Compact for America Educational Foundation Inc

Houston, TX   |  www.compactforamerica.org

Mission

The foundation is a non-stock, non-share, and non-member entity organized exclusively for any or all lawful purposes for which non-profit corporations may be incorporated under Texas law as an exempt organization, including for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, with no intent of pecuniary gain or profit. In furtherance of the foregoing purpose, and subject to its limitations, the corporation is formed primarily to educate elected officials, citizens and residents of the United States and the several states of the use of an interstate compact agreement and counterpart federal legislation to coordinate the use of Article V of the U.S. Constitution by state legislatures and the US Congress to originate, propose and ratify constitutional amendments. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, this corporation shall not, except to an insubstantial degree, engage in any activities or exercise any powers that are not in furtherance of the purposes of this corporation.

No part of the net earnings of the corporation shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the corporation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the educational purposes set forth herein. Except as allowed by section 501(h) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, no substantial part of the activities of the corporation shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the corporation shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the corporation shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by a corporation exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or (b) by a corporation, contributions to which are deductible under section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

Upon the dissolution of the corporation, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by a Court of Competent Jurisdiction of the county in which the principal office of the corporation is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.

Ruling year info

2014

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Mr. NICHOLAS C. DRANIAS

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Mr. HAROLD R. DEMOSS, III

Main address

2323 Clear Lk City Blvd Ste 180-190

Houston, TX 77062 USA

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EIN

46-5469141

NTEE code info

Research Institutes and/or Public Policy Analysis (B05)

Public Finance, Taxation, Monetary Policy (W22)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990-N.

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Communication

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Programs and results

What we aim to solve

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Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Compact for a Balanced Budget

Compacts harness the sovereign power of the states by contractually binding them to a common goal and enabling them to act as a unified body. Because strength exists in numbers, compacts can act as a force multiplier for public policies that leverage principles of federalism to enforce limited government. The Compact for a Balanced Budget is an interstate agreement that advances, proposes and ratifies a federal Balanced Budget Amendment in a single state legislative bill, which is activated by a single congressional resolution.

In essence, the Compact pre-commits 38 states (the ratification number) to the entire constitutional amendment process in advance, so that a specific, pre-drafted federal Balanced Budget Amendment is voted up or down within 24 hours at the convention it organizes. The Compact’s amendment process is set in motion by a single congressional resolution, which can be passed with simple majorities and no presidential signature. The congressional resolution both calls the 24 hour convention contemplated by the Compact and pre-selects legislative ratification, avoiding a second trip to Congress. The Compact's “turn-key” approach eliminates any possibility of a “runaway convention.” It prohibits member states from expanding the scope of the convention, violating the convention rules, or ratifying anything other than the contemplated amendment.

Population(s) Served

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Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

The goals of the organization's first initiative, the Compact for a Balanced Budget, is to educate the states on the targeted us of their power under Article V of the U.S. Constitution to both propose and ratify amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The Founders considered this power critical in the establishment of checks and balances within the various branches of the federal government. The Founders envisioned that the states would likely only use this power when necessary structural changes to the Constitution were identified and the Congress was either unable or unwilling to propose the required amendment under the alternate power held by Congress to propose amendments to the states.

The education process would include vetting and drafting the necessary interstate compact agreement among the states that would control the process, vetting and drafting the text of the proposed amendment, vetting and drafting the text of the activating congressional resolution, helping to identify sponsors in the various legislatures the would propose entry into the Compact by the various states, educated members of the various state legislatures as to how the amendment process would work in conjunction with an interstate compact, providing expert testimony before the various state legislative committees as the various bills are considered, incorporating rules into the Compact that would control the convention process and logistics, and educating the members of Congress on the need for the activating congressional resolution.

The strategies to make this happen are the following:

a. Develop a world-class team of experts to provide the necessary educational component
b. Develop an organizational structure that is nimble and can quickly respond to requests by the various state legislatures for assistance.
c. Minimize administrative burdens by utilizing virtual offices across the country.
d. Develop a reputation as the "go-to" organization when it comes to multi-state approaches to restoring the proper role of the states in the Constitution's balance of federalism.
e. Locate and develop long-term relationships with "patriots of means" who can provide the funding necessary for this national effort.

a. The Foundation has developed an Executive Staff, Council of Scholars and Advisory Council of premiere experts across the nation. The experts are available in person, by phone, and through social media to provide education on the Compact for a Balance Budget Amendment.
b. Because of the unique aspect of the Compact for a Balanced Budget initiative, the Foundation is able to operate without employees. Instead, the expertise of the Executive Staff and key scholars is provided through short-term consulting contracts. This enables the Foundation to quickly expand or contract its operations as the need arises. This makes the Foundation unique among the state and national think-tanks.
c. In conjunction with these consulting contracts, the Foundation has indeed been able to operate across the country using the virtual offices of the various consultants.
d. The reputation of the Foundation as the “go-to" entity for interstate compacts that address federalism continues to grow as the Foundation has received numerous requests from state legislators, state-based think-tanks, national organizations, and members of Congress to provide further education and assistance on the Compact for a Balanced Budget and related issues.
e. The Executive Staff of the Foundation have made it a top priority to develop relationships with long-term donors and investors. Developing and nurturing such relationships is of paramount importance to the success of the initiative.

As of September 30, 2015:

a. Council of Scholars and Advisory Council members - premiere experts on board, with more to follow
b. Member states: 4 obtained, 34 more required
c. Big push will be made during the 2016 state legislative sessions to have additional states join the Compact
d. Congressional resolution: filed in House and under consideration, companion Senate legislation in progress, target date for passage is fall of 2015 in conjunction with the upcoming Congressional budget and debt limit debates.
e. Required convention: pending additional member states and congressional activating resolution
f. Funding - definitely need to find additional "patriots of means" to support the effort financially.

Financials

Compact for America Educational Foundation Inc
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Compact for America Educational Foundation Inc

Board of directors
as of 07/08/2019
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Thomas Patterson

Past chair of the Goldwater Institute, former state legislator, and retired emergency room physician

Term: 2014 - 2016

Kevin R.C. Gutzman

Western Connecticut State University

Harold R. DeMoss, III

Compact for America Educational Foundation, Inc.

Lawrence W. Reed

Foundation for Economic Education (FEE)

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes