Cannot access data passed to $vars in theme function
OK, it looks as though you're using the $badge variables in a more general parent/container views template, when the $badge variables are added in a child template preprocess function. The tpl variables aren't available at that container point.

The solution is to implement 

hook_preprocess_views_view 

and add the badge data vars there instead.

e.g 

THEMENAME_preprocess_views_view(&amp;$vars){
  if (isset($vars['view']-&gt;name)) {
    switch($vars['view']-&gt;name){
      case 'badge_owners':
        if($vars['view']-&gt;current_display == 'page_1'){
          // Rename current function to this
          THEMENAME_preprocess_views_view_badge_owners_page_1($vars);
        }
      break;
    }
  }
}