Process For Targeted Campaign Resources Program And Campaign Staff Matching Funds Programs
The Coordinated Campaign Committee (CCC) of the U.S. Green Party (GP-US) is excited to work with Green candidates, campaign managers, staff, and volunteers during the 2003-4 election cycle. We pledge to work cooperatively with campaigns and party committees across the country committed to running strategic, professional, winning campaigns. We want to help campaigns win!
TARGETED CAMPAIGN RESOURCES PROGRAM
(1) Overview and Goals
The CCC allocates various campaign resources available to candidates. The CCC works with other national party committees to determine the nature and availability of resources for campaigns. The CCC makes monthly assessments of what resources are available and decides how to distribute available resources to campaigns. Possible resources include special promotions on Green websites and in newsletters and mailings; special calls for volunteers or mobilization of volunteers to particular campaigns; and special fundraising efforts.
(2) Eligibility for Participation
a. The applying entity must be a campaign for office running on the Green Party line in a partisan race or as an acknowledged Green candidate in a nonpartisan race (must provide explanation if latter). State and local Green Party organizations are not eligible to apply for these matching funds.
b. Completion of a CCC Campaign Questionnaire.
(3) Requirements
Upon evaluation of the campaign’s application, Candidates must receive at least 1 point for targeting question #1 and 1 point for targeting question #2 to qualify for the program.
CAMPAIGN STAFF MATCHING FUNDS PROGRAM
(1) Overview and Goals
In a grassroots campaign, people power makes the difference. Having a staff person who can dedicate him or herself to winning can push a Green candidate into office. The CCC has therefore established a fund that will match money put up by individual campaigns, up to a maximum amount, towards the expenses of campaign staff. The amount currently allocated to this program in 2003 is $5,000.
The aim of this program is to assist small campaigns without access to strong state, regional or local Green Party support, where a relatively small amount of matching funds for staff will make a significant difference.
(2) Eligibility for Participation
a. The applying entity must be a campaign for office running on the Green Party line in a partisan race or as an acknowledged Green candidate in a nonpartisan race (must provide explanation if latter). State and local Green Party organizations are not eligible to apply for these matching funds.
b. Completion of a CCC Campaign Questionnaire, including all questions related to the Campaign Staff Matching Fund Program.
c. Commitment to complete Matching Fund Program requirements (see below).
d. Campaigns that are eligible to participate in government matching fund programs with reasonable requirements are not eligible to apply for these matching funds.
(3) Requirements
All uses of funds awarded to a campaign must be in keeping with the proposed uses. Each awarded campaign must document the use of the program funds awarded and the required matching funds. Campaigns awarded must provide the following within 1 month of the election*:
a. Campaign proposal must spend matching funds on campaign staff (describe in proposal).
b. Copies of all filings with local government that include the awarded funds and the required matching funds.
c. A financial report showing how these funds were used.
d. A narrative describing how funds were used, how these uses compare to those proposed, how the awarded funds benefited the campaign, and any recommendations for how use of the funds might be improved in the future.
e. Candidates must receive at least 1 point for targeting question #1 and 1 point for targeting question #2 to qualify for the program.
* A form will be provided to all awarded campaigns requesting this information; the financial report and narrative together should not exceed 2 printed pages.
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION
The Resources Subcommittee of the CCC will administer both programs. The Resources Subcommittee will consist of 3 members and 2 alternates elected. Only members of the CCC can run to sit on the Resources Subcommittee.
PROGRAM CALENDAR OVERVIEW
Both programs run from December through November and contain three evaluation cycles. A fourth, year-long, evaluation cycle makes separate provisions for special elections and other elections that don’t fit into the other categories.
Detailed calendars and deadlines are included in the Process section in this document.
Note that the cycles overlap, since each period reflects the complete cycle, from first announcement of funds available through awardee’s report following the election.
(1) Cycle 1
Period: November through June
Description: Funding and resources for campaigns with elections in January-May.
(2) Cycle 2
Period: February through December
Description: Funding and resources for campaigns with elections in June-November
Note: A campaign applying in Cycle 2 may resubmit its application in Cycle 3 or submit an updated application.
(3) Cycle 3
Period: June through December
Description: Funding and resources for campaigns with elections in November
(4) Cycle 4: Special Elections Cycle
Period: Yearlong
Description: Funding and resources for campaigns for special elections that will generally have short campaign periods on short notice. Campaigns that have election dates in December or January may also apply for funds during this cycle.
PROCESS
(1) Circulation of program announcements
Period to get out announcement of upcoming funding cycle and deadlines through whatever further guidelines are established. Announcements must consist at minimum of:
a. Description of the purpose and process program
b. Precise information on how to submit an application (who, how, maximum length, etc.),
c. Deadline for applications
d. Contact information (who to contact with questions)
e. Eligibility and evaluation criteria
The Resources Subcommittee is required to, at minimum, notify the CC, the state contacts, and Green News; and post program announcements on the CCC and GPUS websites.
Announcements will be made:
November 15 for Cycle 1
February 20 for Cycle 2
June 20 for Cycle 3
On an on-going basis for Cycle 4
(2) Campaigns Complete Application For Programs
Campaigns that want to participate in the Targeted Campaign Resources Program and Campaign Staff Matching Funds programs must complete an application. The application can be found online at http://www.gp.org/committees/campaign/index.html. Campaigns can also request to receive one by mail.
The campaign questionnaire requests information to be used for qualitative and quantitative analyses of the campaign.
Applications are due:
December 15 for Cycle 1
March 20 for Cycle 2
July 20 for Cycle 3
On an on-going basis for Cycle 4
(3) Processing
The Resources Subcommittee will acknowledge the receipt of each completed questionnaire within 2 weeks. The Resources Subcommittee will also identify a contact person who will serve as the liaison between the candidate and the Subcommittee during the application process.
(4) Collection of Applications
During this period, the applications must be received by the CCC. The person receiving the applications will not read any applications until the review period begins. It is the responsibility of the submitting campaign to assure the application’s completeness. Applications will NOT be reviewed for completeness separately from the overall review.
The deadline for distribution of all applications to all reviewers is 3 days from application due date (including consideration of any conflicts of interest and absences).
(5) Application Review
During this period, reviewers must submit their reviews and recommendations. Recommendations should include prioritized list of which campaigns should be funded, how much each recommended campaign should receive, and when funds should be distributed. The subcommittee will draft a funding plan based on its recommendations. It will include a distribution schedule.
In 2003, all CCC members may complete evaluations of campaign questionnaires. In 2004 and beyond, only members of the Resources Subcommittee may evaluate campaign questionnaires.
a. Answers to the informational questions and Campaign Staff Matching Funds program questions are used to make qualitative assessments of the campaign.
b. Answers to targeting questions are used to make quantitative assessments of the campaign. The total points awarded by each CCC member are totaled and divided by the number of CCC members who complete evaluations. The average of points awarded is the “score” awarded to the campaign. CCC members are encouraged but not required to provide brief written comments about answers provided to targeting questions.
c. CCC members should use the following guidelines to award points for answers to targeting questions #1 and #2:
0 points should be awarded if no plan was submitted or information was inadequate.
1 point should be awarded if the plan is a good start. All areas of the plan lack sufficient substance and strategy, but can be improved. The plan demonstrates that the candidate and campaign manager communicated with each other about what the campaign should do. The plan does not touch on all aspects of an exceptional plan described in the questionnaire.
2 points should be awarded if there is a good plan that is thorough and realistic. The plan touches on most areas of an exceptional plan described in the questionnaire.
3 points should be awarded if the plan is exceptional. The plan must show that the campaign looked and analyzed data, has a realistic approach to what numbers they need to win, and have clearly thought out the strategy about messages and targeting.
Recommendations must be completed by:
January 5 for Cycle 1
April 5 for Cycle 2
August 5 for Cycle 3
On an on-going basis for Cycle 4
(6) CCC Questions and Discussion
Questions and discussion must be completed by:
January 20 for Cycle 1
April 20 for Cycle 2
August 20 for Cycle 3
On an on-going bases for Cycle 4
(7) Finalization of Funding
Decision must be made by:
January 31 for Cycle 1
April 30 for Cycle 2
August 31 for Cycle 3
On an on-going basis for Cycle 4
(8) Announcement of Selected Campaigns and Notification of Applicants
Campaigns will be notified by
February 7 for Cycle 1
May 7 for Cycle 2
September 7 for Cycle 3
The CCC will notify a campaign of its decision within two months of receipt of an application for Cycle 4.
(9) Distribution of Campaign Staff Matching Funds Awards and 0ther Campaign Resources
The CCC will identify the range of funds it anticipates distributing over the course of the year and will create an allocation plan that takes this range into account. The allocation plan will provide a funding range and approximate number of grants per funding cycle. The CCC will update the allocation plan as necessary throughout year. The Resources Subcommittee will allocate funds on a yearly basis for the 4 funding cycles described above using this allocation plan.
a. During the first funding year (2003) of the CCC, the entire committee will review the materials put out by the subcommittee and will review all of the applications and the recommendations prepared by the subcommittee members. There will be extended time for discussion to ensure that the entire committee agrees with the overall recommendations and process of the subcommittee (see below). Particular attention will be paid to the funding cycles and the amounts of time allocated for each portion of each cycle to ensure that sufficient time is available for each task and that the entire process is completed in the least amount of time possible.
b. In 2003, the CCC will implement this plan using only the second general elections funding (3rd) cycle and the special (4th) cycle that can take up some slack for having only one cycle in addition for its stated purposes. In announcements of the program, the entire scope of the program should be included so that potential applicants are aware of the program for 2004. In implementing the one fixed and one special cycles of funding, the CCC will adjust the schedule provided above to allow for increased announcement time and increased time for discussion and processing to allow the Subcommittee and the CCC the necessary time to set up an initial subcommittee and iron out the details for future cycles.
Fund Distribution will occur:
February-May for Cycle 1
May – November for Cyle 2
September – November for Cycle 3
On an on-going basis for Cycle 4
(10) Availability and Use of Evaluations
a. Candidates and their campaign managers may request copies of the CCC’s qualitative and quantitative evaluations within one month of the deadline for receipt of questionnaires. Campaigns must submit their request in writing or by e-mail to the Resources Subcommittee.
b. Evaluations of the Resources Subcommittee are available to members of the Coordinated Committee of the Green National Committee and co-chairs of accredited Green state parties upon written request to the CCC co-chairs. Members of the Coordinated Committee (CC) of the GP-US and co-chairs of state parties who receive the evaluation, comments, and targeting decisions must agree to keep the disclosed information confidential. Confidentiality requires individuals not to circulate the information by mail, radio, television, or Internet. Furthermore, an individual is prohibited from communicating in any manner to the press about evaluations of CCC members.
c. CCC evaluations are not endorsements of a candidate’s campaign by the Green Party of the United States, the CC of the Green Party of the United States, the CCC of the Green Party of the United States, or individual members of the committees.
d. CCC evaluations provide a guide for party committees to use when determining how to allocate financial, human, and other resources.
BACKGROUND ON THE CCC AND ITS PROGRAMS
The CCC was established in 2002. Our mission is to coordinate and support of federal, state, and local Green Party electoral campaigns. The CCC is comprised of ten members elected annually by the Coordinated Committee (CC) of the GP-US. A state may not have more than one representative on the CCC. CCC members communicate regularly by e-mail and meet twice per month by conference call.
The CCC began telephone and e-mail discussions about how to distribute party resources equitably to campaigns in March 2002. The first draft of the targeting proposal was circulated to the committee in June 2002. The CCC approved the final proposal on March 1, 2003 by consensus on a conference call by Masada Disenhouse of New York, Marnie Glickman of Oregon, Susan King of California, Dan Kinney of Pennsylvania, Ben Manski of Wisconsin, Logan Martinez of Ohio, and Juscha Robinson of Michigan.