CAMPAIGN TOOLBOX
Tips, tools and ideas for running a successful Green campaign

Strategic fundraising
How states can raise more money, more effectively
By Becky Weber
D.C. Statehood Green Party

When Greens gathered in Tulsa this summer, one of the most popular workshops was devoted to state and local fundraising. While human resources are priceless, just about every Green group would like to be able to budget for items ranging from yard signs to rent and salaries.

Fundraising comes in various forms; a social event with live music, an inspirational speaker and tasty food can put people in a good mood to give support. Telephone banking gives a personal connection and immediate results. A big "Donate" button has become de rigueur on websites, and while not glamorous, direct mail with a thoughtfully crafted letter tied to a particular issue is a good standby.

A diverse fundraising strategy is key to encouraging people to donate more than once. Several programs are currently available from the national office of the Green Party of the United States (GP-US) to assist states. 

Making a list, checking it twice
Prospective donor lists are the currency of fundraising, but are constantly in need of updating. Solicit lists with names and contact information from candidates, events, or from the GP-US national office.

"'List envy' is real," said Jo Chamberlain, former co-chair of the national Fundraising Committee (Fund Com), who earns up to $200 per hour when she calls potential donors. "A list is always losing its value. People change their addresses, their phone numbers, even their names." 

Chamberlain's local gives its list of about 4,000 names each year to her state, California, and to GP-US. To identify new donors and eliminate bad addresses, GP-US pays the National Change of Address database for current changes and then gives the results back to the local. 

"Tell [the donors] what you want [the money] for, and be prepared for a big donor to pop up," Chamberlain said. A first-time donor contributing $10 this month may eventually give $1,000 or $10,000 over the years if they truly value the cause.

"If they ask for something, make sure you get it off right away," Chamberlain added. "Everybody I talk to, I verify their address, and I send them a bumper sticker."

Greens should be asked for donations on a regular basis. Reaching people in a variety of ways-through personal contact, phone calls, e-mails and snail mail can reinforce one another. While some donors will only feel safe sending a check, others prefer the convenience of using a credit card on line. Ideally, state and locals should be prepared to receive cash, checks and credit cards; those too small to process credit cards directly can make arrangements with the national office.

Jeff Turner of Hawai'i has seen his state benefit from individuals signing up for state sharing of their sustainer pledges. Sustainers are donors who commit to giving a fixed amount on a regular basis, usually every month or every quarter. "All you have to do is ask," he said. "The national office takes care of all the details."

"Sustainers should be the basis for making budget decisions," said Brent McMillan, political director for GP-US. He advised that money from sustainers be tied to fixed costs.

National shares the load
While proven to be highly effective, the costs of direct mail can be prohibitive for small and/or new parties. Again, GP-US can assist with preparing and processing mailings. In 2005, several states have split the cost of direct mailings to registered Greens with the national office. 

The Green Party Card program was launched earlier this year with great success. People sign up for $36 and get to carry a personalized Green Party Card in their wallet. The proceeds are split between the person's home state and the national party. A significant percentage of Card subscribers are first-time donors to the Green Party, which indicates that receiving a personalized card and other materials is an incentive for donating. Fund Com is currently developing a kit and script to aid states in promoting the program.
Fund Com is actively seeking new members. For information about serving on this committee, about any of the programs mentioned here, or general fundraising advice, please contact Brent McMillan at brent@gp.org, 202-319-7191 or 866-41GREEN.

National resources library
By Deirdre Helfferich
Green Party of Alaska

Recent improvements to the gp.org website have expanded options available to state and local parties for sharing information and encouraging registration: the Organizing Tools page has been expanded to an Organizing and Resources Library (http://www.gp.org/organize/), and a new subsite on Green registration is in progress (http://www.gp.org/register/). 

Resources library
This page has links to resources on both state party sites and the national website. It is organized in broad sections: Green Party merchandise, Issues, Green Meetings, Organizing and Campaigns, Flyers, Other Items, Media and Contacting State Green Parties and Local Greens. The items listed here are provided by different states and locals; if your local has others that may help another Green party or candidate, please submit your link or document to the national office at GPHQ--at--gp.org. 

Issues has links to fact sheets and issues statements on the GP-US platform, "The Real Difference" (an issue comparison between Greens, Democrats and Republicans), the World Trade Organization, the Free Trade Area of the Americas, the Iraq War Test and more. The Green Meetings section provides guidelines on consensus, meeting process and creating equitable meetings in diverse culture and power-balance situations. The Campaigns section has links to numerous useful manuals and guides for building a local party, running a campaign or recruiting candidates, setting up petition drives and much more. The first, and major, resource is the Coordinated Campaign Committee, which has numerous resources for giving your campaign momentum. The Flyers section features posters, sample business cards, brochures and leaflets. Other Items includes sample bylaws, images for websites and basic organization documents. Media includes audio and video archives, as well as links to press conference examples and press releases. The contacts section includes the list published each quarter in Green Pages, downloadable as a Word document.

Why register Green? 
This subsite consists of three main sections: Basic Facts, I Became a Green…, and Making a Difference. The first section lists six basic reasons why registering Green is a good idea, with links to a voter registration form good anywhere in the United States, the platform, GP-US history and growth statistics, explanations of grassroots democracy, the Peace Action Committee and other supporting data, articles and useful information.
The second section is a list of short personal stories from individual Greens about how they came to the Green Party and why they stayed. This section needs a few more examples to be complete.

The last section is, as its name implies, a listing of how Greens are making a concrete difference in the world around them. The page is a list by state of what Green officeholders, candidates and parties have succeeded in doing to improve life and government for Americans. This section is also still in progress, but as states contribute their bullet points of accomplishments, it promises to be a powerful argument in favor of Green politics.

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