Grassroots fundraising

Peer-to-peer fundraising growth has been promoted by the increased use of affiliations and donor networks. Amongst a younger peer group that views their age mates as role models who they can trust for advice. Peer networks have continued to expand in many ways, extending towards the traditional door-to-door or solicitation at the places of work. Grassroots in the modern age involves extensive use of e-mail communication, internet websites, and social media for monetary support.

Non-profit donors benefit effectively from a system that contributes monthly. Accepting little amounts can reduce the absolute financial burden and anxiety that a donor experiences, yet amounting to large amounts over time.

Most people prefer to support in different ways hence this strategy provides them with multiple calls-to-action in the campaign communications. For example, a campaign was done from the international Rescue Committee to reach out to their supporters as a response to presidents Donald Trump's refugee ban. They gave their supporters a variety to get into the campaign:

• Advocacy: to tell the president to end the refugee ban.
• Fundraising: Donate to help support the refugee family relocation fees.

These aspects go hand in hand with the present events and the news cycle. Research has shown that the content are most viral if the message makes people angry.[2] normally the call-to-action and campaign should be:

• Specific
• Inspiring
• Timely
• Urgent

Understanding what inspires the supporters is key to engaging effectively with them. Such information when targeted to them causes support gained from them to improve, the opportunities they'd enjoy and the kinds of communications they prefer. Some demographics such as gender and age are easy to understand while others are not. Therefore, one should keep track of data as much as possible. Ultimately, this strategy allows you to understand what is best for the supporters.

Since not all of the campaign messages should be sent to every supporter group. Therefore, the organizations data can be used to segment[3] the supporters into sensible groups.

There are very many legislative actions taken every year (more than 1.5 million). Therefore, there is the need to be picky when it comes to advocacy and grassroots campaigns.

In 2004, presidential candidate Howard Dean built up his campaign around grassroots fundraising.[5] In an interview with Jeff Howe, Dean described a $2,000-per-plate fundraising lunch organized by Vice President Dick Cheney for George W. Bush's re-election. In response, Dean challenged his supporters to come to their computers with him "for lunch". Dean was able to match the amount raised by Cheney's fundraiser. He remarked, on his use of the Internet to raise funds for his campaign, "The Internet isn't magic, it's just a tool that can be used to do things differently."[6]

According to Spencer A. Overton, a professor at George Washington University, Obama's presidential campaign received the most grassroots fundraising of presidential candidates in the first Quarter 2007 based on contributions under $200 with $5.77 million, more than double the nearest candidate, John McCain, who got $2.54 million. Out of Obama's quarter fundraising total, 22% came from contributions under $200 with McCain again second at 19%. However, candidates outside the top tier received larger portions of their funds in contributions under $200 with Tancredo at 78%, Brownback 61%, Paul 39% and Kucinich at 68%.[4]

In the 2008 Republican primaries, presidential candidate Ron Paul has made significant use of the Internet to organize grassroots fundraising efforts. His campaign is unique in seeing many grassroots fundraising events begin completely independent of the campaign.[7] The most notable of these was the November 5, 2007 "moneybomb", spread virally through forums like YouTube and Myspace. It managed to earn Paul $4.2 million in one day, breaking the online fundraising record as well as raising more than any other Republican candidate in the election. Ed Rollins, the manager of Ross Perot's 1992 presidential campaign, said of Paul's grassroots support, "What he's done – what his supporters have done – is astonishing. You can't dismiss his anti-war vote. You can't dismiss the power of one man standing up with a powerful message. I'll tell you, I've been in politics for 40 years, and these days everything I've learned about politics is totally irrelevant because there's this uncontrollable thing like the Internet. Washington insiders don't know what to make of it."[8]