Malcolm Rivera
Political donations are public record, and there are several ways to track them. In the United States, federal campaigns are generally prohibited from accepting direct contributions from corporations. Instead, they can establish separate Political Action Committees (PACs) to collect and distribute funds from corporate entities. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) collects data on federal campaigns and candidates, and FEC rules require campaigns to track all contributions. The FEC has a searchable donor database that allows users to browse by recipient or contributor and narrow results by various filters. Nonprofit, nonpartisan organizations like OpenSecrets also track money in U.S. elections and compile detailed reports on spending by lobbyists, PACs, interest groups, and other donors. State-level campaign contributions can be searched through tools like Power Search, which accesses raw data reported to the Secretary of State's CAL-ACCESS system, although this is limited to California.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Donations made to political campaigns are public record | True |
| Donations to federal election campaigns are tax-deductible | False |
| Reporting political donations when running a campaign | Mandatory |
| Online databases to track donations | Federal Election Commission (FEC) in the US, FollowTheMoney.org, Power Search |
| Donations from companies, PACs, and corporations | Prohibited in federal campaigns in the US |
| Multicandidate PACs donation limit | $5,000 |
| Non-multicandidate PACs donation limit | $3,300 per election per candidate |
| Non-profit, non-partisan organizations tracking donations | OpenSecrets, Center for Responsive Politics |
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What You'll Learn
Federal and state-level donation tracking
Tracking donations for political campaigns is crucial for maintaining transparency and ensuring compliance with campaign finance regulations. At the federal level, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) plays a pivotal role in overseeing and enforcing campaign finance laws. The FEC maintains a comprehensive database that records contributions made to federally registered political committees. This database is a valuable resource for uncovering individual contributors, allowing searches by name, employer, occupation, location, contribution date, and amount. Federal law sets contribution limits for individuals and groups, with a maximum donation of $3,300 per election per candidate.
The FEC also provides clear guidelines and forms for reporting political donations, ensuring transparency in federal elections, including presidential, Senate, and House of Representatives campaigns. Additionally, the FEC's database offers insights into how candidates spend the money they receive, promoting accountability.
At the state level, tracking political donations can vary, and it is essential to refer to the specific rules and regulations of each state. Some states, like California, provide online platforms such as Power Search and CAL-ACCESS, which offer access to electronically reported campaign contribution data, lobbying activities, and expenditure information.
Non-profit organizations like OpenSecrets further contribute to the tracking of political donations at both the federal and state levels. OpenSecrets, in operation since 1983, offers access to datasets detailing political contributions, expenditures, and lobbying activities. Their mission is to enhance democracy by shedding light on the flow of money in American politics. OpenSecrets allows users to trace donations to politicians and committees, explore the financial forces behind political decisions, and analyze the influence of money on elections and policy-making.
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Online databases and tools
OpenSecrets
OpenSecrets, formerly known as the Center for Responsive Politics, is a non-profit, non-partisan research group that has been operating since 1983. It tracks money in U.S. politics, including campaign contributions, expenditures, and lobbying activity. The organization offers a searchable database called Donor Lookup, which allows users to trace donations to politicians and political committees at the federal and state levels. OpenSecrets also provides insights into the influence of money on elections and public policy, with a focus on transparency and strengthening democracy.
Federal Election Commission (FEC)
The FEC is a U.S. government agency that collects data on federal campaigns and candidates. It maintains a searchable donor database that includes information on individuals who have contributed to federally registered political committees. The database can be searched by the contributor's name, employer, occupation, location, contribution amount, and more. The FEC website also provides resources for understanding campaign finance laws and regulations.
FollowTheMoney.org
FollowTheMoney.org is a tool developed by the National Institute on Money in Politics, which has now merged with OpenSecrets. This website provides access to state campaign finance data, allowing users to browse and search for donation details specific to their state and election cycle. It offers an interactive map and drop-down menus to narrow down results and find relevant information.
Power Search
Power Search is an open-source search engine that accesses raw data of state-level campaign contributions reported to the Secretary of State's CAL-ACCESS campaign finance filing and disclosure system. It allows users to search for contributions to candidates, ballot measures, and independent expenditures. However, it is important to note that Power Search only provides data for state-level campaigns and does not include information on federal candidates or local lobbying activities.
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Reporting requirements and compliance
For federal elections, including presidential, Senate, and House of Representatives campaigns, reporting is typically done through the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The FEC provides clear guidelines and forms to ensure transparency in campaign finance. The FEC collects data on federal campaigns and candidates, maintaining a database of individuals who have contributed to federally registered political committees. This database includes records of receipts from individuals contributing at least $200, while smaller contributions are not part of the public record. FEC rules require campaigns to track all contributions, with varying levels of information collected based on donation amounts. For instance, contributions of $50 or less may not require any identifiable donor information.
State and local elections have reporting authorities that vary by state. Each state has its election commission or regulatory body that determines where to report donations. For instance, California has the Power Search engine, which accesses raw data of state-level campaign contributions reported to the Secretary of State's CAL-ACCESS system. However, it is important to note that campaign and lobbying information for cities, counties, and federal candidates is not available through CAL-ACCESS or Power Search.
It is also important to understand the rules regarding donations from companies, Political Action Committees (PACs), and corporations, as these can be complex and vary by jurisdiction. While federal campaigns generally prohibit direct contributions from corporations, they can establish separate PACs to collect and distribute funds from corporate entities. These regulations aim to prevent corporate interests from dominating politics. Additionally, there are limits to the amounts PACs can donate, with multicandidate PACs capped at $5,000 and non-multicandidate PACs at $3,300 per election per candidate.
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Limits on donations from PACs/corporations
Political donations are a matter of public record in the United States. All Senate, House, and presidential candidates, as well as any committees authorised to raise funds for them, must report campaign donations to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The FEC, in turn, makes this information available to the public through a searchable donor database.
However, it is important to note that the FEC only collects data on federal campaigns and candidates. For state and local campaigns, other tools such as FollowTheMoney.org, run by the National Institute on Money in Politics, can be used to track donations.
When it comes to limits on donations from Political Action Committees (PACs) and corporations, the rules can vary. In general, federal law allows for two types of PACs: connected and non-connected. Connected PACs, also known as corporate PACs, are established by businesses, non-profits, labour unions, trade groups, or health organisations. These PACs receive and raise money from a restricted class, typically consisting of managers and shareholders in the case of corporations or members in the case of non-profits, labour unions, or other interest groups. Non-connected PACs, on the other hand, can accept funds from any individual, connected PAC, or organisation.
Under FEC rules, if a PAC contributes directly to candidates, the maximum amount a person can donate is $5,000. However, if a PAC declares that it will spend its money independently of a candidate's campaign, there are no limits on donations to the PAC. These groups, commonly known as "Super PACs," can receive unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations, or unions.
It is worth noting that contributions to PACs from corporate or labour union treasuries are illegal. Additionally, elected officials and political parties cannot contribute more than the federal limit directly to candidates. However, they can set up leadership PACs, which are considered non-connected PACs and can accept donations from individuals and other PACs. While there are no limits on the amount they can spend, the expenditure must not be coordinated with the candidate.
Despite the limits on direct contributions, corporations can still influence politics through donations. By contributing to non-profits, corporations can avoid shareholder criticism and consumer reaction to their political stance. As non-profits are not required to disclose their donors, they provide a level of anonymity for corporate political spending.
In summary, while there are some restrictions on donations from PACs and corporations to political campaigns, the rise of Super PACs and the use of non-profits have created avenues for unlimited contributions and spending. These loopholes have led to increased scrutiny of the current campaign finance system and how it may be influencing US politics.
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Non-profit organisations tracking donations
Tracking donations for political campaigns is a complex but necessary task, as it helps shed light on the pervasive influence of money in politics and strengthens democracy. While this process is challenging, some tools and resources are available to help individuals and organizations stay informed.
Non-profit organizations often face challenges in tracking donations due to the lack of comprehensive information sources. The IRS does not require most non-profits to disclose their donors, making it difficult to ascertain who supports a specific charity. However, private foundations are subject to different rules and must publicly disclose all of their grants in annual tax filings (Form 990-PF). These foundations list the grantee's name, grant amount, and sometimes a brief description of the grant's purpose. Websites of private foundations and corporate funders may also list recent grantees. Tools like Foundation Directory can be used to find contact information for private foundations and research their grant-giving patterns.
Additionally, some non-profits might acknowledge their donors, especially major contributors, in annual reports, newsletters, or on their websites. However, these sources may not be entirely comprehensive, as donors can request anonymity, and the disclosed information may not include donation amounts. Certain Candid partner locations have access to databases that can aid in researching individual donors, but the availability of such data depends on the transparency of the non-profit and donor.
To facilitate transparency and informed decision-making, non-profit organizations can create and update their profiles on platforms like GuideStar. By earning a Seal of Transparency, non-profits can provide donors with valuable information while also gaining insights into financials, leadership, and their mission. This platform offers data on 1.8 million IRS-recognized tax-exempt organizations and thousands of faith-based non-profits, enabling efficient searches and comprehensive analyses.
In summary, while tracking donations for non-profit organizations can be challenging due to privacy considerations and varying disclosure practices, tools like Foundation Directory and platforms such as GuideStar can help shed light on funding sources and empower donors to make informed decisions about their support.
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Frequently asked questions
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) collects data on federal campaigns and candidates. The FEC has a searchable donor database that allows you to browse donors by recipient or contributor and further narrow your results by zip code, donor occupation, employer, contribution amount, and more.
The National Institute on Money in Politics runs a tool called FollowTheMoney.org for tracking donations to state and local campaigns. You can use this tool to browse and search state campaign finance data.
Political donations are public record. You can search for a specific person's donations in the FEC database by their first and/or last name, employer or occupation, city, state, and/or zip code, date of the contribution, or amount of the contribution.
Yes, there are third-party tools such as OpenSecrets and Power Search that can be used to track donations for political campaigns. OpenSecrets is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that tracks money in U.S. elections and politics and compiles detailed reports on spending by lobbyists, political action committees (PACs), interest groups, and other donors. Power Search is a privately developed open-source search engine that accesses raw data of state-level campaign contributions reported to the Secretary of State’s CAL-ACCESS campaign finance filing and disclosure system.
