FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 2, 2021
WASHINGTON, D.C. – With news that Democratic fundraising juggernaut ActBlue is banning hidden recurring contributions and requiring clients to include an explicit ask for a recurring contribution, the NewDem Action Fund is pointing a series of promises it made to its own grassroots list in March as a guide for further protecting online, grassroots donors.
NewDem Action Fund pledged in March to a series of protections for grassroots donors that included a ban on hidden recurring contributions, those where the donor may not understand the full nature of their contribution. Since then, a New York Times report has shined a spotlight on abusive fundraising tactics deployed especially egregiously – according to the Times -- by committees associated with former President Donald Trump.
And beginning yesterday, Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue made it clear that campaigns who want to ask for recurring contributions will need to do so clearly, ethically, and with transparency in mind, or risk losing that capability altogether.
NewDem Action Fund received ActBlue’s announcement with open arms.
“The NewDem Action Fund never had a practice of tricking donors into recurring contributions, but we clearly and publicly banished the practice within our fundraising program earlier this year,” said Kathryn Sorenson, political director for the NewDem Action Fund. “It’s great to see a strong Democratic ally like ActBlue stepping up to demand change. Now it’s time for organizations like ours to take a long, hard look at the full array of our online fundraising practices to make sure they reflect the trust and generosity of our grassroots donors.”
In addition to hidden recurring contributions, the NewDem Action Fund grassroots fundraising pledge calls for a range of positive email practices including:
Using honest language, which means avoiding false deadlines or fake emergencies to elicit a contribution.
Avoiding hidden splits, where it isn’t clear that a contribution is split between multiple entities.
Offering meaningful memberships that give grassroots donors real involvement.
Additionally, the Action Fund’s pledge promises to never use a “matching” gimmick that implies grassroots donations are matched by an outside donor, even if no such donor exists. This practice has reportedly earned scrutiny from the Department of Justice.
“Grassroots donors are the heart and soul of our movement,” said Sorenson. “We need to treat them as an integral part of the team, which means being honest and transparent in our language. There is a confusing array of Democratic caucuses for donors to support, and with the ever-present threat of scam PACs looming over our campaigns, there’s no better time for organizations like ours to ensure email solicitations are honest and accountable.”
Made up of 95 Democrats, NewDems advocate within the Democratic Party and Congress for new ideas and new approaches to move America forward. The New Democrat Coalition is the largest ideological caucus amongst House Democrats and represents more than forty percent of House Democrats. Formed by Members of the New Democrat Coalition, the NewDem Action Fund helps re-elect House NewDems and elect new, like-minded leaders who can help develop a positive policy agenda and message.