New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's allies have launched a new nonprofit organization, called Our Time, in an effort to tap into the grassroots energy generated by his mayoral campaign. The group aims to build support for Mamdani's policy promises, including universal child care, and engage thousands of volunteers across the city.
The nonprofit is classified as a tax-exempt 501c4 social welfare organization, which means it can raise funds and lobby for Mamdani's policies without disclosing its donors. This has raised concerns among good government groups, who warn that the use of nonprofits to support mayoral issues can lead to corruption and pay-to-play practices.
Despite these concerns, Our Time's executive director Jeremy Freeman argues that his organization will be more transparent than required by law, refusing donations from entities with business before the city. The group also plans to publish the names of any donors who give over $1,000 on its website.
Our Time is part of a larger trend in New York City, where mayors have used nonprofits to promote their agendas and connect with voters. Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Mayor's Fund was a notable example, but it was also criticized for lacking transparency and being too closely tied to the mayor's office.
Mamdani's allies acknowledge that they are walking a fine line between supporting the new nonprofit and maintaining the integrity of his campaign. "The potential for pay-to-play is always a concern," warned John Kaehny, executive director of Reinvent Albany. But Freeman and other Our Time organizers argue that their organization will focus on mobilizing volunteers and promoting Mamdani's agenda in a way that is distinct from previous efforts.
To achieve this goal, Our Time plans to launch a series of door-knocking events across the city, starting next weekend, with a focus on universal child care. They also aim to recruit 15,000 volunteers for a trip to Albany to lobby state lawmakers and push for rent freezes and day-of-action protests in January and February.
As the new nonprofit takes shape, its logo and branding have drawn comparisons to Mamdani's campaign materials, raising questions about the blurred line between the two. But for now, Our Time appears to be focused on building momentum for Mamdani's agenda, with a goal of creating a sustained wave of civic engagement that could help him deliver on his promises as mayor.
The nonprofit is classified as a tax-exempt 501c4 social welfare organization, which means it can raise funds and lobby for Mamdani's policies without disclosing its donors. This has raised concerns among good government groups, who warn that the use of nonprofits to support mayoral issues can lead to corruption and pay-to-play practices.
Despite these concerns, Our Time's executive director Jeremy Freeman argues that his organization will be more transparent than required by law, refusing donations from entities with business before the city. The group also plans to publish the names of any donors who give over $1,000 on its website.
Our Time is part of a larger trend in New York City, where mayors have used nonprofits to promote their agendas and connect with voters. Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Mayor's Fund was a notable example, but it was also criticized for lacking transparency and being too closely tied to the mayor's office.
Mamdani's allies acknowledge that they are walking a fine line between supporting the new nonprofit and maintaining the integrity of his campaign. "The potential for pay-to-play is always a concern," warned John Kaehny, executive director of Reinvent Albany. But Freeman and other Our Time organizers argue that their organization will focus on mobilizing volunteers and promoting Mamdani's agenda in a way that is distinct from previous efforts.
To achieve this goal, Our Time plans to launch a series of door-knocking events across the city, starting next weekend, with a focus on universal child care. They also aim to recruit 15,000 volunteers for a trip to Albany to lobby state lawmakers and push for rent freezes and day-of-action protests in January and February.
As the new nonprofit takes shape, its logo and branding have drawn comparisons to Mamdani's campaign materials, raising questions about the blurred line between the two. But for now, Our Time appears to be focused on building momentum for Mamdani's agenda, with a goal of creating a sustained wave of civic engagement that could help him deliver on his promises as mayor.
. I remember when I was a kid, we used to drink almond milk from this tiny carton thingy that came with a straw... now it's like, every store has their own brand and flavor! Anyway, what do you think about our city's new bike-share program? I tried using it last week and got lost in Brooklyn for hours 
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I'm low-key worried about this new nonprofit, Our Time 
, but the way they're doing it raises some red flags 
. The whole 501c4 thing seems kinda sketchy to me 
...like, why do we need to hide who's donating? Transparency is key, you know? 
. We all know how easy it is to get creative with the fine print 
. And what about those door-knocking events? Sounds like a classic "buy your way into power" move 
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than a genuine grassroots movement 
. We need to keep an eye on this and make sure it doesn't get out of hand 
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We need more critical thinking around this kind of grassroots organizing, imo.
. So, if Our Time is gonna follow the same model, I'm not sure how much trust people are gonna have in them. But hey, Jeremy Freeman and co. seem to be trying to do the right thing, by refusing donations from entities with a business interest and publishing donor info on their website 
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. Fingers crossed they don't get caught up in all the corruption drama 
. It's like, how can we really trust that they're not just a bunch of paid shills promoting Mamdani's agenda? 
. Maybe I'll stick around and see how this all plays out 
Can't we trust them to do what's right if they're willing to play by the rules? And 15k volunteers for Albany? That's just a lot of people to keep an eye on 
... does that sound like a recipe for pay-to-play to you?
i mean, i love the idea of universal child care tho, thats def something we should have in nyc. but hows it gonna work? are they gonna make us pay more in taxes or somethin? 
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, so it feels like they're trying too hard to ride the coattails of his success. And with 15,000 volunteers planning to lobby state lawmakers... that's a lot of people who could be swayed by big donors 
. But for now, I'm gonna keep an eye on this nonprofit group and make sure they stay accountable 
Our Time seems legit though, with all the volunteer recruitment and door-knocking events. But what really gets my attention is how this whole thing could lead to a snowball effect – more politicians using nonprofits as a way to get around rules and connect with voters 
It's like a slippery slope... can we trust them to do good? 
I guess only time will tell! 
They're always trying to tap into the grassroots energy and then some donor gives them a few million bucks and suddenly they're pushing policies left and right 
. And what's with the logo similarities? Are we supposed to think they're one and the same thing? 
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