With the rise of attention for activism groups after the death of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many more people of color, a question has come to surface on what the cause really supports. The need for donations has been advertised to the extreme, leading people to wonder where this money goes. On June 11, Ryan Fournier, co-founder of Students for Trump, posted on Facebook that donations to Black Lives Matter were actually being sent directly to the Democratic National Committee.

“All money donated to Black Lives Matter goes directly to ActBlue, a Democrat Super PAC that then feeds the money to Democrat candidates. Congratulations, you played yourself,” Fournier claimed.

Many other conservatives such as Candace Owens and the Hodgetwins have also made such statements. However, these claims are false.

BlackLivesMatter.com uses the ActBlue fundraising platform to raise money for their organization. People often confuse this as raising money for the Democratic Party, since many Democratic politicians also use this platform. Michael Malbin, a professor of political science at the University at Albany, State University of New York, said candidates and organizations use ActBlue for easy transactions. “ActBlue has no discretion over” where individuals’ contributions go. The money “you see coming through ActBlue is coming through it, not from it.”

Many Republican politicians use a similar platform called WinRed, which does the same thing as ActBlue; the platform does not have control over where the funds are allocated – the foundation does.

Once the money is collected, it has various programs it can go towards. Black Lives Matter Global Network managing director Kailee Scales said, “Right now, our programs are focused on civic engagement, expansion of chapters, Arts & Culture, organizing and digital advocacy resources and tools.” The organization also said it would provide “fiduciary oversight, financial management, and other administrative services to BLM.”

As the movement continues to grow, these resources will become extremely important in education and understanding of what the organization stands for. “In the upcoming year, we will provide resources to those new to the movement and interested in Black Liberation strategies by developing curriculum. In this stunning moment in American history, we will honor those lost, and those who have come before us in the fight for Black Liberation,” co-founder and chair Patrisse Cullors said.

Black Lives Matter has a lot of controversy behind it, as does the way they spend their money. However, the organization will continue to work and fight for justice.

Kailee Scales said, “#Blacklivesmatter has become a cultural phenomenon since its inception in 2013, and has remained steadfast in its goals to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to end violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes.”