Why You Need To Fundraise For Your Campaign

Fundraising isn't just about paying for your campaign. It's about building a community around it.

Let's be honest: fundraising can feel uncomfortable.

Asking people for money is hard enough. Asking friends, neighbours, colleagues, and community connections to financially support your campaign can feel even harder.

And if you have the ability to pay for some or all of your campaign yourself, you might be tempted to think, “Why don't I just do that and avoid the whole fundraising thing?”

There are a few good reasons not to.

Fundraising Ideas

• A donation page on your website
• Crowdfunding
• Silent auctions
• Phone calls or text giving
• BBQ
• Meet the Candidate event
• Wine & Cheese
• Follow-up phone calls from in-person vote canvasses
• Beer tasting night at a local taphouse
• E-mail marketing campaign
• Social media campaigns
• Virtual viewing party

You Don't Have to Spend the Maximum

First, let's clear up a common misconception about campaign spending limits.

A spending limit is a maximum, not a target.

You don't have to raise or spend the maximum amount you're legally allowed to spend. Your campaign budget should be based on what you actually need to run an effective campaign—not on what another candidate spent or what the rules allow you to spend.

Start by figuring out what your campaign needs. Signs, printing, advertising, transportation, digital tools, events, and other expenses can add up quickly, but every campaign will have a different budget.

Once you know what you need, you can set a fundraising goal that makes sense for your campaign.

Don't Put Your Campaign on Your Credit Card

This is probably the biggest reason to fundraise: don't put yourself into debt to run for office.

Running for office shouldn't require you to personally absorb the financial risk of an election campaign.

You may have some ability to self-fund your campaign, and there are rules governing personal contributions that you need to understand. But even when self-funding is permitted, that doesn't necessarily mean it's a good idea to carry the entire financial burden yourself.

Fundraising spreads that responsibility across the community of people who want to see your campaign succeed.

And if you're considering taking on debt to cover campaign expenses, stop and look at your budget again. You want to finish an election with a campaign you're proud of—not a pile of personal bills.

Fundraising Builds Your Support Network

Here's something candidates sometimes miss: fundraising is also relationship-building.

When someone contributes to your campaign, they're doing more than giving you money.

They're saying, I believe in you.

They may become a volunteer. They may introduce you to people in their community. They may put up a lawn sign, attend an event, share your campaign, or have conversations with their friends and neighbours about why they're supporting you.

Your donors can become some of your most engaged supporters.

That's one reason fundraising shouldn't feel like a transaction. You're building relationships with people who are choosing to invest in your campaign.

Fundraising Helps You Reach More People

Campaigns cost money because reaching voters takes resources.

Maybe you need to print materials for your canvassing team. Maybe you want signs throughout the community. Maybe you need to advertise an upcoming event or reach voters online. Maybe your campaign needs to travel across a large geographic area.

You don't need to spend money on every possible campaign tactic. In fact, you shouldn't.

But having some financial resources gives you choices.

Instead of asking, “Can we afford to do this?” every time an opportunity comes up, you can make decisions based on what will actually help your campaign reach voters.

There Are Lots of Ways to Raise Money

Fundraising doesn't have to mean hosting an elaborate dinner or standing in front of a room asking for cheques.

You can have individual conversations with potential donors, send personal emails, host a small community event, organize a virtual gathering, or invite supporters to contribute through your campaign's online donation process.

The right approach will depend on your community, your network, your campaign, and your own strengths.

If you love bringing people together, an event might be a great fit. If you're better one-on-one, focus on personal conversations. If your supporters are spread across a large geographic area, digital fundraising may make more sense.

You don't need to do everything.

You need to find the approaches that allow you to connect with people and invite them to support your campaign.

Fundraising Is an Invitation

If asking for money still feels uncomfortable, try thinking about it differently.

You're not asking someone to do you a personal favour.

You're inviting them to support a campaign they believe in.

Not everyone will say yes. That's okay.

Some people will contribute financially. Some will volunteer. Some will put up a sign. Some will introduce you to people you would never have reached on your own. And some people may simply wish you well.

All of those forms of support matter.

Your job isn't to convince everyone to give you money. It's to make it easy for the people who believe in your campaign to find a way to participate.

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