Our Pledge to Our Grassroots Supporters:
✊ You are Not an ATM!

3/12/2021

Friend, the NewDem Action Fund is focused on building power and moving the country forward by getting pragmatic Democrats across the country elected to the House of Representatives. And we know the only way Democratic organizations like us make progress is through a grassroots network that’s up for the fight.

You’re a part of that network, and we’re grateful for your support. But too often, grassroots supporters (like YOU) are treated like ATMs – machines that organizations (like ours) keep coming back to again and again, doing or saying anything to get a contribution.

We think that’s wrong. You’re not an ATM. You’re an integral part of our movement. And we’re committed to treating you that way.

So here’s our promise:

  • HONEST DEADLINES: We will never ask you for money to support a deadline that isn’t real or a goal that has no meaning. Any deadlines or goals we mention will be real ones that our team is working toward, and we’ll give you real updates on our progress.  

  • NO FALSE EMERGENCIES: We need your support, but we will never manufacture a crisis to get it. We are not “crushed” or “devastated,” nor are we “defeated” by the challenge ahead. In fact…our NewDem Members and candidates will win and we’ll keep the House blue!

  • NO HIDDEN SPLITS: We will never ask you to support one of our Members or candidates and then keep half for ourselves without being clear that we’re asking for you to split your contribution (and you will ALWAYS have the option not to).  

  • NO MATCHING GIMMICKS: We will never claim a contribution is “double or triple matched” unless there’s a real person matching your contribution.

  • MEANINGFUL MEMBERSHIP: We will never imply a “membership” that doesn’t exist. (We DO have a program for grassroots supporters who make a monthly recurring donation. We call it “Majority Defenders.” It’s real, we promise, and it comes with periodic early and exclusive updates from us about how we are protecting the Democratic Majority in the House. Info on that is here).

  • NO HIDDEN RECURRING CONTRIBUTIONS: We would love for you to become a Majority Defender with a recurring contribution. From time to time we will ask for that. But we will never ask for a one-time contribution with a link that hides the fact that it's set to capture recurring contributions.

Friend, you are not an ATM. You are an individual who puts time, effort, and – yes – money behind candidates and causes that move this country forward.

Games and gimmicks won’t help organizations like ours make progress on the big issues that matter. And they don’t treat your support with the respect it deserves. 

They turn supporters into skeptics and undermine the very movement we are all part of, one focused on moving America forward.

Organizations like ours need to do better, and we will. That’s our pledge to you.

Sincerely,
Team NewDems


P.S. If we can be better in other ways, don’t hesitate to send an email. We can’t respond to everyone, but we do read every email, and it helps to hear from you.