Center for Shared Services

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The Center for Shared Services is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit that provides administrative support, human resources, and recruitment services for other organizations, including to groups with ties to the Koch brothers. While its website and documentation do not specify a political orientation for the CSS, its website describes its mission as "to provide talent and opportunity for free market non-profit organizations."[1]

Politico describes the CSS as "a nonprofit recruiter and administrative support team for other Koch-backed groups, which provides assistance with everything from scouting office space to accounting to furniture and security."[2] Job openings listed on the CSS job board in June 2014 included positions at i360, Generation Opportunity, The Libre Initiative, Freedom Partners, Concerned Veterans for America, and the Bill of Rights Institute.

Koch Wiki

Charles Koch is the right-wing billionaire owner of Koch Industries. As one of the richest people in the world, he is a key funder of the right-wing infrastructure, including the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and the State Policy Network (SPN). In SourceWatch, key articles on Charles Koch and his late brother David include: Koch Brothers, Americans for Prosperity, Stand Together Chamber of Commerce, Stand Together, Koch Family Foundations, Koch Universities, and I360.

The $400 million Koch network.
The $400 million Koch network uses a maze of nonprofit groups and LLCs to conceal donations and campaign activity
Source: Robert Maguire with the Center for Responsive Politics. Matea Gold and Cristina Rivero/The Washington Post.

Ties to the Koch Brothers

The Koch network was one of the biggest political operations in 2012 and worked largely outside the campaign finance system, raising at least $407 million. Source: Robert Maguire with the Center for Responsive Politics.

According to the Washington Post and based on reporting by the Center for Responsive Politics, the Center for Shared Services is part of "a coalition of allied conservative groups active in the 2012 elections that together raised at least $407 million, backed by a donor network organized by the industrialists Charles and David Koch."[3] Between 2010 and 2012, the CSS received $2.7 million from Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce and another $1.2 million from the Koch-linked TC4 Trust.[4]

The Center for Shared Services was reported to be in attendance at the June 2014 Koch network summit meeting.[5]

Core Financials

2012[6]

  • Total Revenue: $5,525,765
  • Total Expenses: $3,146,139
  • Net Assets: $3,141,718

Personnel

The CSS does not list its staff or board on its website. Its 2012 tax filings included the following personnel:[6]

Affiliated Organizations

The Center for Shared Services lists RION, LLC as a disregarded entity on its tax filings.

References

  1. Center for Shared Services, Main Page, organizational website, accessed June 18, 2014.
  2. Kenneth P. Vogel, "Koch World 2014," Politico, January 14, 2014. Accessed June 18, 2014.
  3. Matea Gold, "The players in the Koch-backed $400 million political donor network," Washington Post, January 5, 2014. Accessed June 18, 2014.
  4. Al Shaw, Theodoric Meyer, and Kim Barker, "How Dark Money Flows Through the Koch Network," ProPublica, February 14, 2014. Accessed June 18, 2014.
  5. Leo Castaneda, Brad Racino, and Joanne Faryon, "Groups represented at the secret Koch brothers summit," inewsource, June 16, 2014. Accessed June 18, 2014.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Center for Shared Services Trust, 2012 IRS 990, organizational tax filing, April 15, 2014. Accessed June 18, 2014.