What Does a 501(c)(4) Do? Behind the Scenes of Our Election Day Work
By Edgar Palacios
Election Week Reflections
This Tuesday, Kansas City, Missouri voters showed up for our schools - and so did our team.
Throughout Election Day, the RevED crew was out in full force across Subdistrict 1, supporting the bond measure and one of our endorsed candidates, Rita Cortés. From early morning check-ins at polling sites to final text reminders, we were there, not just as advocates, but as neighbors and organizers, committed to ensuring our community’s voice was heard.
As the week wraps up, I’ve been reflecting not just on what we accomplished, but on how we do this work - what it means to operate as a 501(c)(4), and how this structure allows us to build political power in service of students and families.
This post is for anyone who's ever wondered: What does a 501(c)(4) actually do during elections?
Let me break it down for you.
What is a 501(c)(4)?
RevED is a 501(c)(4) - what the IRS defines as a social welfare nonprofit. Unlike traditional 501(c)(3) organizations, 501(c)(4)s are allowed to engage directly in political activities. That means we can:
Take public stances on ballot issues
Endorse candidates
Spend money to support (or oppose) candidates and issues through what’s called independent expenditures
Because we focus on education, when elections impact our students, families, and educators - we engage. That includes organizing, advocating, and educating the public about what’s at stake.
Three Key Things You Should Know About 501(c)(4)s
We can engage in electoral politics.
That includes endorsements and independent expenditures (more on that below).Donors do not need to be disclosed.
The IRS does not require 501(c)(4)s to reveal their donor list.Contributions are not tax-deductible.
There’s no tax benefit for giving to a 501(c)(4), which is why most philanthropic institutions don’t fund this work—and why grassroots support matters so much.
Independent Expenditures: What They Are (and Aren’t)
One important rule: 501(c)(4)s cannot coordinate with political candidates. So if you saw a billboard, mailer, digital ad, or received a text message from us this week - those efforts were created independently of the candidate’s campaign.
This is called an independent expenditure. It allows us to publicly support a candidate, but without collaborating or strategizing directly with them.
Every dollar we spend on a political race is reported to the Missouri Ethics Commission. Even though coordination isn’t allowed, transparency still is - and should be - non-negotiable.
How Do Endorsements Work?
When I founded RevEd, I wasn’t sure what the process looked like for endorsements. What have I learned since? There’s no one-size-fits-all approach.
Each organization determines its own criteria. Some use questionnaires, others rely on community recommendations or direct outreach. For us, we endorse candidates who align with our values and are ready to put in the work - alongside the community they serve.
Who We Endorsed (and Why)
In this election, we proudly endorsed Rita Cortés in Subdistrict 1, Tricia McGhee in Subdistrict 3, and supported the YES campaign for the Kansas City Public Schools bond measure.
Rita has been a consistent champion for our community. She listens, she shows up, and she leads with both care and conviction. When issues arise, she’s ready to engage - not just with us, but with the families and students at the heart of our work.
Tricia brings deep experience as a KCPS parent, advocate, and education leader. She’s known for her commitment to students with disabilities, English learners, and inclusive family engagement - and she leads with both lived experience and policy expertise.
As for the bond? Nearly 30% of students across the educational ecosystem in KCMO are Latino. Our community is worthy of this $474 million investment. We advocated to ensure those dollars are used to reflect the needs - and the brilliance - of all young people, both within KCPS and across the nine charter schools that joined the Yes for KC Kids campaign.
Why This Work Matters
501(c)(4)s are a powerful tool for building political power. While some use this structure to protect the status quo—to gatekeep access or silence dissent—we use it to shift power toward families and communities who have too often been left out of the conversation.
Our goal is to center those voices - especially Latino parents, multilingual learners, students with disabilities, and the educators who advocate for them every day. It means ensuring families and educators aren’t included for appearances, but because their insight and leadership are essential to strong decision-making.
This week wasn’t just about campaign wins. It was about growing the capacity of our community to advocate for itself—to organize, to vote, and to demand better.
Because elections aren’t just about ballots.
They’re about values.