Proposal for USGP Committee Fundraising

PROPOSAL FOR USGP COMMITTEE FUNDRAISING

PURPOSE: To specify general guidelines for committees to fundraise succesfully for their projects, while at the same time coordinating with other party fundraising activities and observing all legal requirements for fundraising activities by political parties.

PRESENTER: Fundraising Committee

CONTACT:
Jo Chamberlain, California, joc@pobox.com, or
Nathalie Paravicini, Texas, nathalie@greens.org

TIMELINE:
Discussion: March 4-17
Vote: March 8-25

BACKGROUND:
-- Starting with the next budget review, the Budget and Fundraising Committees will prepare and present for approval, budgets that include a tier 1 budget and a tier 2 budget.
-- A tier 1 budget is the budget approved and used for fundraising and organizing activities by the USGP. Tier 1 budget does include allocations for committees. A tier 1 budget is the budget the USGP projects to raise and spend.
-- A tier 2 budget are funds the USGP would like to spend but is not confident enough of raising to include in the basic budget. A tier 2 budget is evaluated and approved by the CC aloong with the tier 1 budget. A tier 2 budget is essentially what committees are trying to raise since their tier 1 funds should already be covered by the general fund.

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PROPOSAL

1. Standing Committees may raise funds for their approved committee budgets, if at the suggestion of the Steering Committee or a Budget Committee, part of a committee's requested budget is approved by the Coordinating Committee as a tier 2 budget item.

2. All funds raised will be deposited into the general USGP account, or in a special account, as determined by the Treasurer.

3. All fundraising activities must follow FEC law and USGP rules and guidelines. It is the responsibility of the committee to ensure that it learns these rules from the Treasurer or staff. Failure to follow these rules may result in the Steering Committee revoking fundraising privileges for the committee.

4. The Committee may raise no more than 10% above the amount budgeted for the committee. Any additional funds raised may not be spent without a budget amendment.

5. The Committee must coordinate with the Fundraising Committee so as to avoid conflicts in their plans.

6. Funds raised and earmarked for a committee may not be permanently spent for other activities, and can only be loaned for other expenditures with permission of the Treasurer and Committee Chair(s).

7. Expenditure of earmarked funds must follow normal appropriations procedures.

8. Committees with second tier budgets must submit a fundraising plan to the Fundraising Committee and Steering Committee for approval prior to starting fundraising activities.