado passed a state law strengthening disclosure requirements in local school board races. Connecticut and New Mexico passed legislation requiring e-filing of campaign finance reports. in races for the state legislature and constitutional offices.Massachusetts lawmakers agreed to legislation enhancing campaign finance disclosure requirements.Executive order on corporate political spending. Common Cause worked with a national coalition of reform organizations pressuring President Obama to issue an executive order requiring federal government contractors to disclose their political spending. More than 50,000 Common Cause activists have signed our petition to the President.Constitutional amendment. Common Cause secured passage in Maui County, Hawaii, of Resolution 1524, supporting a constitutional amendment overturning Citizens United. With the vote, every Hawaii county and the state legislature are on record supporting an amendment. Nationally, voters or their representatives in 17 states and more than 700 localities have called on Congress to pass a constitutional amendment and submit it to the states for ratification.Political spending by "social welfare" nonprofits. At Common Cause's request, members submitted more than 7,000 formal comments to the Internal Revenue Service, asking the agency to adopt a new regulation clarifying that "social welfare organizations may spend no more than an "insubstantial" sum on political activity. 716852 Ethics, Transparency and Accountability in GovernmentStrengthening public corruption laws. Common Cause successfully lobbied for a bill overhauling Florida's public corruption laws. The bill expands the definition of public servant to include those who contract with the government to perform a public function. It also removes the requirement that state prosecutors prove that those accused of fraud, bid rigging, bid tampering or bribery acted "corruptly or with "corrupt intent." Instead, prosecutors only have to prove they acted "knowingly and intentionally." Making government more open in Maryland. An open government coalition led by Common Cause in Maryland secured passage of a bill requiring the state Board of Public Works to give three business days notice before making large funding cuts. The state also agreed to require public bodies to publish agendas prior to their meetings.Making the work of government more accessible. New Mexico passed HR1, establishing an online archive of House hearings so citizens who can't watch those proceedings live can view them later.Strengthening accountability in New York. Common Cause is hosting a website, www.ethicspledgeny.org, in New York that invites citizens to join in calling on lawmakers to step forward and sign the Clean Conscience Pledge, and commit to enacting real and lasting reform. Signers agree to work to limit outside income for legislators, close the LLC loophole, and enact strong disclosure mechanisms for all discretionary spending.Lobbyist registration. Common Cause successfully lobbied for a rule requiring political consultants in Portland, OR, to register with the City Auditor and disclose their clients. 2798285 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 40 0 1 133 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 X 22 21 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 AL AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI IL IN KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC TN TX UT VT VA WA DC WV WI AK ID IA NV SD X X Elizabeth MARCHANT CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER 2028331200 805 15th Street NW Suite 800 Washington DC 20005 Robert Reich Chair 1.00 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Martha Tierney Acting Chair 1.00 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Olena Berg Lacy Treasurer 1.00 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Gracia Hillman Secretary 1.00 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Ric Bainter boARD MEMBER 1.00 1.00 X 0 0 0 Emmet J Bondurant BOARD MEMBER 1.00 1.00 X 0 0 0 Cornell W Brooks Esq boARD MEMBER 1.00 1.00 X 0 0 0 Dan Conley bOARD MEMBER 1.00 1.00 X 0 0 0 Greg Diskant bOARD MEMBER 1.00 1.00 X 0 0 0 Archon Fung bOARD MEMBER 1.00 1.00 X 0 0 0 Olga Kauffman boARD MEMBER 1.00 1.00 X 0 0 0 William Hubbard BOARD MEMBER 1.00 1.00 X 0 0 0 Marilyn Melkonian BOARD MEMBER 1.00 1.00 X 0 0 0 Lenny Mendonca boARD MEMBER 1.00 1.00 X 0 0 0 Chang K Park boARD MEMBER 1.00 1.00 X 0 0 0 Nancy Ratzan boARD MEMBER 1.00 1.00 X 0 0 0 Susan Rubinstein boARD MEMBER 1.00 1.00 X 0 0 0 Richard Stanley boARD MEMBER 1.00 1.00 X 0 0 0 Wes Tomer boARD MEMBER 1.00 1.00 X 0 0 0 Tracy Westen boARD MEMBER 1.00 1.00 X 0 0 0 Alan Wiersba boARD MEMBER 1.00 1.00 X 0 0 0 Miles Rapoport PRESIDENT AND CEO (to June 2016) 16.50 21.00 X X 143000 182000 8994 Karen Hobert Flynn President (From June 2016) 5.25 32.25 X X 27185 166991 37916 Elizabeth Marchant CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER 18.75 18.75 X 96905 96905 21808 Wendy Fields Sr. VP Strategy & Campaigns 18.75 18.75 X 79583 79583 3600 Randy Brett Sr. Advisor to the President 18.75 18.75 X 52141 52141 27290 Susan Schreiber Associate VP, Foundation Relations 0.00 37.50 X 0 108670 17457 Amy Conroy VP Operations 37.50 0.00 X 120167 0 5635 Jenny Flanagan VP State Operations 4.50 33.00 X 13978 102506 36216 Marc Caplan Sr. Advisor 18.75 18.75 X 55400 55400 13808 588359 844196 172724 12 0 1 0 RWT Production 5624 Bellington Ave Springfield VA 22151 Direct Mail 404259 Blackbaud Inc PO Box 930256 Atlanta GA 31193 web database 320474 AVALON CONSULTING GROUP INC 2030 M St NW Suite 700 Washington DC 20036 Direct Mail 308776 3 46839 4982261 43343 5029100 Program Fees 900099 78769 78769 78769 8390 8390 6875 6875 11699 19228 -7529 -7529 -7529 39466 42554 -3088 -3088 -3088 0 46839 28217 -28217 -28217 Miscellaneous Income 900099 21 21 21 5084321 78769 0 -23548 578718 220070 217072 141576 2085018 1444130 464534 176354 56045 64597 -22024 13472 152144 175360 -59787 36571 122769 141503 -48244 29510 84380 84380 68304 51609 16695 23356 23356 25500 25500 261706 261706 111509 111509 1114036 14436 8611 1090989 212684 59589 83108 69987 515616 39125 472956 3535 338208 136415 200288 1505 143390 140917 1394 1079 34745 33705 1037 3 6056 6056 46845 46845 109578 109578 70289 70289 Financial Services & Ba 55397 194 54317 886 Taxes, licenses, fees 11740 1309 10431 Registration Fees 4822 4550 272 Miscellaneous 2542 2542 6235397 2798285 1609939 1827173 1163 1163 168405 476168 1041439 617295 300945 226888 1719558 258459 240564 1461099 509612 356537 445702 0 2707830 3139150 1114681 1275819 250000 300000 87690 1471295 1452371 3047114 X -370195 -1211526 1625654 1303562 1255459 92036 2707830 3139150 -1151076 -12347 0 X X 0 1 X 1 0 RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 1 0 0 1294331 200000 9124 65011 1438444 1159794 250000 64690 180153 1294331 842650 250000 168079 100935 1159794 14953 750000 109803 32106 842650 14989 -36 14953 0.01310 0.00000 0.98690 0 0 1168430 21211 1147219 551128 237248 313880 1461099 DeferreD Rent 1274162 Due to Related 197133 1471295 6145112 -12347 1025693 47445 1060791 5084321 0 5084321 7308535 1025693 47445 1073138 6235397 0 6235397 Part V, Line 4: THE COMMON CAUSE QUASI-ENDOWMENT (BOARD DESIGNATED) FUND WAS USED TO FUND THE OPERATING CASH NEEDS OF THE ORGANIZATION. IT IS THE INTENTION OF THE BOARD TO BEGIN RE-FUNDING THE ENDOWMENT IN THE NEAR FUTURE IF CASH FLOWS PERMIT. THERE WERE NO REPAYMENTS MADE DURING FISCAL YEAR 2016. Part XI, Line 2d - Other Adjustments: RENTAL EXPENSE TO PART VIII 19,228. Special Events Expense to Part VIII 28,217. Part XII, Line 2d - Other Adjustments: RENTAL EXPENSE TO PART VIII 19,228. Special Events Expense to Part VIII 28,217. X X X 1 Avalon Consulting Group Inc 2030 M Street NW Suite 700 Washington DC 20036 DIRECT MAIL CAMPAIGN SERVICES 0 3892168 237203 3654965 PUBLIC INTEREST COMMUNICATIONS INC 7700 Leesburg Pike STE 301 Falls Church VA 22043 TELEMARKETING 0 79002 68363 10639 3971170 305566 3665604 AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY DC IL Event 12244 12244 488 350 1089 CT Event 10845 10845 30 100 220 3 23750 23750 9312 2580 14048 46839 46839 9830 3030 15357 28217 -28217 1 X X X X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Miles Rapoport PRESIDENT AND CEO (to June 2016) 143000 182000 0 0 0 0 3957 5037 291 371 147248 187408 0 0 Karen Hobert Flynn President (From June 2016) 27185 166991 0 0 0 0 1680 10320 3726 22888 32591 200199 0 0 Elizabeth Marchant CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER 96905 96905 0 0 0 0 6000 6000 7130 7130 110035 110035 0 0 Wendy Fields Sr. VP Strategy & Campaigns 79583 79583 0 0 0 0 1800 1800 700 700 82083 82083 0 0 Jenny Flanagan VP State Operations 13978 102506 0 0 0 0 936 6864 4112 30154 19026 139524 0 0 X 9 43343 FMV 0 0 0 Part I, Column (b): There were 9 separate contributions of stock during FY2016 Form 990, Part VI, Section A, line 1 The Executive Committee shall have and exercise the authority of the National Governing Board in the management of Common Cause between meetings of the National Governing Board, except that the Executive Committee shall not have the authority to elect officers, to fill vacant Board or Executive Committee positions, to cause the termination of a sitting Board member, to cause the termination of the President, to amend the Corporation's Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws, to adopt an agreement of merger or consolidation, to dispose of all or substantially all of Common Cause's assets or to dissolve the corporation. Form 990, Part VI, Section A, line 6 COMMON CAUSE HAS ONLY ONE CLASS OF MEMBERSHIP, CONSISTING OF THOSE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO CHOOSE TO JOIN COMMON CAUSE AND MAKE A MONETARY CONTRIBUTION. SUCH MEMBERS HAVE NO VOTING RIGHTS WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 11 THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER PROVIDES THE FORM 990 TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE FOR REVIEW. ONCE THAT COMMITTEE HAS APPROVED THE DOCUMENT, IT IS SENT TO THE FULL BOARD FOR REVIEW. THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE TWO (2) DAYS TO RESPOND WITH ANY COMMENTS THEY MIGHT HAVE BEFORE THE DOCUMENT IS FILED. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 12c PROCEDURE FOR MONITORING AND ENFORCING COMPLIANCE WITH THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY: BOARD -- WHENEVER A DIRECTOR, OFFICER, OR COMMITTEE MEMBER BECOMES AWARE OF A POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST, WHETHER FINANCIAL OR OTHERWISE, HE OR SHE SHALL MAKE THE SITUATION KNOWN TO THE BOARD OR GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE (AS THE CASE MIGHT BE) AND PROVIDE ALL FACTS MATERIAL TO UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE AND SCOPE OF THE CONFLICT, INCLUDING WHETHER THE INTERESTED PERSON BELIEVES HIS OR HER ABILITY TO MAKE AN INDEPENDENT DECISION BASED SOLELY ON THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CORPORATION HAS BEEN COMPROMISED. IF THE INTERESTED PERSON INVOLVED DOES NOT MAKE THIS DISCLOSURE, ANOTHER DIRECTOR OR COMMITTEE MEMBER WITH KNOWLEDGE OF THE POTENTIAL CONFLICT SHOULD DRAW IT TO THE BODY'S ATTENTION. THE INTERESTED PERSON WITH THE POTENTIAL CONFLICT MUST RETIRE FROM THE MEETING AND NOT PARTICIPATE IN FINAL DISCUSSION AND VOTING ON THE EXISTENCE OF THE CONFLICT. IF A CONFLICT IS FOUND TO EXIST, THE INTERESTED PERSON MAY BE INVITED TO PROVIDE ANY RELEVANT INFORMATION THAT COULD BE OF USE TO THE BOARD IN MAKING ITS DECISION, BUT SHALL AGAIN RETIRE AND NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE FINAL DISCUSSION AND VOTING REGARDING THE TRANSACTION. THE BOARD OR COMMITTEE'S DECISION SHALL BE BASED ON CONSIDERATION OF WHETHER THE TRANSACTION: A) IS IN THE ORGANIZATION'S BEST INTEREST AND FOR ITS OWN BENEFIT; B) IS FAIR AND REASONABLE TO THE ORGANIZATION; AND C) IS THE MOST ADVANTAGEOUS TRANSACTION OR ARRANGEMENT THE ORGANIZATION CAN OBTAIN WITH REASONABLE EFFORT UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. STAFF -- WHENEVER A STAFF MEMBER BECOMES AWARE OF A POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN AN AREA WHERE HE OR SHE EXERCISES ANY DISCRETION IN CARRYING OUT HIS OR HER DUTIES FOR COMMON CAUSE, HE OR SHE SHALL PROMPTLY DISCLOSE THE POTENTIAL CONFLICT TO AN IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR OR TO THE PRESIDENT. IF THE PRESIDENT HAS A POTENTIAL CONFLICT, HE OR SHE SHALL DISCLOSE IT TO THE BOARD OR AN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. THE PERSON OR BODY TO WHOM DISCLOSURE IS MADE (HEREINAFTER "SUPERVISOR") SHALL DETERMINE WHETHER THERE IS A CONFLICT THAT REQUIRES RECUSAL OF THE INTERESTED PERSON. WHEN A CONFLICT IS FOUND TO EXIST, THE INTERESTED PERSON SHALL PROVIDE THE SUPERVISOR WITH ALL INFORMATION HE OR SHE HAS RELEVANT TO ANY DECISION TO BE MADE IN WHICH HE OR SHE HAS AN INTEREST, AND THE FINAL DECISION SHALL BE MADE BY THE SUPERVISOR. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 15a CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNING BOARD CONDUCTS A 360 DEGREE REVIEW OF THE CEO PRIOR TO DETERMINING THE ANNUAL COMPENSATION. THE COMMITTEE INTERVIEWS THE SENIOR STAFF, REVIEWs A COMPARABILITY STUDY, AND THEN CONFERS AS A COMMITTEE. THE COMMITTEE BRINGS ITS RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL BOARD AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING OF THE YEAR. MINUTES ARE TAKEN OF THE SALARY DELIBERATIONS. OTHER OFFICERS OR KEY EMPLOYEES: THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CONDUCTS A REVIEW OF THE CFO, REVIEWS A COMPARABILITY STUDY, AND THEN CONFERS AS A COMMITTEE. THE COMMITTEE BRINGS ITS RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL BOARD AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING OF THE YEAR. MINUTES ARE TAKEN OF THE SALARY DELIBERATIONS. THE COMMITTEE DOES NOT REVIEW COMPENSATION OF KEY EMPLOYEES; THAT IS PERFORMED BY MANAGEMENT. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, line 19 COMMON CAUSE SEEKS TO BE FAITHFUL TO ITS MISSION BY BEING OPEN AND ACCOUNTABLE TO OUR MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS. WE WILL MAKE OUR GOVERNANCE DOCUMENTS, CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY, AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION UPON REQUEST. OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE ALSO PART OF OUR ANNUAL REPORT WHICH IS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE. Form 990, Part XII, Line 2C There was no change in the review and selection process during the year. COMMON CAUSE EDUCATION FUND 805 15th Street Suite 800 WASHINGTON DC 20005 311705370 CHARITABLE ARM OF COMMON CAUSE DC 501(c)(3) Line 7 Common Cause 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 Common Cause Education Fund N 476326 Actual cost Common Cause Education Fund O 5266027 Actual cost Common Cause Education Fund Q 458722 Actual cost