Eleanor Finch
When it comes to local campaigns, finding financial support can be challenging. A candidate must understand the intricacies of campaign finance and the various sources of funding available to them. This includes exploring political donations from individuals, organizations, and special interest groups, as well as learning how to utilize databases like OpenSecrets, which tracks money in U.S. politics, to uncover influential donors and spending trends. With the right tools and knowledge, candidates can navigate the complex world of political fundraising and gain insight into the financial forces shaping policy and election outcomes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Website | OpenSecrets.org |
| Type of data | Campaign contributions and lobbying activity |
| Data sources | Federal Election Commission, Congressional and presidential campaign finance data |
| Data subjects | Corporations, trade associations, labor unions, nonprofits, advocacy groups, industries, economic sectors, national party committees, 527 political nonprofits, government officials |
| Data on individuals | Name, employer or occupation, city, state, zip code, contribution amount, committee receiving contribution |
| Data on donors | Donor name, donor state, donor industry, donor influence, donor spending |
| Data on candidates | Candidate name, candidate state, candidate donors, candidate spending |
| Data on ballot measures | Ballot measure spending, ballot measure donors |
| Data on party committees | Party committee spending, party committee donors |
| Data on super PACs | Super PAC spending, super PAC donors |
| Data on dark money groups | Dark money group spending, dark money group influence |
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What You'll Learn
- Utilise donor databases like OpenSecrets to find local political donors
- Research industry profiles to understand sector-specific donor influence
- Identify dark money groups and their anonymous election spending
- Understand the role of Political Action Committees in political contributions
- Study federal election data to analyse campaign finance trends
Utilise donor databases like OpenSecrets to find local political donors
OpenSecrets is a non-profit organisation that has been tracking money in U.S. politics since 1983. It is a useful resource for finding local political donors as it provides access to state and federal datasets on political contributions, expenditures, personal financial disclosures, candidate lists, and lobbying activities.
The OpenSecrets database includes Federal Election Commission records of receipts from individuals who contribute at least $200 (smaller contributions are not part of the public record). You can search for donors to governors and discover which industries and special interest groups are supporting state leaders. The database also allows you to follow the money to state legislators, judicial officeholders, and other elected officials in all 50 states.
To find local political donors, you can use the "Get Local!" feature on the OpenSecrets website. This allows you to search for donors by entering a zip code or clicking on a state. You can also search for a specific politician or candidate to see a full list of their contributors. The site provides statistics and visual representations, such as "money maps," to help you understand the flow of money in your area.
In addition to finding local political donors, OpenSecrets also offers insights into ballot measures, outside spending by party committees and super PACs, and how candidates and political groups are spending donor money. You can also learn about the influence of "dark money" groups and the lobbying activities of various organisations.
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Research industry profiles to understand sector-specific donor influence
To find political donors for local campaigns, one must understand the influence of industries and economic sectors. OpenSecrets, a non-profit research group, provides industry profiles that offer valuable insights into how entire industries and sectors influence politics through lobbying and political donations. These profiles enable users to search by client, firm, industry, or issue to identify the entities spending to shape policies. This includes tracking the flow of money from 527 political non-profits into state and federal elections.
For example, OpenSecrets allows users to search for a state or federal candidate to see the donors and industries that support them. This helps in understanding the financial forces behind political decisions and staying informed about how money influences elections. Additionally, OpenSecrets provides data on outside spending by party committees, super PACs, and "dark money" groups, which spend millions on elections without disclosing their sources.
Another resource for researching political donors is NGP VAN, which offers NGP, the industry's leading fundraising and compliance software. NGP enables users to create comprehensive donor profiles, track fundraising progress, and conduct targeted outreach. It provides donor target scores, predicting the likelihood and capacity of individuals to donate, which helps campaigns prioritize their efforts efficiently.
By utilizing these tools and researching industry profiles, individuals can gain a deeper understanding of sector-specific donor influence and make more strategic decisions in their local political campaigns. This knowledge can help campaigns cultivate relationships with donors, maintain consistent communication, and raise the necessary funds to run a competitive campaign.
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Identify dark money groups and their anonymous election spending
In politics, "dark money" refers to political contributions from anonymous donors, where the source of the money is not disclosed to the public. Dark money groups spend large sums of money to influence elections, public policy, and political discourse. These groups exploit loopholes in campaign finance laws to conceal the identities of their donors.
In the United States, certain types of nonprofit organizations, such as 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations, are not legally required to disclose their donors, even if they spend significant amounts on political campaigns. These organizations can receive unlimited donations from corporations, individuals, and unions, and they have become a conduit for dark money to flow into political campaigns.
To identify dark money groups and their anonymous election spending, you can utilize resources such as OpenSecrets, a research group dedicated to tracking money in U.S. politics. OpenSecrets provides data on campaign contributions and lobbying activities from various entities, including corporations, trade associations, labor unions, and nonprofits. Their website offers tools like Donor Lookup, which allows users to search for state or federal candidates and see the donors and industries supporting them. Additionally, OpenSecrets provides insights into the influence of specific industries and economic sectors, as well as the spending of party committees, super PACs, and dark money groups.
Another approach to identifying dark money groups is to examine the financial reports of politically active nonprofits, such as 501(c)(4)s. While these organizations may not be required to disclose their donors, some may voluntarily do so. By analyzing their financial disclosures, you can identify patterns or anomalies that suggest the presence of dark money. Additionally, you can investigate the funding sources of super PACs, as they are required to disclose their donors. If a super PAC receives a significant portion of its funding from opaque nonprofits or shell companies, it may indicate the involvement of dark money groups.
It is important to note that dark money spending is not limited to a particular political ideology or affiliation. Both liberal and conservative groups have been known to utilize dark money, and it is essential to examine all sources of political funding critically. By staying informed and utilizing available resources, you can shed light on the anonymous election spending of dark money groups and promote greater transparency in the political process.
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Understand the role of Political Action Committees in political contributions
Political Action Committees (PACs) are tax-exempt organizations that pool campaign contributions from members and donate those funds to campaigns for or against candidates, ballot initiatives, or legislation. PACs emerged from the labor movement of 1943, with the first PAC being the CIO-PAC, formed under CIO president Philip Murray and headed by Sidney Hillman.
At the federal level in the United States, an organization becomes a PAC when it receives or spends more than $1,000 to influence a federal election and registers with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Federal law recognizes two types of PACs: connected and non-connected. Connected PACs, also known as corporate PACs, are established by businesses, non-profits, labor unions, trade groups, or health organizations. They receive and raise money from a restricted class, such as managers and shareholders in a corporation or members of a non-profit organization. Non-connected PACs, on the other hand, are not affiliated with any specific entity and can solicit contributions from the general public.
In addition to these two types, judicial decisions have added a third classification: independent expenditure-only committees, commonly known as "super PACs." Super PACs can receive unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations, unions, and other groups, which they use for activities such as ads overtly advocating for or against political candidates. However, they are prohibited from directly coordinating with or contributing to candidate campaigns or political parties.
Another variation is the hybrid PAC, which can make limited direct contributions to campaigns while also making unlimited independent expenditures. Leadership PACs are another important type, established by elected officials and political parties to support candidates for various offices. Leadership PACs can accept donations from individuals and other PACs, and they are often used by dominant parties to capture seats from opposing parties.
To find information about PAC contributions, websites like OpenSecrets provide comprehensive data on campaign contributions and lobbying activities. OpenSecrets tracks money in U.S. politics and offers insights into who is spending to shape policies.
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Study federal election data to analyse campaign finance trends
Studying federal election data is a powerful way to analyse campaign finance trends and gain a deeper understanding of the role of money in politics. OpenSecrets, a non-profit research organisation, is a valuable resource for this purpose. Its mission is to track the flow of money in American politics and make the data publicly available. The website offers a comprehensive database of campaign contributions, allowing users to search for federal and state candidates and view their donors and supporting industries. This includes data on outside spending by party committees, super PACs, and "dark money" groups, which do not disclose the source of their funds.
The OpenSecrets database also provides industry profiles, enabling users to examine the influence of entire sectors on political campaigns. This feature helps identify trends and patterns in campaign financing, such as the prevalence of contributions from specific industries or the impact of economic factors. The website also offers data on lobbying activities, revealing the influence of corporations, trade associations, labour unions, and advocacy groups on policy-making.
Another essential resource for studying federal election data is the Federal Election Commission (FEC) website. The FEC provides detailed financial data on candidates and committees in federal elections. Users can search for specific candidates or committees and access summary financial information, including fundraising and spending during a particular period. The FEC data also includes itemized records of transactions, such as contributions, transfers, and PAC contributions to party committees.
The FEC website offers additional features, such as the ability to search for political action and party committees by type, state, treasurer, and filing frequency. It also provides access to data tables that summarise campaign financial activity by election cycle, filer type, and coverage period. This allows for a comprehensive analysis of campaign finance trends over time and across different types of elections. By utilising the resources provided by OpenSecrets and the FEC, individuals can gain valuable insights into the role of money in politics and make more informed decisions as voters.
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Frequently asked questions
You can find political donors for local campaigns by searching for a specific candidate on OpenSecrets.org. This website displays state campaign finance data and allows you to see the donors and industries that support specific candidates.
The donor database includes information on campaign contributions and lobbying activity from corporations, trade associations, labor unions, nonprofits, and advocacy groups. It also includes information on "dark money" groups that spend money on elections without revealing its source.
To find local donors in your area, search for a specific zip code on OpenSecrets.org. This will allow you to see who is making political donations in your area and which candidates your neighbors are supporting.
Yes, federal law prohibits the use of contributor information for soliciting contributions or for commercial purposes. It's important to respect the privacy and intentions of the contributors when utilizing this information.
