FCRC Fundraising Model
Raising Funds for Grassroots and Other Initiatives
Currently Fairfax County has 1.3 million residents. For a multitude of reasons, a majority of those residents have not supported the Conservative Party in Fairfax with votes or donations. We can consider half of those residents to be leaning Democrat.
Our grassroots effort to rebuild the conservative base will work in conjunction with a calculated fundraising initiative designed around small dollar donations. We will be asking from our residents $5-10 donations with the ability to do automatic monthly donations. This will be our long-term plan which I would call donations that “keep the lights on” – supporting the everyday functions of our grassroots effort.
For example, if we target 20 people in each of the 9 districts (i.e., 180 people) in the county and each person dedicates $10/month that is $21,600/year. That is only 180 people out of the half a million that we can consider conservative or conservative leaning.
As our grassroots efforts grow, by 2027 that number of recurring small donors can increase twenty times, with a yield of small dollar donations coming in at just under half a million dollars per year.
Additionally, we will hold fundraising campaigns designed specifically for initiatives that we are supporting such as, but not limited to:
1. A specific candidate or candidates
2. A community initiative like providing food to needy families, tutoring for low-income families, etc.
3. Providing assistance to the homeless
The donations for the specific initiatives will be separate from our small dollar donation program so that 100% of those dollars will go directly toward that particular campaign.
The way forward is to build a strong foundation with a systematic plan for growth. As a small business owner, I understand that process of growth that entails cutting needless spending, client engagement to build rapport and trust, and a business model built around a mission and vision that everyone can rally behind. Each donor is looking at a return on their investment from the AUF-PAC, and as Chair I will ensure they will see their return.
Money isn’t Everything
Analysis of 2023 At-Large election results and dollars raised
There is a misconception that fundraising dollars equal victory at the polls. Well analysis has shown different in the Fairfax elections of 2023. The diagram created by Arthur Purvis (former Board of Supervisor candidate) shows that regardless if you spent $200 or $100,000 on your campaign, the vote totals were virtually the same. Yet, the common theme in this year's FCRC Chairman race is who can bring in big dollar donations. That is the furthest from the truth and the reality is a strong community GRASSROOTS game that is active during the off-year elections coupled with a strong message is the best formula for winning elections.
In 2016, Clinton and her allies, including her joint committees with the Democratic Party and the super PACs supporting her, raised more than $1.2 billion for the full cycle, according to the last reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. Trump and his allies collected about $600 million. With half as much money Trump won based on his campaign’s grassroots efforts by connecting with the people through door to door canvassing and a well planned social media blitz.
To win in Fairfax County we need to stop focusing on the donations and get back to the people. We have to remember that dollars are not votes, people are.
