How Revenue is Spent at Turning Point USA (2022)

Turning Point USA is a tax-exempt, non-profit 501 (c) 3 that advocates conservative principles on high school, college, and university campuses and in convention centers that focus on attracting high schoolers, college students, and young adults ages 15-25 who they often refer to as activists.

Established in 2012 by Charles Kirk, the President, Turning Point USA has three (3) related tax exempt organizations:

• Turning Point Endowment, Inc.:  a 501 (c) 3 described as a “supporting org to Turning Point USA”
• America’s Turning Point, Inc:  a 501 (c) 3  described as “education of students”
• Turning Point Action, Inc.:  a 501 (c) 4  described as “education of students” where contributions are not tax deductible

Turning Point USA is overseen by 5 voting members (directors) of the governing body, 4 of whom are independent. All directors are male.

Total revenue in 2022 was reported to be $81 million (compared to $56 million in 2021, $40 million in 2020 and $29 million in 2019), most of which came from  contributions, gifts, and grants ($79 million). $2 million came from conference and seminar fees.

Fundraisers (primarily Cloverstone Ventures of Wilmington, DE, American Philanthropic of West Chester, PA, and Blue Mountain Strategies of Dover, DE) raised $31.5 million for Turning Point USA but retained $1.7 million, netting Turning Point USA $29.8 million (or 37% of total revenue raised).

Expenses were reported to be $72 million but $11 million included a “grant” and assistance to an affiliated organization:  Turning Point Endowment (which operates out of the same office as Turning Point USA, ) and another grant of $1 million made to another affiliated organization:  America’s Turning Point.  

The $72 million in expenses can be categorized as follows:

• $18  million (22% of revenue):  Travel and Conventions (including first class or charter travel)
• $17 million (21% of revenue):  Compensation
• $12  million (15% of revenue):  Printing, Publications, Videos, Digital
• $12 million (15% of revenue):  Grants (primarily to 2 affiliated organizations)
• $ 6  million (7% of revenue):  Advertising and Promotion
• $ 3  million (4% of revenue):  Fees for Services (i.e. primarily lobbying and fundraising)
• $ 3  million (4% of revenue):  Office-Related Expenses
• $ 1 million (1% of revenue):  Other Expenses

Based on the above information, every $100 in revenue was spent as follows:

$100:  Revenue

-$ 22:  Travel and Conventions (including first class or charter travel)

-$ 21:  Compensation

-$ 15:  Printing, Publications, Videos, Digital

-$  7:  Advertising and Promotion

-$  4:  Office-Related Expenses

-$  4:  Fees for Services

-$  1:  Other Expenses

-$ 74: Subtotal:  Organization Expenses

 $ 26:  Remaining Revenue

-$ 15:  Grants (Primarily to Turning Point Endowment and America’s Turning Point

$  11:  Remaining Revenue:  To General Fund

The above information reveals that Turning Point USA is primarily engaged in convention center events with speakers brought in to address the “activist” 15-25 year olds, with most of the expenses listed above tied to these events either directly or indirectly:

• $44 out of every $100 was spent on travel, conventions, printing, pub, videos, digital and advertising;
• $30 out of every $100 was spent on compensating staff, office expenses, fees and other expenses
• $15 out of every $100 was “granted” to related organizations; and
• $11 out of every $100 was added to the general fund.

709 employees (up from 457 in 2021, 425 in 2020, and 272 in 2019) received $17 million in compensation.

The bottom line is that Turning Point USA is a tax-exempt non-profit organization that primarily engages in conducting conventions targeting 15-25 year olds to hear speakers that support a conservative agenda.

So, if you donated $100, your $100 was primarily spent on organization expenses ($30) and travel (including first class or charter travel), conventions and materials ($44) to indoctrinate young people to what 10 men (5 male directors and 5 highly compensated males running the organization) think others should believe.  But, that’s not enough.  Turning Point USA also has a link on the upper left called “PWL” which stands for “Professor Watchlist” that calls for students to report professors who “advance leftist propaganda” and “discriminate against conservative students.”  By encouraging students to act as judge and censor (Turning Point, USA posts pictures of professors on their website), Turning Point USA is encouraging students to squelch other opinions and free speech.

$15 out of your $100 was “granted” to related organizations while $11 was added to the general fund.

To read the IRS Form 990 (2021 for the year ending June 30, 2022), click here.