Color of Change, which describes itself as the largest online U.S. racial justice organization, has faced high staff turnover, layoffs, and allegations of misconduct by senior leaders that were downplayed or ignored, some former and current employees say.

The nonprofit Color of Change helped the push to end New York City’s racially biased “stop-and-frisk” policy, led a major advertising boycott that forced Glenn Beck off the air in 2009, and ran a campaign aimed at getting Fox to drop the show “Cops” from its lineup in 2013, Business Insider reported.

As protests against racial inequality continued in the wake of George Floyd’s murder by Minneapolis police, Color of Change partnered with Black Lives Matter in trying to push major companies and police departments around the U.S. to make significant changes in policies, products and behavior. 

Color of Change President Rashad Robinson is often featured on news programs, has been praised by Wired and Fast Company, and charges up to $20,000 in speaking fees, according to a booking website. 

However, some staff members report turmoil inside the organization, ineffective leadership, and layoffs. Business Insider spoke with at least 25 current and former staff, managers, and directors from most Color of Change teams, and reviewed meeting recordings and internal communications.

Insider found reporters of high turnover, a chaotic environment and allegations of misconduct by senior leadership that seemed to be ignored or glossed over. A top executive was accused of bullying, harassment, and gender discrimination by multiple women in 2020, but left the organization with a glowing email after being cleared by a human resources investigation. The woman who first reported him was fired.

Current and former staffers told Insider that Color of Change protected senior leaders who mistreated staffers and punished lower-ranking workers who spoke up.

“I have accepted that this is the organization that senior leadership created and they have no intentions of changing the toxic culture or the hypocritical treatment of their Black staff,” a director who resigned in May 2022 wrote in a statement to the leadership and board.

In late June, 49 staffers were laid off, Insider reported.

Co-founded in 2005 by activist, author and TV host Van Jones, Color of Change replicated the MoveOn.org email list model among Black American internet users. The organization uses the internet, email, and social media as its main conduits of communication with its 7 million-plus members.

In 2015, Color of Change ranked No. 6 on Fast Company’s list of the 50 Most Innovative Companies in the World.

The nonprofit raised at least $20 million in 2022 according to public documents, Business Insider reported.

In 2016, the Color of Change executive director said that the organization does not take money from big corporations, Influence Watch reported. 

However, Color of Change has received considerable funding from groups controlled by billionaire George Soros, according to Activist Facts, an organization that selects information gathered from IRS documents and media reports to describe the funding and activities of groups it opposes.

Since 2009, Soros’ Open Society Foundation has given $550,000 to Color of Change and its parent organization, Citizen Engagement Laboratory, Activist Facts reported.

Soros is known for his philanthropy and for backing nonprofits that work for racial justice.

Led by Rashad Robinson, Color of Change regularly partners with celebrities such as Michael Jordan to build awareness through its campaigns and petitions rather than through on-the-ground action, Business Insider reported.