The Dark Money Pipeline: Open Society’s $73M to Arabella Advisors and the Power of Sixteen Thirty Fund

Dark Money and the Sixteen Thirty Fund: Transparency in Question

Dark money, enabled by 501(c)(4) organizations that shield donor identities, funds U.S. political advocacy without public disclosure, raising concerns about democratic accountability. The Sixteen Thirty Fund, a prominent 501(c)(4), exemplifies this practice, receiving $73,690,000 from the Open Society Foundations in 2023 to support progressive causes, according to a U.S. grants document (Open Society Foundations, 2023). Managed by Arabella Advisors, the Fund operates legally but non-transparently, while allegations of $100 million in foreign-linked dark money influencing 25 states highlight broader transparency challenges (YourNews, 2025).

The Sixteen Thirty Fund’s Operations

As a 501(c)(4), the Sixteen Thirty Fund can fund advocacy and political activities without disclosing donors, a practice shared by progressive and conservative groups. Arabella Advisors, a for-profit firm, manages its operations, channeling funds to initiatives like voter engagement and policy reform (Capital Research Center, 2023). In 2023, the Fund received $73,690,000 from the Open Society Foundations, founded by George Soros, to advance progressive advocacy, per a U.S. grants document and Data Republican’s analysis (Open Society Foundations, 2023; Data Republican, 2023). Its $410 million in 2020 election spending underscores its influence (OpenSecrets, 2020).

Dark Money in Action

Dark money often supports ballot measures and campaigns that appear grassroots but rely on centralized funding. In Ohio, for example, Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights PAC received $3,500,000 from the Sixteen Thirty Fund in 2023, likely supporting Issue 1, a ballot measure to protect abortion rights (Open Society Foundations, 2023; Ohio Capital Journal, 2023). This illustrates dark money’s role, though it is separate from the Fund’s $73,690,000 OSF grant. Claims of $14 million in funding or campaigns for reduced fentanyl penalties in Ohio lack evidence, as does significant voter opposition to foreign influence.

Separately, Americans for Public Trust alleges that over $100 million in foreign-linked dark money, primarily from Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss via the Berger Action Fund, was channeled through the Sixteen Thirty Fund to influence ballot measures in 25 states, targeting abortion, election laws, and drug policies (YourNews, 2025). However, the 2023 grants document shows U.S.-based OSF funding, and FEC investigations found no conclusive evidence of Wyss’s foreign funding (The Washington Free Beacon, 2021).

Transparency and Democratic Trust

The Sixteen Thirty Fund’s legal nondisclosure obscures funding sources, complicating voters’ ability to trace influence. While its $73,690,000 from OSF is verified, allegations of Wyss’s $143 million to the Fund from 2019–2022 fuel scrutiny, though 2023 foreign funding remains unconfirmed (WorldNetDaily, 2024). Bipartisan use of 501(c)(4)s, including conservative groups like Crossroads GPS, highlights a systemic challenge to democratic trust (OpenSecrets, 2020).

Pathways to Reform

Proposed solutions include the DISCLOSE Act to mandate donor transparency for 501(c)(4)s, regulations on pass-through funding, and investigative journalism to expose networks (Brennan Center for Justice, 2023). Resources like Data Republican’s OSF grant database empower public scrutiny (Data Republican, 2023). Legislative and civic action can balance advocacy with accountability.

The Sixteen Thirty Fund’s $73,690,000 from the Open Society Foundations and Ohio’s Issue 1 campaign illustrate dark money’s reach, while alleged foreign funding raises unresolved questions. Transparency reforms and public awareness can ensure a more accountable democracy.

References

• Brennan Center for Justice. (2023). Dark money reforms: Strengthening disclosure laws. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/policy-solutions/dark-money-reforms

• Capital Research Center. (2023). Arabella Advisors’ network: A web of influence. https://capitalresearch.org

• Data Republican. (2023). Open Society Foundations grant database, 2016–2023. [Dataset]. Available from Data Republican.

• Ohio Capital Journal. (2023, November 8). Ohio Issue 1: Voters approve abortion rights amendment. https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/11/08/ohio-issue-1-abortion-rights

• Open Society Foundations. (2023). U.S. grants document: 2023 American donations. [Internal document]. Available upon request.

• OpenSecrets. (2020). Sixteen Thirty Fund: 2020 political spending. https://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/detail/2020?cmte=C90016336

• The Washington Free Beacon. (2021, August 10). FEC dismisses complaints against Wyss funding. https://freebeacon.com/politics/fec-dismisses-wyss-complaints/

• WorldNetDaily. (2024, April 26). Wyss’s $143 million to Sixteen Thirty Fund, 2019–2022. https://www.wnd.com/2024/04/wyss-funding-sixteen-thirty/

• YourNews. (2025, April 16). Report uncovers $100 million in foreign ‘dark money’ laundered through U.S. nonprofits. https://yournews.com/2025/04/16/3378019/report-uncovers-100-million-in-foreign-dark-money-laundered-through/