Monthly Stats Report, Feb. 2010 featured image placeholder

Monthly Stats Report, Feb. 2010

You may be familiar with our quarterly statistics posts on the ActBlue Blog. By popular demand, we’re going to start releasing information more frequently, starting with monthly stats posts. The purpose is to highlight successful techniques and strategies, and nothing below should be misconstrued as an endorsement of a particular campaign or committee. In the future we’ll also start drilling down to the state level to provide more insight into fundraising dynamics there.

Let’s get started by looking at our February 2010 overview.

 

Number of contributions 31,470
Total raised $2,335,868.11
Average contribution size $74.23
Distinct committees receiving money 1,007
Distinct fundrapages receiving money 745
Fundraising pages created 592

When we compare these numbers to February 2008, which was presidential year with a historically active primary season, we see growth across the board. The number of contributions was nearly double the 16,545 from two years ago. The total money raised increased by more than 500k over 2008 and the average contribution size was about 30% smaller. Finally, the number of fundraising pages created and receiving funds were both significantly higher.

I want to highlight one number that would otherwise be overlooked: the 1,007 separate campaigns and committees that received a check for contributions made through ActBlue in February. That’s a 70% increase over February of 2008! Included in those hundreds of new entities are state based campaigns, some local jurisdictions that ActBlue has expanded to, county parties, and more. We’re excited about the growth and ability to sustain smaller and more localized committees with the same fundraising platform that has powered U.S. Senate and presidential campaigns.

Here are the Top 10 Campaigns & Committees for February 2010 (by donors).

Committee NamePCCC – Progressive Change Campaign Committee TypeOrganization Donors8,744 Amount$71,999.48
Michael Bennet CO-Sen, 2010 8,237 $72,533.75
Democracy for America 6,594 $38,796.98
Kirsten Gillibrand NY-Sen, 2010 6,273 $41,241.93
Alan Grayson FL-08, 2010 4,646 $45,791.43
Chellie Pingree ME-01, 2010 3,930 $29,199.58
Jared Polis CO-02, 2010 3,892 $27,740.12
Anthony Weiner NY-09, 2010 2,766 $74,102.82
FDL Action PAC PAC 1,126 $29,038.28
Jennifer Brunner OH-Sen, 2010 479 $20,024.05

Just missing the top 10 were a Florida attorney general candidate and a Virginia state house candidate. At the federal level, ActBlue funds went to a healthy mix of Netroots-oriented organizations & PACs, US Senate candidates, and US House candidates.

In fact, the two highest ranked candidates Michael Bennett & Kirsten Gillibrand are connected to the top two organizations–they were all part of February’s singular most successful fundraising page. That page, created by the PCCC & DFA, encouraged donations to the two Senators leading the effort to restore a public option to the developing healthcare bill.

The PCCC/DFA page made use of the strengths inherent in ActBlue: it demonstrated the financial muscle of those organizations–specifically, their ability to provide financial support to like-minded legislators–and directed positive attention toward those fundraising efforts.

You can see the full list of the top 10 fundraising pages (by donors) below.

Name Donors Raised Average
senateheroes-letter 8183 $157,426.74 $19.23
polispingreegrayson 3992 $109,397.86 $27.40
weinercdthc02242010 2358 $53,342.01 $22.62
pccc_main 1228 $25,544.36 $20.80
firedogs 976 $27,280.03 $27.95
jenniferbrunner 420 $17,815.39 $42.41
fdlfiredogs 206 $9,040.50 $43.88
heat4mdp 126 $6,346.00 $50.36
washingtondays2010 112 $16,596.00 $148.17
allaboutjoe 109 $2,184.00 $20.03

 

I always enjoy looking at the top fundraising pages list because it shines a light on some of the more unique pages. We’ve talked about the top page already, and there are others in the top 10 that use similar strategies of rewarding “good” behavior by fundraising on a candidate’s behalf. But there is some great diversity at the bottom of this Top 10 list. Pages like “Washington Days,” a fundraiser for the Kansas Democratic Party and (my favorite) the Fix our Furnace Fund page. The latter uses a fundraising thermometer, picture, and compelling story to raise money for the Maine Democratic Party to replace a broken furnace at their Augusta Headquarters!

Be sure to take a look at the linked pages to get some ideas on how you can create your own successful fundraising pages for your candidates and committees.

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