Your guide to being a strategic political donor in 2025.
From the DNC Development Manager: Where your dollars actually go — and how to make the biggest impact
Hi Democrats!
First off — can I just say how incredible you all are? Your passion and commitment to our shared Democratic values amaze me every day. Consider this newsletter my virtual coffee meeting with all of you wonderful donors and supporters. ☕
A little bit about me: I’m Peri Kessler, the Development Manager at the DNC. I work on our grassroots fundraising team, and I have the pleasure of working most closely with our Leadership Circle donors (more on that later!). I’m here on the Blue Print today to answer the question I get almost every day: "Where should my dollars go to have the biggest impact?
It's such a great question, and as the DNC’s Development Manager, I'm thrilled you're asking it. So let’s have a conversation about strategic political giving that builds the kind of lasting infrastructure that keeps Republicans up at night.
Where Your Money Actually Goes
When you hit that donate button, your hard-earned dollars don't just disappear into a political black hole — they fuel a democracy-building machine that works around the clock. Let me pull back the curtain on what your amazing support actually makes possible:
Infrastructure Development (AKA Our Secret Weapon)
Here’s how grassroots donations help us build long-term strength as a Party:
Powering up state parties — too many of our state parties do not have full-time, paid staff to do the year-round work of electing Democrats. The new State Partnership Program (SPP) agreement changes that by making a $1 million total monthly investment in every single one of our Democratic state parties.
Developing and supporting cool tech tools that make our data secure and enable us to reach as many voters as possible. 💻
Maintaining our voter file (not glamorous, but necessary).
Funding our work to fight GOP voter suppression — in court, if necessary — and protect our democratic institutions.
Hiring and retaining incredible staff.
Supporting our sister committees (DSCC, DCCC, DGA, DLCC, DASA, DAGA, & more).
Putting Republicans on Defense
Here’s how donations help us hold Republicans accountable while making it harder for them to win races across the country:
Holding town halls in districts where Republicans are hiding from their own constituents.
Putting out billboards trolling Trump and Republicans.
Publishing social media content that actually reaches young voters.
Fact-checking operations to combat the firehose of misinformation from the GOP.
Doing deep-dive research on Republicans and what they are hiding from the American public.
Grassroots Power Building (The Heart and Soul of What We Do)
Here’s how your donations support our on-the-ground work in communities across the country:
Organizing that holds Republicans' feet to the fire when they think nobody's watching (check out our volunteers holding Republican Reps. Mike Lawler and Tom Barrett accountable online for voting for Trump’s budget).
Finding and supporting amazing local candidates (from school board members to senators!).
Showing up in ruby-red districts where Republicans are getting too comfortable.
Laying groundwork NOW for crucial 2026 races at all levels.
The Infrastructure Advantage (Or Why We’re Not Waiting For The Last Minute)
Let me share a little insider baseball: One of the biggest mistakes in politics is waiting until after a primary to build campaign infrastructure. It's like trying to build an airplane while you're already halfway down the runway.
By supporting the Party directly, you help us:
Ensure we have talented staff already in place when candidates emerge from competitive primaries.
Keep voter contact going year-round (not just when we want something, like your vote!).
Build data systems that allow us to reach people in the most effective way.
Develop messaging that resonates in actual human language, not political-speak.
This is absolutely crucial for elections in Virginia and New Jersey this year, where their gubernatorial and legislative races have late primaries that leave little runway before the general election. Your support right now is like giving our candidates a head start in what will be an intense sprint to the finish line.
Target Races for 2025 & The Midterms
While we're still early in the cycle, we've got our eyes on some key battlegrounds in 2025 that will not only be important victories in their own right but will serve as building blocks for 2026 and beyond. Think of these races as the political equivalent of those strategic chess moves that set up bigger wins down the board. ♟️
Your support allows us to get in early, lay groundwork, and make Republicans play defense in places they thought were safe. And between us, there's nothing quite as satisfying as watching Republicans scramble to protect seats they thought were in the bag.
2025 Membership Opportunities
I've heard from so many of you wanting ways to be more connected to our work beyond just writing checks. We've created some amazing membership tiers that give you insider access and some perks:
Grassroots Partner (Monthly recurring at any level — even $5 or $10 a month makes a HUGE difference!)
A personalized membership card (future collector's item!)
Quarterly updates from Democratic leadership
20% off at the Democratic Store 🛒
Invites to organizing briefings
Strategy newsletters that explain the impact of your investment
Party Builder ($500+/year)
Everything above, plus:
Quarterly deep dives into where your money is making a difference
A direct channel to share your ideas and feedback (we really do listen!)
Your name in FEC reports
Leadership Circle ($1,000+/year)
Everything above, plus:
A real human being (me!) dedicated to answering your questions
Monthly insider strategy updates
25% off at the Democratic Store 🛒
Opportunities to actually meet and talk with DNC leadership
Whether you can give $5 a month or $1,000+ a year, you're essential to our work. We truly couldn't do this without you. Not exaggerating! 💙
FEC Giving Limits For 2025 (The Legal Stuff)
For our wonderful supporters planning their political giving for the year, here's what you need to know on FEC contribution limits for individual donors:
National party committee, i.e. the DNC: $44,300 per year
Special Party Accounts: $132,900 per year
Party committee (state/district/local): $10,000 per year (combined)
PAC: $5,000 per year
Federal candidate: $3,500 per election
Learn more about FEC contribution limits here.
📌 NOTES
Per election means once for the primary and once for the general election.
PAC = Political Action Committee.
Special Party Accounts are national committee accounts for funding legal proceedings, national convention, and headquarter expenses.
Remember — even small monthly donations are crucial for us because they let us plan ahead, knowing we've got reliable support coming in. Those $10 and $25 monthly donations are the backbone of everything we do!
Let's Talk About Those Fundraising Emails
We understand that political fundraising emails can feel overwhelming — you're hearing from many organizations, and we know it's a lot. The Blue Print was created in part to address this problem. Our goal was to provide a separate channel for supporters who want to stay informed on Party updates — without the fundraising solicitations. We genuinely appreciate your patience with our outreach.
Here's why we reach out directly to supporters like you: Grassroots fundraising through individual donations remains the most effective way for us to build the resources we need. Unlike some political operations that rely on wealthy mega-donors, we depend on people like you who believe in our mission.
We're committed to being different in how we communicate with you. Rather than using scare tactics or misleading language, we focus on sharing meaningful updates about our work and explaining how your contributions make a real difference. Our fundraising team consists of dedicated staff members who are passionate about building a movement powered by people, not billionaires.
Your support matters deeply to us, and we respect your inbox. If you ever decide our emails aren't right for you, you can easily unsubscribe using this link, and we'll honor that choice immediately.
There are, unfortunately, some not-so-great actors out there sending misleading fundraising solicitations that look official but aren't. 🚩
Before clicking "donate" on any political email, take a quick look to make sure it's really coming from the organization you think it is. Official DNC communications will always include proper disclaimers.
Closing Thoughts
Your investment in the Democratic Party today isn't just about winning the next election — it's about protecting the very foundations of our democracy. While candidates will come and go, the infrastructure, data, and organizing capacity you help build create lasting change.
If you've stuck with me all the way to the end of this newsletter — thank you! I truly believe that someday we'll all look back at this moment and feel proud of how we showed up when it mattered most.
I'm always here to chat about your political giving strategy or answer any questions you might have. My inbox (leadershipcircle@dnc.org) is always open, and I love connecting with our supporters one-on-one — it's honestly the highlight of my job.
I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t ask you to make a contribution to the DNC today. You knew it was coming!
But seriously, I am passionate about ensuring Democrats across the country, up and down the ballot, have the resources to win. I can tell you that we don’t win the midterms and the next presidential election without a healthy, strong DNC. Please know that with Chair Martin at the helm of the DNC, your hard-earned money is in good hands.
You can fuel our work by donating here and sending this link to your friends and family, and ask them to join you in doing the same.
Together, we're not just building a stronger Democratic Party; we're nurturing the future of democracy itself. And I can't think of better people to do it with than all of you.
With gratitude and hope,
Peri Kessler
Development Manager
Democratic National Committee
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Thank you for this post. It was valuable to me!
Wonderful article!