Simone Lawson
Political donations are a matter of public record in the US, and there are several ways to find out who has donated money to political campaigns. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) has a searchable database that allows users to browse donors by recipient or contributor, and narrow results by zip code, donor occupation, employer, contribution amount, and more. However, the FEC database can be a little overwhelming to navigate. An alternative is OpenSecrets, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that tracks money in US politics and provides data and analysis to strengthen democracy. OpenSecrets allows users to search for a state or federal candidate to see the donors and industries that support them. Another option is FollowTheMoney.org, which provides state campaign finance data through the 2024 election year. For those interested in business leaders and their political donations, Zippia is a job search portal that aggregates the contributions of employees from various companies.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Website | OpenSecrets, FollowTheMoney.org, Federal Election Commission (FEC), Zippia |
| Search Parameters | Individual contributor's first name and/or last name, employer or occupation, city, state and/or zip code, contribution amount, committee receiving the contribution, client, firm, industry, or issue |
| Donor Information | Name, address, employer, contribution amount, date of donation |
| Donation Amount | For donations of $50 or less, campaigns do not need to collect any identifiable information about the donor |
| Data Availability | Data on OpenSecrets is current through the 2024 election year |
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What You'll Learn
Search by name, location, or employer
The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 requires all Senate, House, and presidential candidates to report campaign donations to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The FEC maintains a database of individuals who have made contributions to federally registered political committees. This database can be used to search for an individual contributor by their first and/or last name, employer or occupation, city, state and/or zip code, the date of the contribution, the amount of the contribution, or the committee receiving the contribution.
For example, you can search for all contributions to a particular committee on a specific date or all contributions to a candidate's committee from contributors who list the same employer. You can also use multiple filters to narrow down your search.
In addition to the FEC database, there are other tools available to track campaign donations. One such tool is OpenSecrets (formerly known as the Center for Responsive Politics), a non-profit, non-partisan organization that tracks money in U.S. politics and compiles detailed reports on spending by lobbyists, political action committees (PACs), interest groups, and other donors. The OpenSecrets website has a searchable campaign donation database that allows you to search by recipient or donor data, including occupation, employer, or zip code.
Another tool for tracking donations is FollowTheMoney.org, run by the National Institute on Money in Politics. This website allows you to browse and search state campaign finance data through the 2024 election year. You can select a specific state and office type (such as gubernatorial) to narrow down donation details for specific races. You can also use the drop-down menus to select your state and election cycle, or enter a name into the main search bar to find an individual's contributions and any money they may have received as a candidate.
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Federal and state-level donations
Political campaign donations are part of the public record, and there are several ways to access information on federal and state-level donations. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) maintains a database of individuals who have contributed to federally registered political committees. The FEC website allows users to search for individual contributors by name, employer, occupation, location, date, and contribution amount. The FEC database only includes donations of $200 or more, as smaller contributions are not considered part of the public record.
Another resource for tracking federal and state-level donations is OpenSecrets, a non-profit, non-partisan organisation that has been operating since 1983. OpenSecrets offers access to state and federal datasets on political contributions, expenditures, and lobbying activities. The website allows users to search for campaign expenditures and trace donations to politicians and political committees. OpenSecrets also provides in-depth analyses, educational tools, and breaking news on the financial aspects of politics and policy.
FollowTheMoney.org is another useful tool for tracking donations to state and local campaigns. This website, run by the National Institute on Money in Politics, provides access to state campaign finance data through the 2024 election year. Users can select a specific state and office type to narrow down donation details for particular races.
In addition to these resources, it is worth noting that individual states may have their own disclosure requirements and databases for political donations. These can often be found on the websites of the relevant state election boards or ethics commissions.
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Donations from companies and their employees
Political campaigns in the United States are financed by a combination of sources, including donations from individuals, companies, and their employees. While individuals are free to donate to campaigns, there are some restrictions on companies and their employees when it comes to political contributions.
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) maintains a comprehensive database of individual contributors, which includes information such as the contributor's name, employer, occupation, location, and the amount contributed. This database is a valuable resource for researching who has donated money to federal political campaigns. Additionally, the FEC website provides information on the legal framework surrounding campaign financing, including the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 and its subsequent amendments.
When it comes to company donations, the rules vary depending on the company's structure and the level of the campaign. For example, corporations and labour organizations are prohibited from making contributions in connection with federal elections. However, they can contribute to independent expenditure-only committees, such as Super PACs, and to non-contribution accounts maintained by Hybrid PACs. Super PACs, in particular, are notable for their ability to accept unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations, and other entities.
State-level campaigns have slightly different rules, with corporations permitted to donate directly to state and local candidates, parties, and committees within specified limits. These contributions must be disclosed and can be found on state campaign finance databases. Additionally, corporations can contribute to tax-exempt political committees organized under § 527 of the Internal Revenue Code, which are dedicated to election-related activities and must disclose their donors to the IRS.
It is worth noting that certain organizations, such as charities, face additional restrictions on political activity. Furthermore, campaigns are prohibited from accepting contributions from specific types of organizations and individuals, including foreign nationals and federal government contractors. These regulations aim to maintain transparency and integrity in the political campaign financing process.
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Donations to specific candidates
The Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) of 1971 imposes limits on contributions to a candidate's campaign. These limits apply to all types of contributions except those from a candidate's personal funds. Campaigns are prohibited from retaining contributions that exceed the limits, and they must follow specific procedures for handling such funds.
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) maintains a database of individuals who have made contributions to federally registered political committees. The database allows users to search for contributors by their first and last name, employer, occupation, location, contribution date, and amount. It also enables searches for contributions received by specific committees.
OpenSecrets, a collaboration between the National Institute on Money in Politics and the Center for Responsive Politics, provides access to state campaign finance data. Its Donor Lookup feature allows users to search for donors by client, firm, industry, or issue to see who is spending to shape policies. It also offers in-depth analyses, workshops, and training on money-in-politics data.
It is important to note that certain entities, such as foreign nationals, federal government contractors, and charitable organizations, are prohibited from making contributions in connection with federal elections. Additionally, compensation paid to a candidate in excess of their actual work hours is generally considered a contribution from the employer, which may result in a prohibited contribution under specific regulations.
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Donations from dark money groups
In the context of political campaigns, ""dark money"" refers to funds from groups that do not disclose their donors. These groups have poured more than $1 billion into federal elections since 2010, often concentrating on the most competitive races. Dark money groups frequently operate as attack dogs during campaigns, criticising candidates from the shadows and pushing the envelope in terms of how much they can spend without running afoul of rules prohibiting them from primarily influencing elections.
One notable example of a dark money group is the Sixteen Thirty Fund, an affiliate of the liberal donor-advised fund Arabella Advisors. In 2020, the group spent $410 million (more than the Democratic National Committee) to help defeat Donald Trump and win back control of the Senate. The Sixteen Thirty Fund financed attack ads and funded various issue advocacy campaigns, with half of its $390 million in donations coming from just four donors.
Another example is the 45Committee, which raised $49 million between April 2015 and March 2017, with Issue One identifying three donors to this group. Other top dark money groups examined by Issue One's "Dark Money Illuminated" report include the League of Conservation Voters, the National Association of Realtors, and Planned Parenthood.
While super PACs must disclose their donors, dark money groups can avoid mandatory disclosure rules by masquerading as trade associations or "social welfare" nonprofits. This lack of transparency makes it difficult for voters to know who is trying to influence them and make informed decisions. Efforts to increase transparency, such as the DISCLOSE Act introduced by Senate Democrats before the 2022 midterm elections, have so far been unsuccessful.
To learn more about dark money groups and their influence, you can refer to resources such as OpenSecrets, which offers a donor lookup tool and comprehensive data on campaign contributions, as well as organizations like the Brennan Center for Justice, which publishes extensive research on the effects of dark money in politics.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several online tools that allow you to search for individuals or organizations that have donated money to political campaigns. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) website has a database that lets you search by donor name, recipient, contribution amount, and other filters. However, it can be overwhelming to search through. Other websites like OpenSecrets, FollowTheMoney.org, and Zippia offer more manageable ways to search for this information.
By law, campaigns and political action committees must disclose the personal details of individuals who donate $200 or more, including their names, addresses, and employers. For donations under $50, campaigns do not need to collect any identifiable information about the donor.
Yes, you can search for this information on the websites mentioned above. Additionally, Zippia is a job search portal that aggregates the contributions of every employee whose donations are publicly available.
Yes, OpenSecrets allows you to explore ballot measures attracting the most spending and their donors. You can also search campaign expenditures to see how candidates and political groups are spending their money.
