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      Who can and can't contribute to a party committee

Who can and can't contribute to a party committee Who can contribute Individuals An individual may make contributions to party committees, subject to limits. Minors An individual who is under 18 years old may make contributions to party committees, subject to limits, if: The decision to contribute is made knowingly and voluntarily by the minor;The funds, goods or services contributed are owned or controlled by the minor, proceeds from a trust for which he or she is a beneficiary or funds withdrawn by the minor from a financial account opened and maintained in his or her name; andThe contribution is not made using funds given to the minor as a gift for the purpose of making the contribution, and is not in any way controlled by another individual.
 Partnerships A partnership may make contributions to the state, district and local party committees of a particular state party (combined limit) and to a national party committee. A contribution from a partnership is attributed to the partnership and to each partner’s share of the firm’s profits or by agreement of the partners. In some cases, limited liability companies (LLCs) are treated as partnerships. For the purposes of contribution limitations and prohibitions, an LLC is treated as a partnership if: It does not have publicly traded shares; andIt has chosen to file, under IRS rules, as a partnership; orIt has made no choice under IRS rules, as to whether it is a corporation or a partnership.
 Learn more about contributions from partnerships and LLCs
 Who can’t contribute A political committee is prohibited from knowingly accepting a contribution that violates the prohibitions on contributions. Corporations and labor organizations The Federal Election Campaign Act prohibits corporations and labor organizations from making contributions in connection with federal elections. (A corporation or labor organization may pay the expenses of setting up, administering and soliciting contributions for its own political committee, called a separate segregated fund (SSF or PAC). A party committee may accept contributions from a corporate or labor PAC registered with the FEC.) This prohibition applies to all types of incorporated organizations, except political committees that incorporate only for liability purposes. National banks and federally chartered corporations, such as federal savings and loan associations, are prohibited from making contributions in connection with state and local as well as federal elections. Contribution reimbursements A corporation or labor organization may not reimburse individuals who make contributions to a political committee, for example, through a bonus, expense account or other direct or indirect compensation. Extensions of credit An extension of credit to a political committee by an incorporated commercial vendor is a prohibited contribution unless the credit is extended in the ordinary course of business with terms substantially similar to those given to nonpolitical clients of similar risk. A prohibited contribution can also result if a corporate vendor extends credit for longer than the normal practice in the vendor’s business or if the vendor fails to make a commercially reasonable effort to collect payment on the debt. Forgiveness or settlement of a debt owed by a political committee must comply with the debt settlement procedures. Discounts If an incorporated commercial vendor sells goods or services to a committee at a price below the usual and normal charge, a prohibited contribution results in the amount of the discount. (There is, however, an exception for discounts offered by vendors of food and beverage.) A reduced price is not considered a prohibited discount; however, if it is offered by the vendor in the ordinary course of business at the same amount charged to nonpolitical clients. Compensation for services If a corporation or labor organization pays for services rendered to a committee, a prohibited contribution results. A corporation or labor organization may, however, provide free legal and accounting services to a party committee. Partnerships with corporate members Because contributions from corporations are prohibited, a partnership with corporate members may not attribute any portion of a contribution to the corporate partners. A partnership comprised solely of corporate partners may not make any contributions. Federal government contractors Federal government contractors are prohibited from making contributions or expenditures in connection with federal elections.
 Learn more about the federal government contractor prohibition
 Foreign nationals Federal law prohibits contributions, donations, expenditures(including independent expenditures) and disbursements solicited, directed, received or made directly or indirectly by or from foreign nationals in connection with any federal, state or local election.
 Learn more about the foreign national prohibition
 Contributions in the name of another Contributions made by one person in the name of another person are prohibited, and no one may assist someone in making such a contribution.
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          Handling a questionable contributionContribution limits for party committeesRefunds of contributionsPartnership and LLC contributions From the FEC Record Foreign nationals
Nonfederal committees' involvement in federal campaigns
 Need help? Get help from the FEC by phone or email
 Continue learning about this topic Contributions 2023-2024
 FECFile for PACs and party committees: Entering contributions from individuals and PACs
 Legal citations Regulations 11 CFR 100.52(d)In-kind contributions: anything of value 11 CFR 100.54Compensation for personal services 11 CFR 100.55Extension of credit 11 CFR 100.85Legal or accounting services to political party committees 11 CFR 110.1(c) and 110.2(c)Contributions to party committees 11 CFR 110.1(e)Contributions by partnerships 11 CFR 110.1(g)Contributions by limited liability companies 11 CFR 110.4(b)Contributions in the name of another 11 CFR 110.9Violation of limitations 11 CFR 110.19Contributions by minors 11 CFR 110.20Prohibition on contributions, donations, expenditures, independent expenditures, and disbursements by foreign nationals 11 CFR 114.1(a)(2)(iii)Establishment, administration, and solicitation of contributions to a separate segregated fund not a contribution or expenditure 11 CFR 114.2(a)(1)Definition of contribution and expenditure 11 CFR 114.2(b)Corporations and labor organizations prohibited from making contributions 11 CFR 114.2(d)Political committees prohibited from knowingly accepting or receiving corporate or labor organization contributions 11 CFR 114.5(b)(1)Use of corporate or labor organization treasury monies for establishment, administration, and solicitation of separate segregated fund 11 CFR 114.5(c)(1)(ii)Nothing of value may be given in return for or in the course of membership in a separate segregated fund 11 CFR 114.12(a)Incorporation of political committee for liability purposes 11 CFR 115.2Prohibition on contributions and expenditures from federal contractors 11 CFR 115.4Partnership; federal contractors 11 CFR 115.5Individual and sole proprietor; federal contractors 11 CFR 115.6Contributions and expenditures by employees of federal contractors 11 CFR 116.3(b)Extension of credit by incorporated commercial vendor 11 CFR 116.3(c)Extension of credit in ordinary course of business
 Advisory opinions AO 2008-11Applicability of federal contractor contribution prohibition to personal service contractor AO 2006-15Domestic subsidiaries of foreign corporation may donate to state and local elections AO 2005-20Use of federal contractor partnership's automated payroll system to allow partners to designate funds from their electronic payroll distributions as contributions to the partnership's nonconnected PAC AO 2004-06Web-based meetings and services to candidates and political committees AO 2000-17Establishment of SSF by subsidiary of foreign corporation AO 1995-15Foreign-owned subsidiary, earmarked contributions and payroll deductions AO 1993-20Purchase and distribution of candidate biography AO 1992-24Campaign's sale of assets and other debt settlement activities AO 1992-16Nonfederal contributions made by foreign parent's U.S. subsidiary AO 1991-01Credit card contributions to PAC of federal contractor partnership AO 1990-08Establishment of PAC by corporation majority-owned by foreign bank AO 1989-29PAC established by company owned by a foreign national AO 1989-20Contributions by committee funded by foreign-owned and foreign-financed corporation


This information is not intended to replace the law or to change its meaning, nor does this information create or confer any rights for or on any person or bind the Federal Election Commission or the public. The reader is encouraged also to consult the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (52 U.S.C. 30101 et seq.), Commission regulations (Title 11 of the Code of Federal Regulations), Commission advisory opinions and applicable court decisions.


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