AL Advising

Philanthropic and Political Consulting

AL Advising works with progressive philanthropists to create a portfolio of civic engagement, policy, and advocacy investments including 501c3, 501c4, candidate, and related political giving.

Where To Give Now | February 2025

I am sure by now we have all seen the amazing video of Maine Gov. Janet Mills standing up to President Trump. This was the first time in many weeks I felt an inkling of hope. The Trump Administration’s slow coup has been awful in its own right but our elected “leaders” have left me dispirited (with Gov. Mills, Sens. Chris Murphy, Brian Schatz, Tina Smith, Elizabeth Warren and the evergreen AOC among notable exceptions). I even went on the record with The New York Times to express my displeasure and that of nearly every person I have spoken with since January 20 -- whether a donor or a fellow school bus stop Mom -- over the business as usual response.


Democrats are in the minority in both the House and the Senate. But they can still DO SOMETHING to demonstrate that this moment is unprecedented, unlawful, and unacceptable. Too many leaders are relying on litigation and Trump’s likely implosion to save us. That is an insufficient response, to say the least. I have heard, “Oh, not everything is a five-alarm fire” and “We have to pick our battles and not respond to everything” or that “Democrats should roll over and play dead.” NO. That is WRONG.

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What Just Happened???

Well, it’s been a few days since our souls were crushed. I am still deep in the sad/despair stage of grief. I had my heart broken in 2000, 2004, and 2016. I tried so hard not to be overly optimistic until the last few days when I really thought things were moving towards us (I curse you, Ann Selzer). In 2016, we were mad. Trump’s win felt like a fluke and we had boogeymen to point to -- James Comey, Bernie bros, the media, etc. This time, we know it’s not a fluke. It’s a pattern. Voters chose Trump with eyes wide open. We’ll learn more about the why over time. And I’m just so, so sad. 

So, what now? Here are my initial take-aways:

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Where To Give Now | Oct 29, 2024

One week, everyone. It’s all hands on deck. Remember, we don’t know what the early vote is telling us. The 2020 election was a Black Swan event and we cannot compare apples to oranges. Polls were not designed to measure races this close and margin of error is real. This could be a relative blowout either way or an extremely close race that takes weeks to decide. Brace yourself.

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Where To Give Now | Oct 11, 2024

If you’re in full freak out mode, get off the computer and DO SOMETHING. My family and I knocked doors in CO-8 last weekend and it felt wonderful to be out there (and not just because of the beautiful fall weather in Colorado). We’re heading to Las Vegas to canvass this weekend and have been doing postcards with MomsRising and letters with Vote Forward as well. 

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