tldr: For years, I’ve wanted to find 100 new volunteer fundraisers and pair them 1:1 with 100 downballot candidates. To try it out I need some help.
A perennial challenge for political donors is knowing whether their funds make a difference.
Most efforts at fixing that have gone big, with some form of “Billionaire donors have a donor advisor, and now you can too; we will interview all the experts, or crunch all the data, and make you a list of donations that are most effective.” Some of these efforts have been successful, and some not as much. But for years, I’ve yearned to explore the opposite approach.
The opposite approach would be to recruit volunteers who could raise a few thousand dollars each, and pair each one with a single downballot candidate (state legislature or below) running in a swing state or district. This concept has stuck with me for several reasons:
1. It hits the two biggest obstacles.
The most common obstacles I hear when recruiting relational fundraisers are: (a) “I don’t know what to raise for,” and (b) “I don’t have wealthy friends.” This concept overcomes both of those.
2. It might be uniquely motivating.
This project is built on two true facts, both of which might be powerful motivators for volunteers:
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For anyone who can raise at least ~$250/hour, fundraising is the most effective way to volunteer.
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A few thousand dollars can make a difference in a downballot race.
3. It’s uniquely educational.
A relationship with a downballot candidate is a fantastic way for someone to learn about elections and political work.
4. It’s lightweight.
The 100 candidates are a built-in team to engage the volunteers over time. In contrast, even the best funding memo requires humans to provide ongoing updates and emotional connection. That’s why (great) organizations like Mind the Gap and Movement Voter Project require both paid and volunteer fundraisers.
5. It has lasting effects.
This project supports the pipeline of candidates and volunteers for future elections.
Let’s make it happen
I can put some money behind this experiment, but need a few other things:
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An individual to drive it (either independently or within a relevant organization)
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Partners to help recruit the 100 volunteer fundraisers
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A great name for it
If you can help with any of those, or if you might want to be a volunteer fundraiser yourself, send me an email.
If you want this article with footnotes, visit my substack, where I write about political funding and innovation.