Political campaigns usually need money to maintain, expand, and compete effectively. Research from federal campaign finance data shows that most state and local campaigns receive a lot of small individual contributions, not big contributions.
In addition, other research has found that even campaigns that compete against each other are more likely to remain competitive when they have steady fundraising throughout the course of the election cycle rather than relying on late campaign fundraising pushes.
At the same time, the expectations of donors have changed. Supporters are now looking forward to fundraising to be easy, transparent, and fast. Campaigns that have concrete fundraising strategies and those that have made the process of donating simple attract a larger amount of funds than campaigns that have vague or generic donation requests.
At Reach Voters, we understand this perfectly, and that’s why in this guide, we give tips and ideas on how you can efficiently raise funds while keeping within the campaign finance rules that have been proven to work really well in political campaigns.
Ticket-Based Fundraising Events
Ticketed events are still one of the surest ways to generate funds for political campaigns, particularly at the local and state level. When supporters pay to go to an event, they are making a financial and emotional investment in your campaign.
Popular ticket-based fundraising ideas include:
- Campaign kickoff events
- Community Dinners or Breakfasts
- Town hall fundraisers
- Issue-based speaker nights
- Meet-and-greet receptions
These events are best when the ticket prices are simple and affordable, with the option of higher donations for supporters who wish to donate more. Ticketed fundraising events are also important to help campaigns expand connections with community members while raising fundraising dollars in a short period of time.
Online Donation Campaigns
Online Donation CampaignsOnline fundraising is now one of the most profitable fundraising options for political campaigns. Donors expect to give online, and many donors want to give via mobile.
A good online fundraising campaign begins with a clear fundraising page. That should include what the campaign is about, why you need money, and how the money will be used.
Campaigns that use a dedicated fundraising platform are more likely to raise more money, since the process is faster and easier for donors. Reach Voters enables campaigns to get donations online and takes care of compliance and reporting. Online fundraising is an effective strategy when used with email, text messaging, and social media outreach.
Peer-to-Peer Fundraising
Peer-to-peer fundraising helps your supporters raise money for you by asking others to make donations on your behalf. Instead of depending solely on the campaign staff, this makes volunteers into fundraisers.
Some of the effective peer-to-peer fundraising ideas are:
- Supporters, setting up personal fundraising pages
- Volunteer-led donation drives
- Birthday fundraiser campaigns
- “Why I Support This Campaign” sharing efforts
Peer-to-peer fundraising is so powerful because people are more likely to donate if they are asked by someone they know. This method is often a way to attract new donors who would not normally respond to traditional fundraising. Campaigns that promote peer-to-peer fundraising tend to accumulate a higher volume of donations at a lower cost.
Local Business Fundraisers
Partnering with a local business is an easy and effective way to raise funds and gain more visibility for the campaign. Local businesses benefit from goodwill in the community, and campaigns benefit from shared publicity as well.
Examples include restaurant nights where a percentage of sales is donated, sponsored campaign events, or in-store donation drives. These fundraisers are best when the business already has strong ties to the community.
Local business fundraisers are particularly effective for city council, school board, and county-level campaigns because those efforts remain local and personal.
Text-to-Donate Fundraising
Text-to-donate campaigns are one of the quickest ways of raising money at key points in a campaign. Supporters get a text message with a donation link, and they can then go ahead to make donations in seconds. This technique is excellent at times of debates, major announcements, or final get-out-the-vote pushes.
Text fundraising is at its best when:
- Messages are short and clear
- Links to donating open on mobile devices
- Supporters have already taken faith in the campaign
Using a fundraising tool from Reach Voters makes fundraising by text easy to manage while remaining in compliance with campaign finance rules.
Merchandise and Product Fundraisers
Product fundraisers are a tried and true method of fundraising extra money while spreading the word about your campaign.
Supporters love to receive something tangible, and products help you spread your message beyond your immediate circle of donors.
Popular fundraising products include campaign t-shirts, hats, yard signs, and stickers. Limited-edition items may generate a sense of urgency and raise more money.
Product fundraisers are most successful if inventory is carefully controlled and products are clearly linked to the message of the campaign.
Silent Auctions and Experience-Based Fundraisers
Silent auctions are a good way to raise money, especially when people have donated items or experiences to be auctioned. These fundraisers can be both held both in-person events and online.
Some popular silent auction ideas include:
- Dinner with the candidate
- Campaign merchandise packages
- Tickets to local events
- Provided services from community professionals
Silent auctions also bring about larger amounts of money that are being donated since the contributors feel that they are getting something special for donating to the cause. Unique products and experiences give the supporters a buzz and also foster healthy competition between the supporters, and this makes them donate as much as possible to the cause.
At the same time, the contributors feel that they are contributing towards a good cause, and also gain something valuable for themselves.
Grassroots Community Fundraising
Grassroots fundraising involves many small donations instead of a few large donations. This way, they can develop long-term support and help the campaign remain financially stable during the election cycle.
Community-based fundraising ideas include neighborhood donation drives, volunteer-hosted house events, and small group discussions. These efforts often raise less money at the moment but build trust and momentum in the long run.
Grassroots fundraising is most effective when paired with digital fundraising tools that keep track of donors and follow up on a regular basis.
How Fundraising Tools Improve Results
How Fundraising Tools Improve ResultsModern fundraising tools play a large role in successful fundraising campaigns. Manual tracking and a lack of centralized systems are the most common causes of missing donations and compliance risks.
A good fundraising tool usually helps campaigns to:
- Keep track of fundraising dollars precisely
- Manage donor information
- Track fundraising funds in real-time
- Remain in compliance with election laws
Reach Voters offers political campaign tools made specifically for political fundraising needs. By using a combination of online fundraising, communication tools, and compliance support, campaigns are able to focus on raising money instead of managing paperwork. Using the right fundraising platform helps campaigns raise the money faster and with fewer mistakes.
Choosing the Best Fundraising Ideas for Your Campaign
When it comes to fundraising, political campaigns work best when they are clear, consistent, and easy for the supporters to understand. There is no perfect fundraising idea that works for any campaign. The key here is selection; opting for what suits your audience, timeline, and available resources.
Some campaigns do well with ticketed fundraising events where supporters can meet in person. Others raise more money using online fundraising, thanks to the ability of donors to give quickly from their phones.
Peer-to-peer fundraising is one way to help increase reach by having supporters ask friends and family members to donate. Local business partnerships and text-to-donate campaigns can also deliver strong results when used at the right time.
The best campaigns do not rely on a single method. They bring together a number of proven fundraising ideas and process them through a trusted fundraising platform. If you’re ready to make your fundraising process easier and get more money raised for your campaign, get in touch with Reach Voters and see how we can help your campaign today.
