There are two kinds of political candidates: those who raise money and losers.
And there are two kinds of political organizations: those who raise money and those who don’t make much of a difference.
Why? Because money is the mother’s milk of politics. It’s also one of the three fundamentals of campaigns:
- Manpower (organization)
- Message (communications)
- Money (raising the money to do #1 and #2)
Money makes it possible to identify and organize supporters. Money make it possible to
communicate a message to large numbers of potential supporters to get them to take action.
That’s not to say that you can’t grow organically or that you can’t communicate a message virally. You can. BUT you don’t rely on it, you make a plan instead. And part of any worthwhile plan for a political campaign or organization is a fundraising plan.
How much do you need to raise? When do you need to raise it? Who are you going to raise it from? Do you have a list of prospects?
How are you going to ask them? Direct mail, email, phone calls, texts? Who’s going to ask them? And when? Will events, memberships, sponsorships, small donors, major donors or merchandise be a part of the plan?
Whether you’re a candidate for elected office or part of a local grassroots organization, and you don’t have a fundraising plan, get started on one today.
Get out a note pad and a calendar. Put pen to paper. Spitball ideas then ruthlessly edit. Focus on the possible, then execute. If you’re a supporter, call someone and offer to help.
As legendary conservative activist Morton Blackwell put it, “You can’t save the world if you can’t pay the rent”.
Remember, to raise money, you have to ask for money. So get started!