Prominent Diversity Consulting Firm Funded Entirely by Taxpayer Dollars

A prominent equity consulting firm that conducts “anti-racist” trainings is funded entirely by taxpayer dollars, tax filings reveal.

The Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium (MAEC) is a self-proclaimed “social justice” nonprofit that conducts “anti-racist audits” for corporations and schools, often in partnership with far-left groups such as the Southern Poverty Law Center. The consortium was recently awarded a lucrative contract by Maryland’s largest school district and works with educators across 15 states.

MAEC’s influence comes at the taxpayer’s expense. According to its most recent tax filings, the group hauled in $2 million solely from government grants between mid-2018 and mid-2019. It has not reported a single private donation in four years. MAEC’s reach is made possible thanks to a partnership with the Department of Education.

Equity firms have profited greatly from the burgeoning anti-racist movement in academia. The MAEC was awarded a $454,680 contract with the Montgomery County Public School district to conduct an “anti-racist audit” of the school’s policies; in nearby Loudoun County, a similar consulting firm raked in $422,500 in two years. Prominent diversity consultants, such as White Fragility author Robin DiAngelo, make nearly $13,000 for a speaking gig on college campuses.

The MAEC also touts a handful of left-leaning education partners, including the Southern Poverty Law Center’s “Teaching Tolerance” arm, which pushes for students to learn about slavery beginning in kindergarten. The consortium is considered the main equity firm in the Mid-Atlantic region.

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The MAEC has raked in a steady stream of government grants over the years. Of the $19 million the group has raised since 2001, $17 million is from taxpayer-backed cash, according to a review of its financial filings. {snip}

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