Your web browser is not supported You're using Internet Explorer, some features might not work. Please switch to another browser like Chrome, Firefox, or Edge for a better experience.


An official website of the United States government Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .gov**
            
            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
            
            A **lock** ( A locked padlock ) or **https://** means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Federal Election Commission | United States of America Calendar
           Glossary
          Search
              Search


Menu
      Home
      Campaign finance data
        All data
            Raising
            Spending
            Loans and debts
            Filings and reports
            Candidates
            Committees
            Bulk data
            Campaign finance statistics
        Find elections. Search by state or ZIP code
          Look up contributions from specific individuals
      Help for candidates and committees
        All compliance resources
            Guides
            Forms
            Dates and deadlines
            Trainings
        Learn about electronic filing
          Find and contact your committee's analyst
      Legal resources
        All legal resources
            Advisory opinions
            Enforcement
            Statutes
            Legislation
            Regulations
            Court cases
            Policy and other guidance
        Search across all legal resources
          Search guidance documents
      About
        All about the FEC
            News and announcements
            Commission meetings
            Mission and history
            Leadership and structure
            Reports about the FEC
            Careers
            Working with the FEC
            Contact
        Introduction to campaign finance and elections


- Home
- ›
        Help for candidates and committees
- ›
        Fundraising for a separate segregated fund (SSF)
- ›
      Prior approval by corporate members of trade associations

Prior approval by corporate members of trade associations Request for corporate member approval: Prior approval process In addition to soliciting noncorporate members and its own personnel, a trade association may solicit the restricted class of member corporations (their executive and administrative personnel, stockholders and the families of both groups). Solicitation of a corporate member’s restricted class is a two-step process. First, the trade association must obtain the corporate member’s written approval for solicitation; second, and only after the corporate member’s prior approval has been granted, the association may conduct the solicitation. Requirements for prior approval request Before beginning its solicitation of the restricted class of a corporate member, a trade association must make a written request to the member corporation for permission to solicit the member’s restricted class. This request, known as a request for “prior approval” is sent to the corporate representative with whom the association normally conducts its activities. Any request for prior approval must inform the member corporation that: Corporate approval is necessary before the trade association or its SSF may conduct a solicitation; andThe corporation may not approve solicitations by another trade association for the same calendar year. Optional information The trade association may enclose a copy of proposed solicitation materials in its request for approval. Moreover, the trade association may note that it intends to limit the scope of the solicitation (for example, to just executive and administrative personnel but not stockholders). Format for prior approval request Because the request for prior approval is not considered a solicitation, it may be distributed to corporate members using a variety of formats. For example, a trade association may: Post an electronic request for prior approval on its website;Publish in its magazine or newsletter a form for obtaining solicitation approval from corporate members; andOperate a booth at which it requests solicitation approvals at its convention, annual meeting or similar event. The trade association may also receive written solicitation approvals at the convention as long as they are signed by persons authorized by the corporations to make such approvals.
 Learn more about the rules for SSF fundraising at conventions or meetings
 No matter what format is used when making the request for prior approval, the approval form must be written (or electronic) and include all the required information described. Written approval by corporate member As noted, the approval granted by the member corporation must be made in writing (or electronically as described in "Use of electronic signatures"). Because the representative of the member corporation grants approval on behalf of the corporation, the approval form should also indicate that the signatory is doing so on behalf of the specific-named corporation, for example,  "[the signature], for ABC Corp." (Normally, the representative is the person with whom the trade association normally conducts the association's activities.) Corporate approval of trade association solicitations in no way limits the corporation's right to solicit contributions for its own SSF. There is no limit on the number of member corporations from which a trade association can obtain solicitation approvals. In a particular calendar year, however, a corporation may authorize only one trade association to solicit its restricted class. Thus, the corporate member must designate the calendar year for which the solicitations are authorized; the authorization automatically expires on December 31 of the designated year. Multiple-year approvals A member corporation may grant its approval for several years in advance; however, the company must provide the trade association with a separate approval (in the form of a separate signature line) for each year. Approval extended to affiliated nonconnected PAC Any solicitation approval granted by a corporate member of a trade association also covers solicitations from a nonconnected PAC affiliated with the trade association's SSF. Use of electronic signatures A trade association SSF may accept corporate members' electronic signatures as written prior authorization to solicit the restricted class of their corporate members. The electronic authorization may be obtained through email or a website. In either case, the trade association must verify that: The prior approval forms were available only to representatives of corporate members; andEach electronic signature came from the specific corporate representative. Furthermore, a copy of the electronic approval had to be maintained, in a readily available form, for three years. Content of approval Scope A corporation's authorization may limit the scope of the solicitations to particular members of the restricted class (for example, stockholders only). Note that trade associations may not solicit persons outside of the member corporation’s restricted class. Frequency The corporate approval may also limit the number of times solicitations may take place during the calendar year. Unless otherwise specified in the approval, the trade association may conduct unlimited solicitations.
 Read next
            
          
            
          Solicitable class of a trade associationWho is a member of a trade associationTrade association federationsDonations to administrative account of trade association From the FEC Record Trade association solicitations
 Need help? Get help from the FEC by phone or email
 Legal citations Regulations 11 CFR 114.8(c)Limitations on soliciting restricted class of member corporations 11 CFR 114.8(d)Separate and specific approval (prior approval) 11 CFR 114.8(e)Solicitations 11 CFR 114.8(f)Solicitation of a subsidiary corporation
 Advisory opinions AO 2000-22Electronic signature for trade association's "permission to solicit" authorizations AO 2000-10"Permission to solicit form" placed on trade association webpage AO 1996-38Solicitable class of nonconnected PAC affiliated with SSF AO 1984-61Trade association's solicitation approvals AO 1984-33Trade association fundraiser sponsored by allied members


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.


About
          Careers
          Press
          Contact
   Privacy and security policy
          Plain language
          No FEAR Act
          Strategy, budget and performance
 Open government
          Protected Voices
          USA.gov
          Inspector General
          FOIA
 OpenFEC API
          GitHub repository
          Release notes
          FEC.gov status


Federal Election Commission
 The FEC's Twitter page
            The FEC's YouTube page Sign up for FECMail


Hide glossary Glossary Search terms