Citizen Action of Wisconsin

What Citizen Action of Wisconsin does

Citizen Action of Wisconsin is a 501(c)(4) social welfare nonprofit headquartered at 4716 W Vliet St, Milwaukee, that has organized Wisconsin residents around progressive causes since 1984. The organization runs an integrated advocacy operation combining grassroots organizing, educational programming, earned media, civic engagement, and political lobbying across four primary issue verticals: healthcare access (BadgerCare Public Option, Hospital Accountability Act), climate justice (Climate Accountability Act, Utility Rate Cap), economic equity ($20 Minimum Wage), and democratic reform.

Its core product set is organized around a distributed field model rather than a software platform. Seven regional organizing cooperatives — Driftless Region, North Side Rising, Northcentral, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast Wisconsin, plus the Healthcare For All Co-op — serve as local membership chapters that run canvassing, phone banking, town halls, and campaign actions. Communication products include the weekly Citizen Action Weekend newsletter, the Battleground Wisconsin podcast, and a multi-channel social presence; voter engagement is delivered through a Deep Canvas phone bank. In 2025 the organization launched the Movement Politics Academy to train candidates for public office. Technology is conventional nonprofit infrastructure with no proprietary platform identified; Paragon Solutions handles payment processing.

The revenue model is non-commercial. Funding flows from individual membership dues and donations (prominently featured donate button routed through EveryAction), grants from healthcare-focused funders connected to the People's Action national network, and coalition-funded advocacy programs. Governance is split between 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) boards; a board votes on candidate endorsements. The organization operates exclusively within Wisconsin and is independently controlled despite affiliations with People's Action (41 organizations across 26 states) and Power Shift Action.

Name

Citizen Action of Wisconsin

Legal name

Citizen Action of Wisconsin, Inc

Website

https://citizenactionwi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Citizen Action of Wisconsin is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit that organizes Wisconsin residents across seven regional cooperatives to advocate for healthcare access, climate justice, economic equity, and progressive electoral outcomes through grassroots campaigns, coalition partnerships, and member-funded operations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Progressive Advocacy and Grassroots Organizing

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Democracy, Voting Rights & Civic Participation Advocacy (BPAGAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB), Global Health Advocacy, Policy & Rights Organizations (HLAJAKAO), Civic, Citizenship & Community Engagement Education (EDAAAEAI), Nonprofit, Social Services & Community Development Congresses (THAHAJAO)

Keywords

• Grassroots community organizing
• Progressive policy advocacy
• Healthcare campaign organizing
• Civic engagement programs
• Electoral organizing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues and Contributions: Organization is funded through member dues and public donations, with a donate button prominently featured on website. Individual contributions support organizing operations and campaign activities.
2. Grants and Funder Support: Receives grant funding from healthcare-focused funders including those connected to People's Action national network. Grant management is handled by Healthcare Action Coordinator and Executive Director for healthcare campaign funders.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Citizen Action of Wisconsin is a 501(c)(4) grassroots organizing nonprofit that mobilizes Wisconsin residents through seven regional organizing cooperatives to advance progressive policy campaigns. The organization runs integrated advocacy on healthcare access (BadgerCare Public Option), climate justice (Climate Accountability Act), economic equity ($20 minimum wage, utility rate cap), and electoral programs. Its core offerings include cooperative membership, voter engagement via the Deep Canvas Phone Bank, leadership training through the Movement Politics Academy, and media outreach via the Battleground Wisconsin podcast and Weekend newsletter.

Product overview

Citizen Action of Wisconsin is a progressive grassroots organizing nonprofit that operates as a platform of integrated advocacy programs and member cooperatives. The organization offers organizing cooperatives (regional membership chapters), the Battleground Wisconsin Podcast for media outreach, the Weekend e-newsletter for member communication, the Movement Politics Academy for candidate training, and Deep Canvas phone banking for voter engagement. Major issue campaigns include BadgerCare Public Option (healthcare), Climate Accountability Act (climate), $20 Minimum Wage (economic justice), and Utility Rate Cap legislation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Badgers for Healthcare: Campaign in support of the BadgerCare Public Option bill launched in 2026.
• North Side Rising
• Battleground Wisconsin Podcast
• Citizen Action Weekend

Products and services

• Battleground Wisconsin Podcast A podcast series providing political commentary and analysis on Wisconsin state issues, featuring interviews with progressive leaders and coverage of advocacy campaigns.
• Citizen Action Weekend Newsletter A weekly e-newsletter delivering updates on Citizen Action's organizing activities, campaign progress, and upcoming events across Wisconsin.
• CAW Movement Politics Academy A leadership development and candidate training program that trains everyday people to run for public office through values-based campaigns.
• Deep Canvas Phone Bank A voter engagement and grassroots outreach tool used to connect with Wisconsin voters and build political support for candidates and policy campaigns.
• Healthcare For All Co-op A member-led organizing cooperative focused on healthcare advocacy, including the BadgerCare Public Option campaign.
• Regional Organizing Co-ops Regional membership chapters — Driftless Region, North Side Rising, Northcentral, Northeast, Northwest, and Southeast Wisconsin — that conduct grassroots organizing on progressive issues across the state.

Quantifiable outcome

• Generated hundreds of media stories annually through earned media strategy
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wisconsin Public Education Network (WPEN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 July 2025Coalition partner in budget advocacy coalition representing tens of thousands of Wisconsin residents focused on public education funding and child care.
• WISDOMcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 July 2025Coalition partner in multi-organization budget advocacy effort representing public education, healthcare, criminal justice, and child care advocates.
• WEAC (Wisconsin Education Association Council)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 July 2025Largest union in Wisconsin participating in coalition budget advocacy. WEAC represents teachers and education professionals statewide.
• Wisconsin Early Childhood Education Needed (W.E.C.A.N.)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 July 2025Coalition partner focused on early childhood education and child care advocacy within the budget coalition.
• People's ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network affiliation with 41 independent social justice organizations in 26 states. Citizen Action is both an affiliate and major leader within the network, which plays a growing role in national progressive politics.
• Power Shift ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliation with network of 20 multiracial power building groups focused on economic and racial justice.
• Community CatalystminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational health care advocacy organization that Citizen Action connects with as part of healthcare campaign work.
• Healthcare for America NowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational healthcare advocacy organization connected through People's Action healthcare campaign network.
• Families USAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational healthcare advocacy organization with which Citizen Action connects for healthcare campaign coordination.
• Walnut WaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMilwaukee-based environmental justice organization co-hosting governor candidate forum on climate change and utility rates. Bryan Rogers serves as environmental justice director at Walnut Way.
• 350 WisconsinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimate action organization partnering on governor candidate forum and climate justice initiatives.
• Healthy Climate WisconsinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimate organization partnering on candidate forum addressing climate change and utility rate issues.
• Reclaiming Our NeighborhoodsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization co-hosting governor candidate forum focused on climate and community issues.
• WISDOM (Waukesha)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization hosting governor candidate forum in Waukesha at WCTC.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Working Families Party: Progressive multi-state organization combining issue advocacy, candidate training, and electoral mobilization — overlaps directly with Citizen Action's Movement Politics Academy and electoral endorsement processes.
• MoveOn: National progressive advocacy organization running digital organizing, petitions, and electoral mobilization — directly comparable to Citizen Action's community-led and electoral GTM motions, but at far greater national scale.
• Faith in Action: Faith-based grassroots organizing network running statewide chapters on healthcare, immigration, and economic justice — directly comparable to Citizen Action's cooperative organizing model and integrated voter engagement work.
• Community Change (formerly Center for Community Change): National community-organizing nonprofit focused on economic and racial justice through grassroots affiliate networks — comparable model, issue mix, and network-affiliate structure to Citizen Action.
• Indivisible: Progressive grassroots network with local chapters running electoral and legislative advocacy — closely mirrors Citizen Action's cooperative/membership structure and integrated issue-and-electoral strategy.

Regional players

• Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin: Wisconsin-based c4 advocacy arm of Planned Parenthood running legislative campaigns, electoral endorsements, and grassroots organizing — directly comparable regional peer in scope and tactic, focused on healthcare rather than multi-issue.
• Wisconsin AFL-CIO: State labor federation running legislative advocacy, electoral mobilization, and coalition campaigns — directly comparable to Citizen Action's $20 Minimum Wage campaigns and coalition budget advocacy.
• Wisconsin Democracy Campaign: Wisconsin-based nonpartisan campaign-finance and democracy reform advocacy organization — closely comparable geographic scope and mission overlap on voting rights and democratic reform.

Broad incumbents

• People's Action: National network of 41 social-justice organizations of which Citizen Action is both an affiliate and a major leader — provides shared infrastructure, healthcare campaign coordination, and national strategy that Citizen Action executes at the state level.

Emerging players

• Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter: Wisconsin state chapter of Sierra Club running grassroots climate advocacy, electoral work, and coalition campaigns — directly comparable on the Climate Accountability Act and utility-rate campaigns.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/citizenactionwi
• Facebookfacebook.com/CitizenActionWI
• Instagraminstagram.com/citizenactionwi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/citizen-action-of-wisconsin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Citizen Action of Wisconsin