​Survey co-sponsors:

• Bridge to Victory
• CivicShout
• Democracy for America
• East Bay Activist Alliance
• Sister District
• Walk the Walk
• Women Engaged Steering Committee

2022 Political Donor Survey Debrief

December 14, 2022

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The Survey

Distributed by nine fundraising networks and organizations, November 15 to December 6.

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Responses from 1,215 people.

The Respondents

• 90% white

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• Majority women (62% women vs. 34% men)

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• Older: 76% over the age of 65. And 90% age 55+

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• Ordinary financial means: only 4% describe as wealthy or having “a lot of extra money.”

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Years of Giving and Amount

• 62% have been giving for “many years or decades, while 25% since 2016.

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• 46% have “significantly” increased giving in recent years

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• Mostly small to medium donors.
• 52% gave no more than $750; 40% gave $250 or less
• 13% gave $2,500 to $10,000
• 6% gave $10,000 or more

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Survey Respondents: How Typical?

• All respondents are part of fundraising networks.

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• Respondents were more likely to be women than typical. (61% of U.S. donors in 2022 were men.)

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• Respondents gave more than most donors.

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• But age is reflective; median age of U.S. donor is 66.

Sources of Information

People make giving decisions based on an information from a wide range of sources. Top cited:

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• Reading the news (73%)
• Candidates (70%)
• Own research or Internet (58%)
• Democratic Party (43%)
• Funding intermediaries (33%)
• Someone they know or trust (31%)

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Research: Hands on or Hands off?

• 52% said they do their own research

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• 40% said they “rely on trusted sources and endorsements”

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• 8% give “in the moment”�

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Funding Intermediaries People Have Used

• Democratic Party committees (69%)

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• Emily’s List (34%)

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• Senate or House Majority PACs (33 & 29%)

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• Swing Left (20%)

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• Movement Voter Project (15%)

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• Sister District (12%)�

Confidence?

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• 79% said they “often” or “always” have enough reliable information.

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• 65% have confidence their money is used effectively.

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Is Finding c3 Giving Options Important?

How Early Do They Start Giving Before an Election?

Organizations or Candidates?

Most respondents said they give to both organizations and candidates, but lean heavily toward candidates.

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Factors That Most Determine Candidate Selection

• Control of a legislative chamber (47%)

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• Competitive race (23%)

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• Candidate’s opponent (16%)

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• Recommended by trusted source (9%)

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• Well funded or not (5%)

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Factors That Most Determine Organization Selection

• First hand knowledge (38%)

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• Quantitative evidence of impact (20%)

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• Grassroots with community ties (17%)

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• Recommended by intermediary or other trusted source (11%)

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What Factors Have Led Them To Give More?

• Personalized outreach from campaigns (47%)

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• Outreach from organizing groups (40%)

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• Persuaded by research of impact (27%)

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• Outreach from Democratic Party (26%)

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• Urgent emails and texts (20%)

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• Outreach from intermediary (19%)

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What Changes Are Wanted?

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• Less panic in emails/texts; more analysis & logic (81%)

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• Fewer fundraising emails and texts (75%)

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• More evidence-based research of impact (65%)

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• More transparency in communications from candidates/orgs (64%)

A Few Takeaways

• Donors plugged into fundraising networks give in largely conventional ways, but want to do things differently.

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• Heavy reliance on information from candidates, party committees, and the news. Limited reliance on funding intermediaries.

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• But strong desire for more rigorous research to guide donations.

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• Don’t like quantity or tone of fundraising appeals. Want more logic.