by: John Clore | 3/21/2025 at 7:28 AM
Follow the Money: How Michigan’s DEI Funding Is Fueling Political Influence Through Foundations and NGOs
LANSING, MI – Since I wrote the article yesterday: DOGE on Michigan Wasteful Spending: LGBTQ, DEI, and Transgender Study Funds Could Fix the Roads Instead! I decided to take a deeper look into the money trail revealing potential conflicts of interest and troubling ethical questions.
While direct campaign contributions from DEI programs are legally prohibited, the intricate web of taxpayer-funded initiatives, politically aligned foundations, and advocacy organizations reveals a pattern that I will argue resembles a soft form of money laundering – transferring public funds into political influence that overwhelmingly benefits Democratic campaigns and policies.
Foundations at the Heart of DEI and Political Activism
Several prominent foundations with strong ties to Michigan are deeply entrenched in both DEI programming and political activity. These organizations act as intermediaries, receiving grants for DEI-related work and simultaneously contributing to or supporting groups engaged in political influence.
1. Arcus Foundation – Founded by Michigan billionaire Jon Stryker, the Arcus Foundation is one of the largest funders of LGBTQ+ and DEI causes globally. It has invested millions into Michigan-based initiatives, including a $23 million grant to establish the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership at Kalamazoo College. Arcus also donates to political advocacy groups aligned with progressive causes. (Arcus Foundation)
2. David Bohnett Foundation – This California-based foundation, tied to the University of Michigan through its support of leadership and DEI training at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, also funds political internships and policy influence organizations such as the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. (David Bohnett Foundation)
3. Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan (HOPE Fund) – With more than $2.5 million in grants awarded to LGBTQ+ organizations, the HOPE Fund is linked to advocacy and political engagement. Many grant recipients are active in lobbying for progressive policies and aligning with Democratic party goals. (CFSEM)
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PACs and Politically Aligned Money
Michigan’s campaign finance landscape shows a clear pattern: the majority of campaign contributions come not from individual voters, but from Political Action Committees (PACs). A 2024 Bridge Michigan analysis found that most state lawmakers are primarily funded by PACs, not constituents. (Bridge MI)
Additionally, according to OpenSecrets, during the 2024 election cycle, Michigan-based individual donors contributed over $60 million, with 59.43% going to Democrats and just 40.02% to Republicans. (OpenSecrets)
While 501(c)(3) organizations are legally barred from making direct campaign contributions, they are allowed to fund “education,” “community outreach,” and “policy research” – all of which often bleed into political advocacy and campaigning, especially around election cycles.
The Conflict of Interest
The concern is not about isolated grants, but about the systemic pipeline:
Taxpayer dollars fund DEI programs across Michigan institutions.
These funds are granted to politically active NGOs and foundations.
Those foundations support progressive policy and train activists, fund lobbyists, and influence voters.
The end result is disproportionate support for one political party – the Democrats – using resources that originated from all taxpayers.
I think this process creates a clear conflict of interest: public institutions receiving taxpayer funds for DEI programs are indirectly enabling partisan political infrastructure. Though no single transaction may violate the law, the pattern strongly resembles political money laundering, and it undermines public trust.
Time for Transparency and Accountability
Calls are growing louder for Michigan lawmakers to conduct audits and release a full public accounting of how DEI and related funds are distributed, who receives them, and how the money is ultimately spent.
If the goal is to ensure a government that works for all, then taxpayers deserve to know if their dollars are funding backdoor political activism under the guise of inclusion.
As I outlined in this investigative article: DOGE on Michigan Wasteful Spending: LGBTQ, DEI, and Transgender Study Funds Could Fix the Roads Instead!, more than $50.5 million in known expenditures has gone to DEI and LGBTQ+ programs, while Michigan roads and water infrastructure continue to deteriorate. It’s time to ask: Are Democrats really trying to build equity — or are they just using taxpaying dollars to bankroll political allies?
DOGE on Michigan Wasteful Spending: LGBTQ, DEI, and Transgender Study Funds Could Fix the Roads Instead!
by: John Clore | 3/20/2025 at 9:11 AM LANSING, MI – After writing Shocking Waste: Federal Audit Uncovers Billions Wasted on Foreign Social Programs And seeing countless people on social media say, “We need DOGE in Michigan,” I decided to DOGE Michigan’s wasteful spending—here’s what I uncovered. Michigan’s state government
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