Cover Story: Know Your Mission, 
Grow Your Mission

Political fundraising: 
Wade through the ennui

There's no denying the "ohhh ahhh" element of the 2008 presidential election. Voters (read: donors) from both parties were so hyped up and ready to embrace change — in one form or another — that the excitement among the voting public in the United States was at a frenzy level.

Add to the mix the explosion in the use of the Internet and social networking as awareness and fundraising tools, and you have yet another reason the 2008 presidential election can be classified as history in the making.

Recently, a politically connected friend of FS, who asked to be identified only as the finance director for a local congressional campaign, talked about his experiences in the political fundraising arena. Not surprisingly, he says the biggest challenges this year are the letdown from the energy of the 2008 campaigns and, of course, the economic downturn.

"During the 2008 election cycle, candidates from the presidential campaigns and down the ticket set records for fundraising," he says. "The environment was perfect: a critical combination of enthusiasm on both sides of the aisle, and prosperity. This cycle, those donors simply don't feel as though they are able to give because of their new financial circumstances.

"There is also a significant amount of political donor fatigue after the 2008 election year, although I find that is beginning to thaw," he adds.

Also no surprise, effective messaging that keeps the donor in the here and now is crucial to overcome what some might define as malaise on the political interest and giving fronts. "Why is it so important for me to give politically NOW?" is the question. The answer, of course, is to focus on the pivotal issues facing each demographic at the moment.