Arabella Advisors
Arabella Advisors | |
Basic facts | |
Location: | Washington, D.C. |
Type: | Limited liability company |
Top official: | Himesh Bhise, chief executive officer |
Founder(s): | Eric Kessler |
Year founded: | 2005 |
Employees: | 160+ |
Website: | Official website |
Arabella Advisors, LLC (Arabella) is a company based in Washington, D.C. that, according to its website, "enables clients across the philanthropic sector to tackle society’s biggest challenges more efficiently, effectively, and equitably."[1] The company was founded in 2005. As of August 2025, Arabella directly managed four nonprofits: the New Venture Fund, the Sixteen Thirty Fund, the Hopewell Fund, and the Windward Fund.[2] Politico reported in 2024 that Arabella also manages North Fund.[3]
Arabella helped manage $1.2 billion of revenue across its four nonprofit subsidiaries in 2023. For more information on Arabella-managed finances, click here.
Mission
According to its web page:
“ | Our service offerings, philanthropy and nonprofit management expertise, and connections to funders and changemakers all position us to help our clients overcome the challenges standing in the way of needed change. We partner with those clients to find—or create—the pathways that lead from big ideas to even bigger impact.[4][5] | ” |
Background
Arabella Advisors was founded in 2005 by Eric Kessler, who worked for the Clinton Administration.[6]
According to Arabella's website as of September 2025, the group said it helps clients "understand the problem you seek to solve and navigate the complex network of people and institutions that can help you address it."[7]
Work
This section focuses on the political activity of some of Arabella's affiliated nonprofit organizations.
Sixteen Thirty Fund
- See also: Sixteen Thirty Fund
2023 activity
In 2024, Politico reported that Sixteen Thirty Fund raised more than $181 million in 2023 and spent $141.3 million.[3] That included $8.2 million in donations to North Fund, giving $8.2 million to two groups supporting Ohio Issue 1, Right to Make Reproductive Decisions Including Abortion Initiative, $5.6 million in contributions to oppose Ohio Issue 1, 60% Vote Requirement to Approve Constitutional Amendments Measure, and $1.9 million in giving to support Nebraska Initiative 436, Paid Sick Leave Initiative.[3] The organization also gave $1 million in support of the Congressional Integrity Project, whose website said it is "focused on revealing how those in power are empowering special interests."[3][8]
2022 activity
In 2023, NBC News reported that the Sixteen Thirty Fund spent $196 million supporting ballot measures on abortion rights, as well as Democratic-aligned groups.[9] That includes $20.7 million in donations to America Votes, which calls itself a "coordination hub" for progressive organizations.[10] Sixteen Thirty Fund also gave $10.4 million in support of Michigan Proposal 2, Voting Policies in Constitution Amendment, $5.8 million to Michigan Proposal 3, Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative and $1.4 million to oppose Kansas No State Constitutional Right to Abortion and Legislative Power to Regulate Abortion Amendment.[9]
2020 activity
Sixteen Thirty's 2020 election activity began in 2019, when the group gave roughly $65 million in grants to left-leaning nonprofit groups.[11] The grant spending included about $16.5 million to the following groups that opposed incumbent Republican senators in battleground states:[11]
- Maine Momentum
- Rocky Mountain Values
- Advancing AZ
- Iowa Forward
- Piedmont Rising
The five groups spent a total of about $17.3 million on advertising between 2019 and 2020.[11]
Sixteen Thirty's spending also included the following contributions to other organizations:
- $9.3 million to North Fund
- $10 million to League of Conservation Voters affiliates
- $7 million to America Votes
Financial records from 2019 indicate Sixteen Thirty spent about $33.7 million directly and through its 38 affiliated subsidiary trade name groups.[11]
2018 activity
Sixteen Thirty's 2018 fundraising surpassed any amount raised by a left-leaning political nonprofit to that point. According to Politico, "Several of the biggest donors and organizations in Democratic politics also have public links to Sixteen Thirty Fund. Potential presidential candidate and megadonor Michael Bloomberg gave $250,000 to a super PAC linked to Sixteen Thirty Fund, Change Now, in 2018. And the Democratic donor group Democracy Alliance, which has dozens of members including billionaire George Soros, recommended last spring that donors invest several million dollars into Sixteen Thirty Fund."[12] The group also "distributed more than $91 million in grants to 95 other groups in 2018, according to the tax filing. These funds made Sixteen Thirty Fund a major source of money for political nonprofits pushing an array of changes to state and federal law."[13]
Politico's Scott Brand described the activities of the Sixteen Thirty Fund in a July 2018 article:
“ | Added together, the Sixteen Thirty Fund groups have been among the most prolific political advertisers of 2018. They have aired 6,885 broadcast TV ads since Jan. 1, according to Advertising Analytics, a TV tracking firm — more than the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and almost as many as Americans for Prosperity, two of the five biggest nonprofit political advertisers focused on the House and Senate in the first half of this year.
|
” |
Sixteen Thirty also planned to spend $5 million opposing the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.[15]
Ballot measure activity
From 2016 to 2024, Ballotpedia tracked $101.6 million[16] in contributions from the Sixteen Thirty Fund to 52 state ballot measure campaigns and one local ballot measure campaign in 19 states. The position that Sixteen Thirty Fund took on a ballot measure was successful for 41 of 53 (77.4%) ballot measures.
The following table provides information on campaign success rates. Won means the Sixteen Thirty Fund supported a measure that was approved or opposed a measure that was defeated. Lost means the Sixteen Thirty Fund supported a measure that was defeated or opposed a measure that was approved.
Ballot measure support and opposition for The Sixteen Thirty Fund | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Outcome | Number (%) | Contributions (Total) | Contributions (Average) | |
Won | 41 (77.4%) | $91.5 million | $2.3 million | |
Lost | 12 (22.6%) | $10.1 million | $844,324 | |
Total | 53 (100.0%) | $101.6 million | $1.9 million |
The following table details The Sixteen Thirty Fund's state ballot measure stances available on Ballotpedia:
New Venture Fund
- See also: New Venture Fund
2022 activity
In 2022, New Venture Fund awarded over $734 million in grants, according to filings with the Internal Revenue Service.[58] That included over $60 million in giving to Co Impact, who calls itself a "global philanthropic collaborative."Cite error: Closing </ref>
missing for <ref>
tag The organization also gave $34 million to the Sixteen Thirty Fund and $21 million in grants to America Votes.[58]
2021 activity
In 2021, the New Venture Fund awarded over $954 million in grants, according to filings with the Internal Revenue Service.[59] That includes over $16 million to the Sixteen Thirty Fund, $12.8 million to North Fund, and $4 million to the Federation of American Scientists.[59]
2020 activity
In 2020, the New Venture Fund established the Trusted Elections Fund (TEF). The TEF said it would dedicate $8 million to $10 million to prepare for and respond to:[60]
“ |
places[5] |
” |
Ballot measure activity
The following table details New Venture Fund's ballot measure stances available on Ballotpedia:
Ballot measure support and opposition for New Venture Fund | |||
---|---|---|---|
Ballot measure | Year | Position | Status |
Montana LR-131, Medical Care Requirements for Born-Alive Infants Measure | 2022 | Opposed | ![]() |
Alaska Ballot Measure 1, Salmon Habitat Protections and Permits Initiative | 2018 | Supported | ![]() |
Ohio Issue 1, Drug and Criminal Justice Policies Initiative | 2018 | Supported | ![]() |
Washington, D.C., Initiative 77, Minimum Wage Increase for Tipped Workers Initiative | 2018 | Supported | ![]() |
Maine Question 2, Medicaid Expansion Initiative | 2017 | Supported | ![]() |
Alaska Ballot Measure 1, Voter Registration via the Permanent Fund Dividend Application Initiative | 2016 | Supported | ![]() |
Colorado Amendment 70, $12 Minimum Wage Initiative | 2016 | Supported | ![]() |
Mississippi Initiative 42, Public School Support Amendment | 2015 | Supported | ![]() |
Scope and services
According to the group's website, Arabella Advisors is "dedicated to helping clients make a difference on the issues that matter most to them, from climate to women and girls, education, good food, and more."[61] As of August 2025, Arabella Advisors listed nine areas of expertise on their website:
“ |
Advocacy We enable funders and social entrepreneurs to go beyond grant making, leveraging their positions and voices to advocate for needed policy change. Collaboration & Network Building We enable donors and others to increase their collective impact by working together efficiently and effectively. Convening & Facilitation We convene diverse stakeholder groups and provide expert facilitation to enable decision making and project progress. Fiscal Sponsorship Working closely with a collection of nonprofit organizations, we incubate, launch, and help to manage a wide range of innovative social-impact projects. Governance & Compliance We provide the expertise and technical acumen needed to launch and run complex nonprofit organizations and projects that operate effectively and are fully compliant. Grants Management We work closely with grantors and grantees to create and administer streamlined and effective grants management programs. Impact Investing We help foundations, corporations, families, and individuals use return-seeking investments to help drive social impact. Program & Organization Management We provide a range of services that enable clients to streamline the management of everything from special programs to their foundation operations. Strategy, Evaluation & Learning We partner with funders and investors to develop innovative strategies; evaluate programs, portfolios, and organizations; and convert insights into action.[5] |
” |
—Arabella Advisors website[62] |
Leadership
As of September 2025, Arabella Advisor's chief executive officer was Himesh Bhise.[63]
Notable endorsements
This section displays endorsements this organization made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope. Know of one we missed? Click here to let us know.
Finances
The following table displays total revenue and expenses for Arabella Advisors from 2020 to 2023, according to the Internal Revenue Service:
Tax year | New Venture Fund[64] | Sixteen Thirty Fund[65] | Hopewell Fund[66] | Windward Fund[67] | Total revenue | Total expenses |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | $669,088,461 | $181,353,252 | $157,709,416 | $212,371,954 | $1,220523083 | $1,404,517,586 |
2022 | $755,584,165 | $191,548,107 | $178,097,921 | $198,128,051 | $1,323,358,244 | $1,381,319,162 |
2021 | $963,814,870 | $190,651,953 | $123,385,939 | $274,341,513 | $1,552,194,275 | $955,909,756 |
2020 | $975,483,022 | $389,684,866 | $152,371,332 | $158,611,799 | $1,676,151,019 | $1,266,805,922 |
See also
- What is an influencer?
- CRC Advisors
- National influencers
- New Venture Fund
- Sixteen Thirty Fund
- Demand Justice
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Arabella Advisors , "Home," accessed August 6, 2025
- ↑ Arabella Advisors, "Fiscal Sponsorship," accessed August 6, 2025
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Politico , "Sixteen Thirty Fund saw spending, fundraising dip ahead of 2024," November 14, 2024
- ↑ Arabella Advisors , "Company," accessed August 5, 2025
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ The Global Fight , "Eric Kessler," accessed August 6, 2025
- ↑ Arabella Advisors, "Our story," accessed August 6, 2025
- ↑ Congressional Integrity Project , "About," accessed August 6, 2025
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 NBC News , "Left-leaning nonprofit poured $196 million of secret money into political world in 2022," November 15, 2023
- ↑ America Votes , "About," accessed August 6, 2025
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Politico, "Liberal dark-money behemoth raised nearly $140M last year," accessed November 24, 2020
- ↑ Politico, Arabella Advisors, accessed March 9,2020
- ↑ Politico, Arabella Advisors, accessed March 9,2020
- ↑ Politico, "Liberal secret-money network hammers House GOP," July 29, 2018
- ↑ Politico, "Liberal group launches $5 million push against Trump’s SCOTUS pick," accessed March 13, 2020
- ↑ $101,656,942
- ↑ APOC Online Reports, "Campaign Disclosure," accessed January 16, 2024
- ↑ APOC Online Reports, "Campaign Disclosure," accessed January 16, 2024
- ↑ See the Money AZ, "Ballot Measures," accessed April 12, 2024
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Missouri Ethics Commission, "Committee Search," accessed May 19, 2024 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name "finance" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 21.0 21.1 Montana Campaign Electronic Reporting System, "Montanans for Election Reform," accessed July 1, 2024
- ↑ Montana Campaign Electronic Reporting System, "Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights," accessed July 1, 2024
- ↑ Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission, "Search," accessed September 9, 2024
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, "Citizens Not Politicians Committee Information," accessed July 26, 2024
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Oregon Secretary of State, "Committee Search," accessed May 23, 2024 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name "financeor" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Colorado TRACER, "Property Tax Relief Now," accessed August 2, 2023
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, "Search," accessed December 21, 2023
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, "Committee Information," accessed December 21, 2023
- ↑ State of Alaska, "APOC Online Reports," accessed February 13, 2022
- ↑ " accessed February 13, 2022
- ↑ Colorado TRACER, "Coloradans for Ballot Transparency," accessed September 6, 2022
- ↑ CRIS Search, "SEEC Campaign Reporting Information System (eCRIS)," accessed November 2, 2022
- ↑ Kansas Secretary of State, "Campaign Finance Information Search," accessed July 18, 2022
- ↑ Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, "Organization Search," July 22, 2022
- ↑ Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance, "Search," accessed September 12, 2022
- ↑ Michigan Secretary of State, "Michigan Committee Statement Contributions," accessed October 18, 2022
- ↑ Michigan Secretary of State, "Michigan Committee Statement Contributions," accessed October 18, 2022
- ↑ Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission, "Campaign Finance Reports," accessed October 18, 2022
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State, "Statement of Organization Search by Measure / Petition," accessed August 4, 2022
- ↑ Vermont Secretary of State, "Campaign Finance Information Search," accessed February 15, 2022
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "Tracer: Committee Search," accessed January 16, 2021
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "Tracer: Committee Search," accessed January 16, 2021
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "Tracer: Committee Search," accessed January 16, 2021
- ↑ 44.0 44.1 44.2 St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "Big money begins flowing to campaign to expand Medicaid in Missouri," September 6, 2019 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name "slpd1" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>
tag; name "slpd1" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Omaha World-Herald, "Nebraska petition drive on payday lending gets nearly $500,000 boost from national group," accessed January 2, 2020
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State, "Statement of Organization for Petition Committee," accessed December 15, 2020
- ↑ https://www.minimumwage.com/2018/10/99-of-arkansans-for-a-fair-wage-funding-from-outside-arkansas/ Minimum Wage, "99% of “Arkansans for a Fair Wage” funding from outside Arkansas," accessed January 1, 2020]
- ↑ 48.0 48.1 Colorado Secretary of State, "Tracer Committee Search," accessed October 30, 2018
- ↑ Florida Department of State, "Campaign Finance Database," accessed December 11, 2018
- ↑ Maine Commission on Government Ethics & Election Practice, "Ballot Question Committee (BQC) List," accessed January 9, 2018
- ↑ Michigan Secretary of State, "2018 Ballot Proposals," accessed December 13, 2017
- ↑ Nevada Secretary of State, "Nevada Election Administration Committee Campaign Finance," accessed July 17, 2017
- ↑ 53.0 53.1 53.2 53.3 53.4 53.5 North Carolina State Board of Elections & Ethics Enforcement, "Campaign Finance Report Search," accessed July 25, 2018
- ↑ This contribution was to a committee opposing the six constitutional amendments in North Carolina in 2018 that are listed in this table.
- ↑ Maine Commission of Governmental Ethics & Election Practices, “ Mainers for Health Care! Committee Reports," accessed January 16, 2018
- ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "Campaign Finance Disclosure Statement South Dakotans for Fair Lending Pre-General," October 28, 2016
- ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "Campaign Finance Statement," accessed November 4, 2016
- ↑ 58.0 58.1 <Internal Revenue Service , "New Venture Fund 990 (2022)," accessed August 6, 2025
- ↑ 59.0 59.1 <Internal Revenue Service , "New Venture Fund 990 (2021)," accessed August 6, 2025
- ↑ Influence Watch, "Trusted Election Fund Two-Pager," accessed October 7, 2020
- ↑ Arabella Advisors, Our Story, accessed August 3, 2021
- ↑ Arabella Advisors, "Areas of Expertise," accessed August 6, 2025
- ↑ Arabella advisors, "Our People," accessed August 6, 2025
- ↑ Pro Publica, "New Venture Fund," accessed August 5, 2025
- ↑ Pro Publica, "Sixteen Thirty Fund," accessed August 5, 2025
- ↑ Pro Publica, "Hopewell Fund," accessed August 5, 2025
- ↑ Pro Publica, "Windward Fund," accessed August 5, 2025
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