New Georgia Project Shuts Down Amid Financial and Ethical Controversies

The New Georgia Project (NGP), a voter advocacy group founded by Stacey Abrams in 2013, announced it is closing after years marked by political influence and mounting legal troubles. In a brief statement, the board praised the organization’s impact but made no mention of ongoing investigations or ethics scandals.

NGP initially earned acclaim for registering hundreds of thousands of new voters—especially Black and young voters—during Georgia’s critical 2020 elections. However, in recent years, the group has faced growing scrutiny over allegations of financial mismanagement, illegal fundraising, and engaging in partisan political activity while operating under nonprofit status.

Earlier this year, a Georgia Senate committee launched a formal inquiry into NGP’s finances. In January, the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission fined the organization $300,000 after determining that NGP had raised $4.2 million in untraceable “dark money,” using $3.2 million for political ads and voter outreach benefiting Democratic candidates.

The scandal prompted the resignation of CEO Francys Johnson and drew harsh criticism from state lawmakers. “This is a nonprofit that lost its mission and became a political machine,” said one Republican senator, calling it emblematic of broader accountability issues within Abrams’ network of organizations.

The controversy has also spotlighted Power Forward Communities, a new nonprofit Abrams advises, which received a $2 billion EPA grant despite minimal operating history. As Georgia reevaluates its election laws, critics say NGP’s shutdown reflects long-overdue accountability, while supporters argue it expanded civic participation statewide.