Primrose, thanks for posting this. I little research started down a huge rabbit hole.
What NDLON Is
NDLON is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit labor advocacy organization (EIN: 20-8802586), tax-exempt since November 2007, headquartered in Pasadena/Los Angeles, California. It was formally founded in July 2001 in Northridge, California, beginning with 12 community-based organizations. Its stated mission is improving the lives of day laborers, migrants, and low-wage workers in the United States. NDLON now describes itself as a network of over 70 member organizations nationwide.
Financial Overview (IRS Form 990 Data via ProPublica)
The following figures come directly from NDLON's IRS filings as reported through ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer:
Fiscal YearRevenueExpensesNet AssetsFY2024 (ending June 2024)$3.93M$7.67M$17.5MFY2023 (ending June 2023)$14.76M$6.10M$21.3MFY2022 (ending June 2022)$8.26M$5.15M$13.0MFY2021 (ending June 2021)$6.95M$7.25M$10.1MFY2020 (ending June 2020)$7.78M$4.82M$10.7M
In each year, contributions and grants make up approximately 86–96% of total revenue. The FY2023 revenue spike to nearly $15M reflects a large, single-year influx of foundation contributions. NDLON also holds substantial net assets ($17–21M in recent years), suggesting accumulated reserves from prior fundraising. In FY2024, NDLON itself awarded 15 grants totaling approximately $295,000 to affiliated organizations.
Where the Money Comes From
NDLON does not receive direct federal government funding. Its revenue comes almost entirely from private, left-leaning philanthropic foundations and individual donors.
Documented foundation funders:
Between 2004 and 2008 (as reported by the Capital Research Center from tax filings), NDLON received documented foundation grants including:
Ford Foundation — $325,000
Public Welfare Foundation — $675,000
Rosenberg Foundation — $330,000
Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund — $100,000
Hill Snowdon Foundation — $90,000
Discount Foundation — $50,000
J.M. Kaplan Fund — $50,000
Sirad Foundation — $25,000
More recent confirmed funders:
@FordFoundation — Confirmed as an ongoing, major funder through at least 2022, described by the philanthropy publication Inside Philanthropy as a direct backer of NDLON. Ford has also partnered with the Open Society Foundations and the Wellspring Philanthropic Fund on labor rights collaborative funding through a program called FORGE (Funders Organized for Rights in the Global Economy), which has supported the broader labor movement that includes NDLON.
Progressive Multiplier — Confirmed grant to NDLON for donor engagement and fundraising initiatives. From looking at their website, it may not be a big stretch to infer they are involved in getting illegals to vote in US elections.
Individual donations are processed through ActBlue Charities (a 501(c)(3) online fundraising platform) and also through Donor-Advised Funds.
Network Member Organizations
NDLON's own website lists 69 member organizations across the United States. The network includes worker centers, labor advocacy nonprofits, and immigrant rights organizations. Named members confirmed across multiple sources include:
American Friends Service Committee (Quaker peace/justice organization)
Arise Chicago (worker center)
CASA de Maryland (immigration advocacy and worker services)
CARECEN – Los Angeles (Central American Resource Center)
Coalition for Immigration Reform
Workers Defense Project (Texas-based labor advocacy)
Pueblo Sin Fronteras
La Colmena (Staten Island)
New Immigrant Community Empowerment / NICE (New York)
Catholic Charities – Archdiocese of New York
Workers Justice Project (New York)
Coalition for Immigrant Freedom / Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights
NDLON also runs the Day Laborer Workforce Initiative (DLWI), a New York City-specific collaboration among five of these member organizations to expand and improve day laborer worker centers across all five boroughs.
Do Network Members Receive Federal Funding?
Yes — some member organizations have received substantial federal government funding, even though NDLON itself has not.
CASA de Maryland is the most documented example. According to a Washington Examiner investigation using federal spending records, CASA received approximately $5 million in government grants and $7 million in government contracts between July 2022 and June 2023 alone. Identified federal funders include the Departments of Education, Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Labor, Justice, Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security. A specific HUD grant of $1.5 million was awarded to CASA in 2023 under the agency's economic development initiative program, covering a project running through 2031. Federal records on
USASpending.gov also show CASA receiving funds from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), another NDLON member, has a large institutional grant portfolio — over 100–125 grants annually totaling roughly $10–12 million — sourced from foundations, corporations, and government agencies where applicable.
Summary
CategoryDetailNDLON's direct fundingPrivate foundations (Ford, Public Welfare, Rosenberg, Haas, and others)Individual donationsProcessed via ActBlue and Donor-Advised FundsFederal funding to NDLON directlyNone documented in public recordsFederal funding to key member orgsYes — CASA de Maryland received millions from HUD, DOL, DOJ, DHS, HHS, and EducationNetwork size~69–70 member organizations nationallyTotal assets (FY2024)$18.3 million
The money trail for NDLON itself runs through private progressive foundations, not the federal government. However, prominent members of its network — especially CASA de Maryland — have received and continue to receive significant federal funding across multiple agencies.