Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro‘s administration has utilized a nonprofit organization, Team PA, to fund various initiatives, including the redesign of the governor’s residence and travel to sporting events, according to reporting by Spotlight PA. Team PA, which dose not publicly disclose its donors, received a notable grant from the nonprofit established to organize and fund Shapiro and Lt. Gov.Austin Davis’s 2022 inauguration.
Team PA, a nonprofit entity, has been instrumental in facilitating payments for goods and services related to the governor’s activities. While the organization commits to providing “relevant information” in its annual tax filings, known as Form 990s, it does not publicly disclose its donors, a practice generally permitted under federal tax law for nonprofits.
Spotlight PA has identified the nonprofit formed for the 2022 Shapiro-Davis inauguration as a substantial donor to Team PA.Tax filings from that year indicate the inaugural nonprofit provided a grant worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Team PA. Notably,the Shapiro-Davis Inauguration nonprofit,similar to Team PA,also does not disclose its donors.
Furthermore,Team PA manages funds,such as a preservation fund,which are not required to be publicly listed. Consequently, the annual financial inflows and outflows of these funds remain undisclosed.
The preservation fund managed by Team PA was allocated last year to support a “reimagining project” at the governor’s residence. This project involved the acquisition of new furniture, art, and other items.
Through a separate fund named Pennsylvania Growth Partnership, Team PA has covered the costs of Governor Shapiro’s attendance at various sporting events. These include the 2023 Super Bowl in Arizona and games featuring Penn State’s football team and the Philadelphia Phillies. The Pennsylvania Growth Partnership fund is exclusively designated to accept donations aimed at promoting the governor, the commonwealth, and its economic health on both national and international platforms.However, Team PA does not publicly reveal the identities of individuals, groups, or businesses that contribute to this growth partnership fund.
