Where To Give Now: Kamala for President
So, how was your July?
President Biden has stepped aside and Vice-President Kamala Harris locked up the Democratic nomination in a record 32 hours, raising $100m for the campaign.
Aside from the candidate, what has changed? Not a lot. The basics haven’t changed but nuances in geography and demography will continue to change on the margins. This will still be a very, very close election fought in 6-7 states. Our voters are more energized -- but so are theirs.
Whereas before Sunday, I was planning for worst-case scenarios, now I am trying to dream big. More to come on that…
This memo is entirely focused on the presidential election. I recommend pausing (only for a week or two) on down-ballot candidates and related giving until we learn more. The VP pick and more substantive polling may show key shifts in down-ballot considerations. Once we know more, I will make specific down-ballot recommendations.
Harris for President
Giving to the Harris for President campaign and the Harris Victory Fund remains the most cost-efficient vehicle as candidates get the lowest cost and time. There is also a benefit to hearing from candidates directly. For instance, the Harris campaign’s first ad features her own voice and the message the campaign wants to deliver.
1. The first $6,600 of your contribution goes to Harris for President. The maximum individual contribution to Harris for President $3,300 is for the primary and $3,300 for the general election. Meaning, give ASAP for the primary. You can donate here.
2. If you give over $6,600, the next $41,300 of your contribution goes to the DNC General Fund. The maximum individual contribution to the DNC General Fund is $41,300/year.
3. Then you can decide how you want funding to be allocated.
A. You can allocate up to $510,000 of your contribution is divided equally among the Democratic Parties of the 50 states and D.C. You can pick which states to prioritize or allow the DNC to determine the states. The maximum individual contribution to each state party is $10,000 per year. Note that this is a federal party limit; if you give to a state party via the DNC VF, you cannot give directly to them (like for a WisDems event) or to a federal candidate Victory Fund (for instance, you cannot give to both the Nevada Democratic Party federal account and Sen. Jacky Rosen’s Victory Fund). This can be hard to track and I recommend donors give via the DNC VF outside of their home state.
B. You can allocate up to $371,700 among the DNC Headquarters Account (this also helps pay for coordinated campaign offices in the states), DNC Recount and Litigation Account, and DNC Convention Account. The maximum individual contribution to each account is $123,900/year.
If you want to give more than $47,900, please feel free to contact me offline. I can provide wire and other information.
This chart from the FEC helpful outlines federal donation limits.
Women for the Win
Women were always the key to this (and every) election but with a female nominee, the diverse women’s vote just skyrocketed in importance. Led by Black women, activists and donors have coalesced around Kamala. We need to ensure that women of color are leading, heard, and not taken for granted. We need to make white women prioritize their own needs over those of the men in their lives. And we need to educate young women about the stakes in this election and its impact for decades to come.
There are many groups doing tremendous work across the board. Below I outline what I see as the most urgent needs in this moment to help define and lift up the Vice-President.
EMILY’s List -- Women Vote IE
$5m gap (SuperPAC)
Women Vote has committed to a $20m campaign and they are already up with an ad in AZ, NV, PA, and WI. They need an additional $5m to continue and expand that work pre-convention. The New York Times highlighted this important work. You can donate to EMILY’s List Independent Expenditure, Women Vote (note that this is not the main page donation link) or if you would like to make a donation via wire or check, please contact Melissa Williams at mwilliams@emilyslist.org.
Watch the ad: The Time Is Now
Women’s Disinformation Defense Project (via Ultraviolet)
$400k c3 gap, $900k c4 gap
WDDP was created in 2021 to prepare for attacks on women and women of color nominated for roles that required Senate confirmation, most notably now-Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. They have been conducting research and fighting back against attacks on Vice-President Harris from the outset of the Biden-Harris Administration. The coalition includes Ultraviolet, National Women’s Law Center, Reset.tech, ProgressNow, and many others. Please contact Shaunna Thomas at Shaunna@weareultraviolet.org to learn more and donate.
Galvanize Action and One for All Committee
$14m gap (SuperPAC)
Galvanize is working to understand, persuade, and mobilize moveable, moderate white women in key states. Their SuperPAC, One for All, is already up with pro-Harris ads. Their work is essential in solidifying the anti-Trump coalition and helping make white women “a little bit better” as Jackie Payne, founder of Galvanize says; we can aim for a lot better. While the overall gender gap was +11 for Biden in 2020, it was +7 for Trump among white women. Even in 2022, post-Dobbs, white women voted +11 for Republicans. Contact Dinah Dale at dinah.dale@galvanizeaction.org to learn more.
Watch the ads: Together and Pivotal Moment
We also need to double down on organizations turning out young people and people of color. More to come on those efforts and how they interact with state based plans.
Young women: Supermajority. Founded by rock stars Cecile Richards, Ai-jen Poo, and Alicia Garza, Supermajority pivoted to focus on young women, particularly young women of color, in key states for both issue advocacy and voter education & mobilization. They are building a political home for young women and their work is culturally relevant, fun, and informative. You can donate here or contact Lillian Wu at lillian@supermajority.com for more information.
Young people including campus and non-college: Alliance for Youth Action, NextGen America, Student Turnout Project (via SVF, contact Teddy Landis at Teddy@thesvf.org). These groups are working in close coordination across key states. You can pick one or give to America Votes for coordination and regranting; contact Kellie Dupree a kdupree@americavotes.org for more information. While all can accept c3 funding, c4 is desperately needed between now and the election to identify and mobilize these voters.
Black voters: BlackPAC. Founded in 2016, BlackPAC focuses on both issue advocacy and voter education & mobilization through multi-layered strategies. They work up and down the ballot across key states. You can donate here or contact Andy Reynolds at andy@civixstrategygroup.com.
Communications
It has been reported that in the last few days, Trump and his allies are outspending us 25:1. On the heels of the Republican convention, being outspent is not surprising. The disparity, however, is striking. And now we are in a race to define Kamala Harris before the other side. Future Forward is launching a $50m buy, American Bridge is spending over $1m this week, and EMILY’s List and Priorities USA are up with digital buys. Courier News and others are engaged in efforts to boost content on social media.
We have all seen the fun memes and videos since Sunday. But 99% of digital content doesn’t magically go viral. They need significant resources behind them, whether through paid ads, digital ads, boosted content, or paid influencers. The media environment has changed dramatically, even since 2020. This is a critical part of our work to win. If you are able to support paid media efforts with six- or seven-figure donations, please contact me directly to discuss options.
As I mentioned, my next memo will focus on down-ballot candidates and infrastructure & state-based organizations. These efforts are absolutely crucial to win and build long-term power.
Thank you all for everything you do. It’s time to give until it hurts. We can and will win.