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        Taking in receipts as an SSF
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      Donations to administrative account of trade association

Donations to administrative account of trade association A trade association may solicit and accept donations of money, goods or services from its members to defray the operating, administrative and solicitation expenses of the association’s SSF. Such donations are not “contributions” as long as the donor qualifies as a member of the association. (The Commission has reasoned that when these funds were placed in the trade association’s general treasury, the association could use them in any event to pay the administrative and solicitation costs of its SSF.) Funds received for an SSF’s administrative, operating or solicitation expenses must be kept in a separate account from the SSF contributions (sometimes referred to as an "administrative fund"). This account must be used only for the administrative and solicitation costs of the SSF.
 Member donations of prizes or entertainment When prizes or entertainment are donated for an association's SSF fundraising event, the SSF must apply the “one-third rule” and reimburse the connected organization if the donated items are disproportionately valuable in comparison with the amount raised by the event.
 Learn more about the rules for fundraising using prizes or entertainment
 Donations from non-members If a trade association receives an unsolicited donation, to cover the SSF’s administrative and solicitation expenses, from an individual who is not a member of the trade association, that donation is a contribution to the SSF and is subject to the donor’s $5,000 annual limit. Because goods and services contributed by non-member individuals are in-kind contributions, they are not subject to the one-third rule. Similar contributions by non-member corporations are prohibited.
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          Understanding the SSF and its connected organizationDay-to-day operationsFundraising for an SSFWho is a member Need help? Get help from the FEC by phone or email
 Legal citations Advisory opinions AO 1995-28Solicitations by membership association AO 1995-17Trade association federation; donation of raffle prizes and one-third rule AO 1992-20Funds from members' corporate practice accounts used to pay SSF's expenses AO 1990-04Use of credit cards to make combined dues/contribution payments AO 1989-18Trade association PAC's use of raffle for fundraising AO 1980-59Corporate funds donated to defray administrative costs of separate segregated fund


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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