Frequently Asked Questions About Political Fundraising

Effective political fundraising starts with a strategic approach designed to maximize contributions from supporters with means while also leveraging relationships with influential supporters who can significantly broaden a candidate’s support across their networks.

Done well, it also utilizes digital media, search-optimized web design, and content creation to reach likely supporters and voters across social and economic spectrums.

A proven professional political fundraising firm, like The Oblander Group, has the experience and expertise to combine these components to ensure campaigns maximize fundraising.

To qualify to run for office, candidates have to submit documents and pay a filing fee by a predetermined deadline, generally a few months out from the primary or special election. This date varies from state to state, so consult with the relevant secretary of state’s office for specifics.

In most cases, a candidate wouldn’t want to wait until the last minute to qualify, as that would greatly diminish the time available for fundraising and connecting with voters. However, a candidate with a strong name ID sitting on a lot of cash from a prior campaign may decide to do just that.

Call-time is a structured approach to directly soliciting campaign contributions from targeted supporters. The Oblander Group works with candidates to develop and segment lists of people to contact directly, along with a realistic financial ask. Candidates are staffed during call time to provide real-time coaching, to take notes, and facilitate followups

We typically schedule call-time in 90-120 minute blocks during standard business hours, Monday-Friday, 9am to 5pm. While we understand that you likely have other time commitments, successful candidates find a way to commit to multiple blocks of call time in a given week.

If you wish to be successful, you should plan to commit to doing call time multiple times a week.

Not if you want to win. Even civil rights icon and multiterm congressman, our client, the late Representative John Lewis, did call time. While there is a place for digital fundraising as a component of fundraising, it can’t replace the effectiveness of personal outreach to likely supporters of means and influence.

Call time also lends itself to expanding a candidate’s network. As targeted contacts invest in the campaign, it’s an easy ask to request that they share an email or a website link to their connections.

That doesn’t work. The high-dollar contributors in our network won’t back a candidate simply because they are a client of ours. They will want to see that others are already backing you before they will consider doing the same.

We start call-time by approaching the people who know you best – your family, friends, and business associates, especially those with means and influence.

Before soliciting contributions, you should create a campaign organization and incorporate it. The incorporated campaign then becomes the legal entity used for everything from campaign finance disclosures to the “paid for by” disclaimers seen or heard on printed campaign materials and commercials.

Next, you should plan to get a PO Box and a Bank Account established. You do not want to mix personal assets with campaign assets.

No. You can pay staff to work on your campaign, but you can’t pay yourself a salary for being candidate.

No. Doing so is illegal.

That said, the campaign can reimburse the candidate for campaign-related expenses. For example, if the candidate paid the fee to incorporate the campaign or to secure a post office box, the candidate could be reimbursed for those expenses.

The Oblander Group has been operating out of our offices in Atlanta, Georgia since our founding in 1999.

The Oblander Group works with campaigns and causes located across the United States.

The Oblander Group’s rates vary based on several factors, including the size and scope of the campaign, the campaign budget requirements, the amount of time available prior to the election, and the services needed.

We do not work on a commission basis.

The Oblander Group offers discounted pricing when certain services are contracted together. However, some of our digital services are offered a la carte, pending staff availability.

The Oblander Group will only work with one candidate in a given campaign. However, we do work with multiple clients concurrently, but none would be competing for the same seat as another current client of The Oblander Group.