Make Money in Politics Work for You

Money matters in politics and policy making. Setting aside the ongoing debates about the future of campaign finance reform, smart progressive causes and organizations think about strategic political contributions as much as they do grassroots organizing and earned media.

Unless you live in one of the very small handful of states with public financing of campaigns for elected office, making campaign contributions can be an important tool to help your organization advance its agenda. We are not suggesting that elected officials sell their votes, quid pro quo. However, most candidates do need to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars or more each election cycle, and helping them do that can be useful to your efforts. But what if you’re a do-gooder nonprofit that doesn’t have a huge pile of money to spread around? Here are 3 Things to make the most of your political giving, even when resources are tight:

1. Target and prioritize your support.

Strategic targeting is somewhat of a mantra at Englin Consulting. Two weeks ago, in discussing communications, we urged you to “Figure out which audience really matters,” noting that, “Not everybody matters all the time on every issue.” It’s as true for political giving as it is for communications. Hopefully you’ve done some strategic planning so you have an idea of which legislators are most important to your agenda, whether it’s because of a committee assignment, leadership role, geographic base, or other pertinent factor. (This could include legislators standing in the way of your agenda, whose opponents you might consider supporting.) The key point here is that, in a world of finite resources, you need to focus your resources where they will count the most.

2. Find a constituent to deliver the check.

Sure, it’s important for your organization’s leaders, staffers, and lobbyists (whether in-house government relations staff or contract lobbyists) to have good relationships with the elected officials who matter most to your agenda. However, those leaders, staffers, and lobbyists will always have better access and be more persuasive when legislators associate your organization or issue with actual voters who live in their districts. Most legislators have fundraising events both in their districts and in DC (in the case of Members of Congress) or their state capitals (in the case of state legislators.) Instead of always paying for your lobbyist or staffer to attend those DC/capital events, give to the events back home and have one of your members or supporters who can actually vote for that legislator attend and deliver the check. All else held equal, nobody matters more to an elected official than the people who can actually vote for him or her.

3. Think of other ways to help.

If you just don’t have money to give, there are other ways you can help candidates with their fundraising that can be at least as effective as writing a check. If the candidate is pitching a fundraiser in his or her district, offer to forward the invitation to your members in that district to help gin up some individual contributions. Are you cash poor, but list rich? Why not send an email to your members suggesting they support the candidate and linking them directly to his or her contribution page? Or how about simply providing the candidate a list of names and phone numbers to call to cultivate as donors? Maybe you don’t have money to give, but you have a board member with a home that could be used as a venue for a fundraiser? These are all ways to help candidates meet their fundraising goals — and help build or maintain the access and goodwill you need to advance your agenda — without your draining your organization’s coffers.

The caveat to all of this is that you need to make sure to comply with the appropriate state or federal campaign finance rules. However, within those rules, the above advice will help you make the most of your limited resources. (For example, if state law prohibits PAC contributions, perhaps you can find a board member — ideally a constituent of your targeted candidate — to make a personal contribution.) While political giving certainly isn’t the only way to help advance your agenda, a strategically developed plan for political giving can be an important tool for your organization. If we can help with that, give us a call at 202.683.8465.