When the Scioto County Daily News (SCDN) declared the “No Kings” movement “well funded,” local rally-goers almost choked on their protest signs. “I didn’t get a check,” scoffed one volunteer. “SCDN just spun a story for clickbait”, said another. Even weeks after the protest, people are still complaining.
Of course, cost-free grassroots enthusiasm only tells half the story. Permits, PA systems, printed handouts and coast-to-coast ad buys need serious cash. Here’s the skinny on who actually dug deep into their insurrectionist pockets:
Major Public Donors: Open Society Foundations – A cool $8 million in grants to Indivisible since 2017, earmarked for everything from social-media blitzes to on-the-ground organizing. • Christy Walton / Walton Family Foundation – Roughly $500,000 for full-page “No Kings” ads in top newspapers, including The New York Times.
Other Known Financial Supporters: Indivisible Movement • MoveOn • Third Act Movement • Working Families Party • Democrats Abroad • Democratic Socialists of America • American Federation of Teachers (AFT) • Social Security Works • Communications Workers of America (CWA) • American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) • 50501 Movement
While Scioto County volunteers repeatedly pointed out they weren’t cashing paychecks—shocking, we know—the national “No Kings” apparatus is estimated to have burned through $15–$20 million overall. That covers everything from staging massive rallies to high-production digital ads.
So yes, local folks got involved for free. But if you think “well funded” was an overstatement, just look at the bills the big donors were footing—classic grassroots irony at its finest.
