Center for Renewing America
The Center for Renewing America (CRA) is a 501(c)(3) conservative nonprofit organization that engages in research, analysis, and public education to promote "faith, family and national strength", according to their tax-exempt IRS application.[1] It was created by the Conservative Partnership Institute. On their website, they say their mission is "to renew a consensus of America as a nation under God with unique interests worthy of defending that flow from its people, institutions, and history, where individuals' enjoyment of freedom is predicated on just laws and healthy communities".[2]
Areas of concern for the Center for Renewing America include Critical Race Theory, election integrity, and immigration. They offer a toolkit for combatting critical race theory in communities. It includes model legislation for school boards to prohibit the teaching of CRT in schools.
Contents
News and Controversies
CRA President Called Trans Identities a "Contagion"
CRA President Russ Vought called trans identities a "contagion" in a podcast.[3] CRA supports anti-trans legislation and sent a letter in opposition to the Fairness for All Act, writing, "H.R. 1440 is founded on an untruth about human nature. The bill is based on a sexually progressive ideology that rejects human beings as created as male and female with distinctions that run so deep that no physical or pharmacological interventions can erase them. To affirm this is to embed in our nation's laws, which themselves serve to teach our nation, a lie about who we are as Americans at a most fundamental level."[4]
Big Lie Proponent Jeffrey Clark Named a Fellow
Center for Renewing America president Russ Vought announced in a tweet that the organization would be brining former Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division Jeffrey Clark on as a fellow.[5] Clark's Virginia home was investigated by federal law enforcement agents June 22, 2022 before he was set to testify in the January 6, 2021 insurrection investigation.[6] The special House committee intends to prove that Clark was using his position as a top DOJ official to help former president Donald Trump overturn the 2020 election results, securing himself the position of Attorney General.[7]
CRA Encourages State Action on the US Southern Border
In a video titled "Will Gov. Ducey Use His Power to Protect Arizona Against Invasion?", the Center for Renewing America called upon Arizona Governor Doug Ducey (R) to invoke the "Self Defense" clause in Article 1 Section 10 of the Constitution and take up arms against immigrants coming across the southern border of Arizona without approval from the federal government.[8]
Following Texas Governor Greg Abbott's executive order authorizing the Texas National Guard and the Department of Public Safety to remove illegal immigrants who enter across the Mexico-U.S. border, CRA President Russ Vought and Senior Fellow Ken Cuccinelli said in a joint statement, "We acknowledge Governor Abbott's recognition that the facts on the ground along the border comport with the Constitution's understanding of an invasion. However, the Governor does not appear to formally declare an invasion nor direct the National Guard and Department of Public Safety to remove illegals across the border directly to Mexico. That is critical. This is still catch and release."[9]
Christian Nationalism "Benign and Useful Description"
In an article titled "Is there Anything Actually Wrong with Christian Nationalism?", president Russ Vought writes that "once stripped of its superimposed liberal scar tissue, 'Christian nationalism' is actually a rather benign and useful description for those who believe in both preserving our country's Judeo-Christian heritage and making public policy decisions that are best for this country. The term need not be subjected to such intense scorn due to misunderstanding or slander."[10]
Funding
The Center for Renewing America is not required to disclose its funders but major foundation supporters can be found through their IRS filings. Here are some known contributors:
- Ael Family Foundation: $20,000 (2022)
- Andrew Woodfin Miller Foundation: $25,000 (2021-2022)
- Billy and Ruby Hale Family Foundation: $5,000 (2021)
- Bradley Impact Fund: $11,500 (2022)
- Cb Foundation: $10,000 (2022)
- Conservative Partnership Institute: $1,930,701 (2021-2022)
- DonorsTrust: $30,000 (2022)
- Freedom in the World: $50,000 (2022)
- Freedom Wireless Foundation: $25,000 (2022)
- George Edward Durell Foundation: $10,000 (2021-2022)
- Goldman Sachs Charitable Gift Fund: $25,000 (2021)
- Institute for Citizen Focused Services: $10,000 (2021)
- National Christian Charitable Foundation: $6,000
- Schwab Charitable Fund : $25,000 (2021)
- Servant Foundation: $17,500 (2022)
- The Tree of Life International: $25,000 (2022)
- Thomas D Klingenstein Fund: $125,000 (2022)
- Wheeler Family Foundation: $1,000 (2021)
- W L Amos Sr Foundation: $60,000 (2022)
- Young Americans for Liberty Foundation: $35,000 (2022)
Core Financials
2022[11]
- Total Revenue: $3,002,163
- Total Expenses: $2,204,419
- Net Assets: $1,103,286
Grants Distributed
- American Accountability Foundation: $100,000
2021[12]
- Total Revenue: $1,042,274
- Total Expenses: $736,732
- Net Assets: $305,542
Personnel
Staff
As of April 2024:[13]
- Russ Vought, President
- Samara Brown, Senior Policy Advisor
- Adam Candeub, Senior Fellow
- Rachel Cauley, Communications Director & Fellow
- Jeff Clark, Senior Fellow and Director of Litigation
- Heather Cordasco, Advisor to the President
- Ken Cuccinelli, Senior Fellow for Immigration and Homeland Security
- Catherine Doolan, Development Associate and Operations Manager
- Ashlea Frazier, Chief Operating Officer
- Steve Friend, Fellow on Domestic Intelligence and Security Services
- Paige Hauser, Policy Director
- Sumantra Maitra, Visiting Senior Fellow
- Micah Meadowcroft, Research Director
- Wade Miller, Vice President CRA and Executive Director CFRA
- Brendan O'Connell, Research and Administrative Assistant
- Mark Paoletta, Senior Fellow
- Molly Sikes, Press Secretary
- Kingsley Wilson, Associate Director for Strategic Communications and Digital Media
- Michael Young, Visiting Fellow
Former Staff
- Andrew Heim, Director of Development
- Edie Heipel, Deputy Communications Director & Fellow
- Kash Patel, Senior Fellow for National Security and Intelligence
Board of Directors
As of December 2022:[11]
- Russell Vought, President
- Wesley Denton, Chairman & Treasurer
- Jennifer Baird, Secretary
- Ed Corrigan
- Kevin Kookegy
Contact Information
Employer Identification Number (EIN): 85-4307005
Center for American Restoration INC
300 Independence Ave SE
Washington D.C. 20003-1028
- Phone: (414)319-7053
- Website: americarenewing.com
- Facebook: Center for Renewing America
- Twitter: @amrenewctr
- YouTube: Center for Renewing America
Articles and Resources
IRS Form 990 Filings
2022
2021
Annual Reports
2023
IRS Tax-Exempt Application
1023 Tax-Exempt Application
References
- ↑ Center for Renewing America, 501c3 IRS Application, "Center for Renewing America", January 29, 2021.
- ↑ Center for Renewing America, CRA Homepage, "CRA", accessed July 12, 2022.
- ↑ John Knefel, The Center for Renewing America is preparing for the next Republican administration to govern as Christian nationalists, "Media Matters for America", John Knefel.
- ↑ Russell Vought, Letter to Congress Opposing 'Fairness for All Act ', "Center for Renewing America", March 11, 2021.
- ↑ Russ Vought, June 3, 2022 Tweet, "Twitter", June 3, 2022.
- ↑ Dan Mangan, FEderal agents visit the home of former DOJ official Jeffrey Clark who tried to help Trump overturn election results, "CNBC", June 23, 2022.
- ↑ Ben Jacobs, What to know about Jeffrey Clark, the one DOJ official willing to do Trump's coup, "Vox", June 23, 2022.
- ↑ Center for Renewing America, Will Gov. Ducey Use His Power to Protect Arizona Against Invasion?, "Center for Renewing America", January 19, 2022.
- ↑ Bethany Blankley, Gov. Abbott authorizes returning illegal immigrants to the border, but doesn't declare invasion, "The Highland County Press", July 8, 2022.
- ↑ Russ Vought, Is There Anything Actually Wrong with 'Christian Nationalism'?, "Center for Renewing America", April 22, 2021.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Center for Renewing America, 2022 IRS form 990, organizational tax filing, February 28, 2024.
- ↑ Center for Renewing America, 2021 IRS form 990, organizational tax filing, November 15, 2022.
- ↑ Center for Renewing America, Staff, "CRA", accessed April 23, 2024.
