Connection research · Research date 2026-09-15
Votes Idaho is a locally governed advocacy-coordination hub funded repeatedly by Western Futures and Sixteen Thirty
Recorded status: IRS-derived funding, governance, compensation and program-use facts verified. Donor control of specific Idaho campaigns or partner organizations is NOT established.
This is a dated research record. Its qualifications and open questions are part of the account. Association alone does not establish wrongdoing or control.
Votes Idaho provides a second, non-PAC model for how outside funding is steered after reaching Idaho. IRS-derived grant records report approximately $562,000 from Western Futures Fund to Votes Idaho across 2022–2024 and approximately $193,000 from Sixteen Thirty Fund across 2022 and 2024. Votes Idaho’s FY2024 filing identifies Colin Nash as executive director, Matt Compton as board chair, Mistie DelliCarpini-Tolman and Caitlin Barnard as board members, with four independent voting board members. The filing reports $295,000 total revenue, $265,000 in contributions/grants, and $458,000 total expenses, of which approximately $388,000 (85%) were allocated to program services. Nash received $76,212 in reportable compensation in FY2024 (after $115,000 in FY2023); the volunteer board members listed in the filing received $0. Filing-derived program descriptions say Votes Idaho facilitates coordination among issue-advocacy groups, provides a platform for organizations to share resources, best practices and strategic insights, and organizes regular meetings, conferences and webinars. This means a substantial share of the documented Western Futures/Sixteen Thirty Idaho money entered a locally governed organization whose stated function is advocacy coordination and shared strategic infrastructure, with an identifiable Idaho executive director and board deciding how that organization operates. The compensation and program expenses are ordinary disclosed nonprofit expenses and are not evidence of personal enrichment or wrongdoing. The record does NOT establish that Western Futures or Sixteen Thirty selected Votes Idaho’s coalition partners, dictated its strategy, or controlled a particular Idaho campaign; nor is Votes Idaho yet proved to be the America Votes Idaho state table.
Source references
- Who funds Votes Idaho Corporation? — Funders table
- Votes Idaho Corporation FY2024 Form 990 data — Part VII / Parts VIII-IX / governance
- Votes Idaho Company — Nonprofit Explorer — FY2023-2024 officer and financial data
- Votes Idaho Company program profile — Program activities