Funding the frivolous: The top ten most ridiculous nonprofits

Nonprofits can be a powerful force for good. I work for one and have seen firsthand the impact it can have, whether exposing Arabella Advisors, the “dark money” network of leftist billionaires trying to transform America (our president wrote a whole book about this); highlighting the pro-terrorist groups orchestrating anti-Israel protests on college campuses; or the work I do uncovering the agenda and political influence of teachers unions that often operate with little transparency or accountability. Many nonprofits deserve our support and recognition. They often step in where government programs and private enterprise fall short. But for every organization doing real, meaningful work, another organization is pushing a mission so ridiculous it could be satire. 

Before you get too riled up, do I think these groups should be dismantled? Yes and no. Part of me wants to see them held accountable for abusing the system. But another part of me wonders: If this is the game, maybe more of us should be playing it. If someone wants to start a nonprofit to protect New York City’s cockroach population because they are an ethical vegan who believes all creatures deserve love, so be it. Who am I to stop them if they can convince donors and activist foundations to throw money at their nonsense? 

Only in America can you raise millions of tax-exempt dollars to push Marxist ideology or fund drag queen story hour for toddlers. So, in honor of our nonprofit system and all its unchecked glory, here are my top 10 most ridiculous nonprofits that somehow exist, plus some simple lessons (because I am a teacher) on how they operate, survive, and get funded. Buckle up. 

1. The Okra Project

The Okra Project claims its mission is to provide home-cooked meals to black trans individuals facing food insecurity. The meals are supposedly prepared by black trans cooks. Quite the niche. But a quick visit to its website shows that every single program they advertise for the community it claims to serve is “not currently accepting applications.” No explanation. No updates. Nothing. 

The Okra Project’s financial filings paint an even more troubling picture. In its tax filing for 2022 (the most recent publicly available filing), the organization reported raising $2.9 million. Yet there is no clear data on how many meals were actually distributed, who received them, or how the money was truly used. What we do know is that more than half of that $2.9 million budget went toward funding the salaries and travel of just a few executives and employees. Over $300,000 was spent on group travel alone. Executive Director Dominique Morgan took home a hefty $327,000 salary before being replaced in August of that same year. Why? Because Morgan was caught allegedly misappropriating over $100,000 from the Black Trans Bail Fund, money reportedly spent on a luxury car and personal travel. While not every dollar flowed directly through the Okra Project, the bail fund was housed under the same network of fiscal relationships. That makes oversight the project’s responsibility. 

To recap: millions raised, almost nothing to show for it, programs closed, hundreds of thousands spent on travel, and leadership removed over financial misconduct. The mission may sound noble (even though I doubt that there is an epidemic of starving black trans people), but the operation reeks of self-enrichment and exploitation. 

Lesson: Financial transparency and accountability 

Nonprofits are required to file Form 990s with the IRS. These public documents include revenue, expenses, and executive compensation. These are often available on ProPublica or cited in InfluenceWatch. But what you’ll often find is that organizations like the Okra Project submit vague or delayed filings or, worse, fail to disclose operational metrics entirely. 

The lesson here is simple: Mission statements do not equal impact. Donors should check how many staff are paid, how much is spent on “admin,” and whether any services are actually rendered.

2. Queer Liberation Library

The Queer Liberation Library (QLL) does not operate like a traditional library, it has no physical location, no official librarian, and no structured lending system. Instead, it curates LGBTQ-themed digital reading lists and ships books directly to queer-identifying individuals and community hubs across the country. What makes this especially concerning is that they do not formally verify age. This means sexually explicit books like Gender Queer and All Boys Aren’t Blue, which contain graphic illustrations and adult content, can end up in the hands of minors. Despite presenting itself as a stand-alone nonprofit, the group is not an independent legal entity. It operates under fiscal sponsorship from the Nonprofit Organization for Philanthropic Initiatives (NOPI), which provides the tax-exempt status and backend infrastructure. This structure allows them to avoid direct IRS oversight, public scrutiny, and traditional accountability standards expected of independent charities. 

Lesson: The role of fiscal sponsorship in nonprofit operations 

Fiscal sponsorship allows side projects to exist without filing for their own 501(c)(3) status. IN this case, NOPI handles the back office, banking, HR, and legal compliance, while QLL gets to operate like an independent nonprofit. It’s a way to keep accountability murky. 

This is common in the activist world. Black Lives Matter operated this way for years under Thousand Currents and the Tide Center. Many local “justice funds” and radical groups are technically just sponsored projects of larger left-wing umbrella groups. It’s a shell game that makes it harder to follow the money. Donors should always ask: Who’s holding the bank account?

3. Democratic Socialists of America

Yes, the same people chanting “tax the rich” at protests are enjoying tax-exempt status themselves. The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is a 501(c)(4) organization, which means it can lobby, endorse candidates, and even run field operations, all while avoiding federal income tax. 

They claim to hate capitalism, yet a blend of wealthy donors, union PACs, and monthly subscription dues from followers funds their operations. During Bernie Sanders’ presidential runs, DSA used its nonprofit status to organize aggressively for openly socialist candidates. 

Lesson: Tax-exempt status and political advocacy 

Per the IRS, 501(c)(4) organizations are supposed to operate for “social welfare,” but the IRS’s definition of social welfare is so broad, it practically means “whatever we want.” These groups are allowed to get involved in politics as long as it is not their “primary” activity. What does “primary” mean? No one knows for sure. That is one loophole. 

Visit InfluenceWatch and you will see that DSA’s structure is typical of the activist Left: tax-advantaged, lightly regulated, and heavily funded. The public needs to ask whether it is appropriate for radical political machines to operate like charities.

4. The Pleasure Project

This one could be satire, but it is not. The Pleasure Project is a global nonprofit that partners with public health authorities to “eroticize safer sex.” They promote what they call “pleasure-based sex education,” meaning they integrate sexually explicit material into training sessions and workshops, often funded by international aid organizations. 

The Pleasure Project’s youth guide “Talking Pleasure with Ease” pushes educators to center sexual pleasure in youth sex ed using phrases like “talk sexy” and “reframe erotic content.” This is not about biology or safety. It is about shifting how kids think and feel about sex. When programs like this target young people, it stops being education and starts looking a lot more like grooming. 

Lesson: Ideological capture in global nonprofits 

This nonprofit is a perfect example of how the Left dominates the NGO world, especially internationally. Foundations like AmplifyChange bankroll groups like the Pleasure Project, which then advise entire governments on how to shape sex ed curricula. The ideology of pleasure-based health care becomes policy. 

The lesson here is that nonprofits are often the mechanism through which radical social agendas are imported into classrooms, clinics, and public services—all without a vote.

5. Power Forward Communities

Power Forward Communities barely existed before it was handed a jaw-dropping $2 billion grant from the Biden administration’s Environmental Protection Agency through the National Clean Investment Fund. The group had just received its tax-exempt status and reported only $100 in revenue for 2023. You read that right, $100. Yet somehow, they beat out dozens of established environmental nonprofits with actual track records. Why? 

Start digging, and the connections pop up fast. Power Forward Communities is a coalition that includes Rewiring America, where Stacey Abrams served as senior counsel in 2023. That’s the same Stacey Abrams who still claims she won the 2018 Georgia governor’s race and has become a Democrat fundraising icon. While she was not officially listed on PFC’s board, her ties to one of its founding groups raise serious questions about how this all came together. 

Lesson: Government funding of nonprofits 

In my mind, this is not a real charity. It is what my colleague Ken Braun calls a BGO—a Basically Government Organization pretending to be a nonprofit. Over 90 percent of its funding comes directly from government grants, which means it is not operating independently at all. It is basically a covert arm of the federal government, executing policy without a single vote cast by the public. You can track the funding trail at USAspending.gov. Groups like Power Forward claim to be grassroots, but they are bankrolled by federal agencies to push pre-approved political agendas. This is exactly what the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was exposing, and it is one reason why the Left is scrambling to demonize the DOGE audit. These groups are not nonprofits in the traditional sense. They are the government’s activist arm, propped up by your tax dollars.

6. Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation

Black Lives Matter needs no introduction. We all remember the riots, destruction, and national chaos that followed the group’s rise to prominence in 2020. But behind the slogans and viral hashtags was something else: one of the most successful nonprofit fundraising machines in modern history. The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation (BLMGNF) raised over $90 million in 2020 alone. It later made headlines, but not for charitable work. It secretly bought a $6 million Los Angeles mansion, allegedly for “content creation,” through a shell company. Founder Patrisse Cullors admitted to using the home for family events. Her brother received a cushy $800,000 “security” contract. Meanwhile, many grassroots chapters said they saw none of the money. 

Lesson: The power and responsibility of foundations 

BLMGNF operated with minimal oversight despite managing tens of millions in public donations. It failed to file timely Form 990s and has been plagued by financial scandals and missing money. One office location listed on IRS filings was found not to exist at all. So many reports of money spent on luxury homes, personal payouts, and mismanagement have surfaced that even left-leaning watchdogs could not ignore it. All of this was made possible by the lack of basic accountability in the nonprofit world. 

Foundations are not just donors; they are architects of movements. Whether Arabella Advisors funds activist infrastructure, George Soros fuels radical ideology, or the Gates Foundation reshapes public education with Common Core, foundations have the power to fund causes, manipulate narratives, and pick winners and losers in the nonprofit world. The IRS does not police ideology. State enforcement is slow. And the media rarely investigates until the headlines are unavoidable.

7. National Immigrant Justice Center

The National Immigrant Justice Center provides legal aid to illegal immigrants, including those facing criminal charges and final deportation orders. Its lawyers help clients file asylum claims, appeal removals, and delay proceedings indefinitely. While the NIJC presents itself as a humanitarian group, its legal strategy often works to obstruct federal immigration enforcement. 

They receive millions annually from foundations like MacArthur and Ford, as well as direct federal contracts from the Department of Justice. 

Lesson: Advocacy or obstruction? 

NIJC receives at least $10 million annually in combined public and private funding. Yet there is little discussion of whether their tactics undermine the rule of law. Do taxpayers know their dollars are funding an organization that helps criminal aliens avoid deportation? The immigration nonprofit space is filled with groups that claim “humanitarianism” while actively working to defund ICE, end detention, and erase borders. It is a political operation dressed up as legal aid. And the most disturbing part? These nonprofits enjoy tax-exempt status, meaning they are subsidized by the very taxpayers whose safety and sovereignty they work to dismantle. Instead of serving the public good, they are actively harming the American people under the legal shield of charity. 

8. National Education Association (NEA) and American Federation of Teachers (AFT)

The NEA and AFT are the most powerful education lobbies in America. They are classified as 501(c)(5) labor organizations, which means they can endorse candidates and lobby aggressively while still enjoying nonprofit tax advantages. 

The NEA alone spent  $66 million on political activity in the 2020 cycle, nearly all of it for Democrats. Both unions promote left-wing curricula, DEI training, and gender ideology in schools. They also oppose school choice, charter schools, and parental rights legislation. 

Lesson: Unions are political machines with tax benefits 

Just look at these two teachers unions’ own materials, and you’ll see they are not about improving education, but rather amassing and wielding political power. They endorse and bankroll candidates, fund lawsuits, push radical curricula, and lobby for policies that have little to do with student success, all while enjoying tax-exempt status and pretending to represent classroom teachers. 

Most parents have no idea that their child’s curriculum is shaped by national unions that operate more like Super PACs than professional associations. These groups are flush with dues money, protected by federal labor laws, and answer to no one but their political allies.

9. Planned Parenthood

Planned Parenthood is a behemoth. Its 501(c)(3) arm handles “health services”—including abortion. Its 501(c)(4), the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, handles lobbying, political ads, and legislative advocacy. Together, they form a machine that merges health care delivery with left-wing progressive politics. 

The organization receives over $700 million in taxpayer funds yearly, and its political arm routinely spends tens of millions in election years, almost exclusively supporting Democrats. 

In 2019, the group’s own president, Dr. Leana Wen, was fired after attempting to shift the organization away from politics and toward medical services. She was pushed out after just eight months. The message was clear: Abortion is political, and that is where the power is. 

Lesson: It’s now common for charity and advocacy to be mixed. 

The 501(c)(3)/501(c)(4) setup is a common, legal but sometimes abused blending of charity and advocacy, and even a little bit of politics. The (c)(3) collects public funding and builds credibility under the guise of charity. The (c)(4) then leverages that brand to engage in political activity, lobbying, campaigning, and shaping policy without risking the tax-exempt status. 

Together, they function as a tag team: one builds trust, the other wields influence. Planned Parenthood is a textbook example. Its health services arm earns media protection and taxpayer money, while its political arm pours tens of millions into elections. It is a legal structure that lets nonprofits do what Super PACs cannot, all with less scrutiny and more protection.

10. The Satanic Temple

If you want to understand how absurd the IRS has become, look no further than the Satanic Temple. This group claims to be a religion, yet openly says it does not believe in a literal Satan. Instead, it uses satanic imagery to troll Christians and sue states that pass pro-life legislation. 

They have filed lawsuits claiming abortion is a religious ritual, meaning any restriction on it is a violation of their religious liberty. The IRS agreed and granted the group tax-exempt church status in 2019. 

Lesson: The church exemption can be manipulated 

Churches do not have to file Form 990s and are not required to disclose revenue or donors. There are no transparency rules, audits, or financial oversight. The Satanic Temple is exploiting this to run a political activism shop disguised as a faith group. 

The organization has focused its efforts on abortion, transgender policies, and religious displays—often suing public officials to remove nativity scenes while demanding statues of Baphomet. 

This is not a religion. It is a legal stunt that mocks actual faith, all while enjoying tax-exempt status. 

Why We Need Watchdogs 

While much of the nonprofit world is bloated with buzzwords, grift, and unchecked power, not all nonprofits are created equal. The Capital Research Center stands out as a rare watchdog that actually bites. Often called the “DOGE of the nonprofit world,” CRC investigates the nonprofits, foundations, and grant recipients that most others will not touch. 

Through its InfluenceWatch.org project, CRC pulls back the curtain on the networks, funding pipelines, and ideological agendas that drive so much of the activist nonprofit machine. Most of my research for this very article was done on IW. From bail funds to education lobbies to global abortion groups, CRC has exposed how tax-exempt status is weaponized against the American people. 

I am proud to be part of that mission. CRC brought me on to help expose the two largest teachers unions in America and their chokehold on public education. I have also covered nonprofits like Black Lives Matter and the shady funding behind many of their operations. In the future, I will be expanding that work into the nonprofit industrial complex behind abortion, because yes, there is an entire industry profiting off death while hiding behind tax-exempt status. Exposing organizations and movements like this is why we need more transparency and accountability in the nonprofit world, but thankfully organizations like the Capital Research Center do the work that others are too afraid, or too compromised, to do. 

Source: https://capitalresearch.org/article/top-ten-most-ridiculous-nonprofits/