FAQ's
Q. What is Grassroots Democrats?
Q. What are '527' organizations?
Q. What is the mission of Grassroots Democrats?
Q. Why is it important for state parties to know campaign finance reform laws?
Q. What is the difference between 'hard' and 'soft' money?
Q. What makes Grassroots Democrats different from other '527' groups?
Q. What does Grassroots Democrats offer to Democratic State Parties?
Q. How is that different from what the DNC is doing?
Q. Why should I make a contribution to Grassroots Democrats?
Q. What will my contribution be used for?
Q. Why can't I find any information on your views on specific issues, nominations, or campaigns?
Q. What is Grassroots Democrats?
A. Grassroots Democrats is an independent non-profit political organization dedicated to strengthening the infrastructure and financial resources necessary to deliver Democratic victories in 2005 and beyond. We are:
- Independent, non-profit and tax-exempt
- The only section 527 political organization dedicated to rebuilding a grassroots Democratic Party in EVERY state.
- Not a political party committee, federal PAC or Section 501(c)(4) advocacy group
Q. What are '527' organizations?
A. '527' is a short-hand tax term that identifies an organization as a non-federal political group that is principally regulated by the Internal Revenue Code and state laws rather than the Federal Election Campaign Act.
Q. What is the mission of Grassroots Democrats?
A. Grassroots Democrats' mission is to strengthen the infrastructure of the Democratic Party in every state to ensure victory in 2005 and beyond. Faced with the challenge of a changing political landscape, we work with each of the state parties, a variety of progressive organizations, and with all levels of donors to provide resources and expertise in the following areas:
Q. Why is it important for state parties to know and comply with campaign finance rules?
A. If state parties fail to adhere to the laws governing their accounting and operations, they jeopardize the effectiveness of their organization and risk investigation and fines.
For example, because their compliance department failed to follow the law in their reporting, the Arkansas Republican Party is still in total disarray after putting themselves in legal jeopardy in 2003:
"The party faces fines and other settlement conditions after a Federal Election Commission audit of its campaign spending in the 2000 elections...'Bad bookkeeping' is the main cause of the party's current financial difficulty...the party's internal financial reporting procedures and safeguards were insufficient. The party could be ordered to transfer $1.75 million from the funds available for federal races to those for other, state races. The net effect would be to reduce the amount available for the party to spend on Republican candidates for federal office. Arkansas has a U.S. Senate seat, four U.S. House of Representative races and a presidential race next year." (Arkansas Morning News, 10/3/03)
Q. What is the difference between 'hard' and 'soft' money?
A. Federal ('hard') money consists of political contributions made by individuals or federal political action committees (PACs) to federal candidates and political parties, up to the dollar limits established by the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA), as amended by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA, also known as the McCain-Feingold legislation) in 2002.
Non-federal ('soft') money includes all other political money -- funds contributed or spent by unions, corporations and incorporated non-profit groups, plus individual and PAC funds contributed or spent in excess of hard money limits. This money is principally spent in connection with state and local elections.
Q. What makes Grassroots Democrats different from other '527' groups?
A. Grassroots Democrats is the ONLY '527' that is dedicated to rebuiliding state and local Democratic Party committees by strengthening infrastructure, grassroots activism and fundraising.
Q. What does Grassroots Democrats offer to Democratic State Parties?
A. Grassroots Democrats offers the following services to all Democratic State Parties:
- Expertise - Top caliber political, Internet and financial staff to evaluate and improve operations.
- Finances- Grants for comptroller and financial strategist positions in key state, local, and county parties and directed donations to the parties.
- Workshops - Multi-day conferences on compliance, Internet strategy and Fundraising that give state parties more control and flexibility.
- Accountability - Assessment of state, local and county coordinated campaign plans and activities.
Q. How is that different from what the DNC is doing?
A. Grassroots Democrats' programs are funded with non-federal contributions. The McCain-Feingold legislation specifically FORBIDS the national party committees (the DNC, DSCC, and DCCC) from raising, spending or transferring non-federal funds to state party committees, even though in most states, non-federal funds can cover up to 85% of state party expenses. To spend federal dollars on these administrative expenses is a waste of "hard" dollars.
Grassroots Democrats CAN lawfully raise, direct and contribute non-federal money to state and local Democratic Party committees to the extent permitted by state law. We are uniquely positioned to assist, independently from the national party committees as the law requires.
Q. Why should I make a contribution to Grassroots Democrats?
A. Grassroots Democrats carries out a unique and vital role among the old, and new, political organizations. We cannot strengthen state parties without your help. Financial resources are essential to all of our programs and your contribution will ensure that this organization continues to build grassroots support in every state. In return, we pledge to do the following:
- Grassroots Democrats will build Democratic grassroots support by building up existing state, local, and county Democratic parties
- Grassroots Democrats will strengthen party organizations to improve and empower them in creating new Democratic outreach programs
- Grassroots Democrats will work to build infrastructure to make certain that Democrats at every level of government, in every state, have the support they need to win
- Grassroots Democrats WILL NOT build campaign organizations separate from the party structure
Q. What will my contribution be used for?
A. Your contribution will be used to provide assistance to Democratic state parties in one of three ways:
- Direct Assistance: When the need arises, Grassroots Democrats will contribute directly to a state party. For example, the National Committee for an Effective Congress (NCEC) recently made targeting data available to the state parties for their use in strategizing in the upcoming elections. In order to help Democratic state parties offset the cost, Grassroots Democrats offered to subsidize the "non-federal" portion of the fee. Find out more by clicking here.
- Programmatic and Technical Conferences: Throughout the year, Grassroots Democrats hosts a variety of conferences designed to bring Democratic state parties up-to-date on the best practices and latest changes in compliance law, fundraising techniques, technological updates and outreach efforts.
- On-the-Ground Assistance: From time to time, Grassroots Democrats staff will go to work with a state party in their state. This is done when states request help for a specific issue that cannot be effectively handled from our headquarters and must be addressed in person.
Q. Why can't I find any information on your views on specific issues, nominations or campaigns?
A. Grassroots Democrats' sole purpose is to work to strengthen the infrastructure of the Democratic state parties. As an organization we do not take positions on any issues, candidates or campaigns. Rather, we support a strong, viable Democratic Party and are completely focused on strengthening state infrastructure; therefore, we do not dedicate resources to specific issues or candidates. Our mission is to ensure there are strong Democratic state organizations that will take on the issues, nominations, and campaigns of their choice, and win.