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      FEC Record: Outreach
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      Joint fundraising (2011)

FEC Record: OutreachJoint fundraising (2011)November 9, 2011 Joint fundraising is fundraising conducted jointly by a political committee and one or more other political committees or unregistered organizations. Joint fundraising rules apply to: Party committees;
    Party organizations not registered as political committees;
    Federal and/or nonfederal candidate committees;
    Nonparty, unauthorized political committees (nonconnected PACs); and
    Unregistered nonparty organizations. 11 CFR 102.17(a)(1)(i) and (2). Joint fundraising rules do not apply to fundraising by separate segregated funds and their collecting agents. 11 CFR 102.17(a)(3). Instead, such organizations may only jointly raise funds with another affiliated committee or organization (for example,
    a related state PAC of a federal SSF) under FEC regulations at 11 CFR 102.6. See Chapter 3, Section 9 of the *Campaign Guide for Corporations and Labor Organizations*. **Joint fundraising representative** Joint fundraising participants must either establish a new political committee (using a Statement of Organization, FEC Form 1) or select a participating political committee to act as the joint fundraising representative (JFR). 11 CFR 102.17(a)(1)(i). If the JFR is a new committee, it must file a Statement of Organization (FEC Form 1) and check box 5(g) or (h) for the type of committee. If, on the other hand, the representative is an existing committee, it must amend its Statement of Organization.
    In either instance, the Statement of Organization must: Identify the committee as the JFR;
    List the names and addresses of all federal committees participating in the joint fundraising effort; and
    Name the depository institution being used by the JFR. In the case of a representative that is an existing committee, the depository is named only if it is different from the depository named on the committee’s current Statement of Organization. 11
        CFR 102.2 and 102.17(c)(3)(i); See also the instructions for FEC Form 1. **Separate depository** *Establishing the account.*Joint fundraising participants or the joint fundraising representative must establish a bank account to be used solely for the receipt and disbursement of all joint fundraising proceeds. 11 CFR 102.17(c)(3)(i). *Depositing contributions*.The joint fundraising representative must deposit contributions into the account within 10 days of receiving them. Only contributions permissible under the Act may be deposited in the joint fundraising account. If any participant is an unregistered organizationwhich may, under state law, accept prohibited contributions, the participants mayeither establish a second account for such contributions or forward them directly to theparticipants that may accept them.11 CFR 102.17(c)(3)(i) and (ii). **Written agreement required** Before conducting a joint fundraiser, all participants must enter into a written agreement that identifies the joint fundraising representative and states the allocation formula—the amount or percentage that the participants agree to use for allocating
    proceeds and expenses. 11 CFR 102.17(c)(1). **Allocation formula** Prior to a fundraising event, participants may advance funds to the joint fundraising representative for start-up costs of the fundraiser in proportion to the agreed upon allocation formula. 11 CFR 102.17(b)(3). Following the event, participants divide the gross proceeds based on the agreed upon allocation formula. If, however, the allocation formula results in an excessive contribution to any of the participants, the excessive portion must be divided among the
    other participants. If the reallocation would exceed all of the remaining participants’ limits, the excessive portion must be returned to the contributor. The allocation formula must then be recalculated based on each participant’s actual share of
    proceeds. 11 CFR 102.17(c)(6). If the final allocation formula differs from the original formula, the joint fundraising representative must recalculate expenses based on the formula used for proceeds. 11 CFR 102.17(c)(7). *Example:* Committees A, B, and C decide to form a joint fundraising committee for a fundraising event. Prior to the event, the committees decide upon an allocation formula for expenses: Committees A and B will each contribute 25 percent; Committee C will contribute
    50 percent. Since the event will cost $10,000, Committees A and B advance $2,500 and Committee C advances $5,000. Following the event, the joint fundraising representative determines that reallocation is necessary to avoid excessive contributions to Committee C. The new formula states that Committees A and B will each receive 30 percent each of the proceeds and Committee
    C will receive 40 percent of the proceeds. Since the allocation formula changed, the committees must recalculate the allocation of expenses. Committees A and B are each responsible for 30 percent of the cost of the event and Committee C is responsible for 40 percent of the cost of the event. **Joint fundraising notice** In addition to disclaimer notices, every solicitation for the joint fundraiser must contain: The names of all participants, regardless of whether they are registered political committees or unregistered organizations;
    The allocation formula to be used for distributing contributions;
    A statement informing contributors that they may designate contributions for a particular participant (notwithstanding the formula); and
    A statement that the allocation formula may change if any contributor makes a contribution which would exceed the amount he or she may lawfully give to any participant. 11 CFR 102.17(c)(2)(i). **Reporting: Joint fundraising representative** The fundraising representative reports all joint fundraising proceeds in the reporting period in which they are received. Any Schedules A used to itemize contributions must clearly indicate on the schedule that the receipts are joint fundraising proceeds.
    11 CFR 102.17(c)(3)(iii) and (c)(8)(i)(A). The fundraising representative must also report all disbursements made for the joint fundraiser in the reporting period in which they are made. 11 CFR 102.17(c)(8)(ii). Transfers of net proceeds to the joint
    fundraising participants are reported as transfers to affiliated committees and itemized on a separate Schedule B for that category. **Reporting: Participants** Each participating political committee reports its share of net proceeds as a transfer-in from the fundraising representative. A participating committee itemizes (if itemization is required) its share of gross receipts as contributions from the original
    donors on a memo entry Schedule A. When itemizing gross contributions, the participant must report the date of receipt as the day the fundraising representative received the contribution. 11 CFR 102.17(c)(3)(iii) and (c)(8)(i)(B). For more information on this area of federal campaign finance law, please consult the*Campaign Guide for Congressional Candidates and Committees*, the*Campaign Guide for Political Party Committees*,
    or the*Campaign Guide for Nonconnected Committees.* **Resources:** FECConnect on demand e-learning presentation on joint fundraising
    FEC Form 1 and instructions
    All FEC Campaign Guides
 Author
          Stephanie Caccomo


Read next: Joint fundraising (2013)
 Related: Explore campaign finance data »


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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