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.
OK, I’m putting it out there: I predict Democrats will net 37 House seats, 1 Senate seat (for a 50/50 split) and 10 Governorships. I think it will be a be a good night for Democrats. It could be a VERY good night. And I can’t even think about a bad night. See more details below.
(You can also read this on Medium)
Read MoreVoters are voting! Many states have started early voting. Vote.org (which saw an incredible spike in registrations after Taylor Swift gave them a shout out in an Instagram post) has a guide to early voting in each state along with other terrific resources for voters.
We are three weeks out, coming into the home stretch. If you are planning to make additional donations, give sooner rather than later. Budgets are being finalized in the coming days. If you are making a large donation via a Donor Advised Fund or other third-party entity, make sure they know this is a rush donation and let the campaign or organization know to expect the donation. Recommendations for candidates and organizations can be found below.
We created an Election Night tracker, with top US House races, all US Senate races, all Gubernatorial races, key down-ballot races, and ballot measures listed by poll closing times. To view and follow along, email alexandra@ALadvising.com for access to our database.
Not surprisingly, women significantly increased their charitable giving to progressive causes following the 2016 presidential election. Women are the Resistance!
Women Drove Post-2016 Election Growth in Giving to Progressive Groups
This is a great piece from my friend Shelley Whelpton of Arabella Advisors. She discusses the changing role of individual donors in political philanthropy and their ability to be nimble and flexible.
Labor Day is the unofficial kickoff for the campaign season. Before the frenzy begins, it’s important to step back, take stock of donations to date, and determine giving priorities for the coming weeks.
I highly recommend giving the vast majority of 501c3 and 501c4 donations and the bulk of candidate donations before September 1. This allows organizations and campaigns to better plan staff, media, field, and other budgets. Save 5-10% of your overall budget for last-minute asks such as late primaries, surging candidates, and organizational budget gaps.
Read MoreVoters are voting! In May and June, a whopping 34 states will hold primary or runoff elections. There are numerous ways to organize the many upcoming races: House races by priority categories; all races by primary date; and priority states with “nested” races. At the end of this memo, you will see how we pull all of this data together for our Where to Give Now: Bang for the Buck recommendations.
If you would like to be shared on our 2018 Candidates spreadsheet to view all races, including Senate and other statewide races, email alexandra@ALadvising.com.
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