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Can I use ActBlue?

What types of organizations does ActBlue list? 

We can list eligible federal candidates, political committees, and nonprofit organizations.
We can also work with eligible candidates in all states (except CT) and some local candidates. Billing for some local and state candidates works differently. Check out our Pricing page to see if you need a merchant account.

ActBlue does not endorse or support any candidates or organizations. Instead, we aim to provide a platform for Democratic candidates, progressive organizations, and nonprofits to build small-dollar fundraising programs.

Please see below for guidelines on what types of campaigns and organizations are eligible to use ActBlue. Contact us if you are unsure if you qualify. ActBlue reserves the right to make decisions about an entity’s access to the platform on a discretionary basis.

Candidates

A candidate meeting any of the following criteria is impermissible:

  • A registered Republican and/or candidate running or filed as a Republican
  • A candidate for a partisan office running as an independent or undeclared, or a write-in and there is a Democrat(s) running,  unless:
    • The candidate is running in a multi-seat primary, or
    • The candidate is an incumbent and has a proven history of caucusing with Democrats 
  •  A candidate in a nonpartisan race affiliated with the Republican Party
  • A candidate that is not eligible to run for or hold the office they are attempting to run for
  • A candidate running for foreign, non-U.S. or non-U.S. territory office

A candidate must meet one of the following criteria to be permissible: 

  • A candidate registered as a Democrat
  • A candidate running or filed as a Democrat
  • A Democratic write-in candidate provided there is not another registered and properly filed Democrat on the ballot in a partisan general election
  • A candidate in a nonpartisan race affiliated with Democrats or endorsed by the Democratic Party 
  • A Democratic candidate running on multiple party lines where permitted

Independent or third party candidates running in partisan races will be considered on a case-by-case basis, with the following criteria as major factors:

  • Whether a Democratic candidate is in the race
  • Whether the candidate has a Democratic Party endorsement
  • Whether the candidate can demonstrate they align with Democratic policies and priorities

Committees, Political Action Committees (PACs), and 501(c)(4) Organizations

Our goal in working with committees, PACs, or other organizations is to help provide tools to groups that are mainly working with Democrats or working to advance any Democratic policy or other progressive outcomes.  Entities must demonstrate responsible stewardship of donor contributions and commit to using funds effectively to advance their stated mission and organizational goals.

When evaluating whether an entity is a responsible steward of donor dollars, ActBlue considers:

  • The entity's stage of development and operational needs
  • The entity's track record and pattern of behavior
  • The specific context and circumstances
  • Donor feedback and complaint patterns

A political action committee, party committee, 501(c)(4), or other organization that meets any of the following criteria is impermissible:

  • Any Republican committee, PAC, or organization
  • With the exception of primaries, a committee, 501(c)(4), or organization that has been set up solely to oppose one specific Democratic candidate
  • Any candidate-focused PAC or organization that spends against the Democratic nominee in a partisan general election
  • Any entity or campaign committee directly that is influencing a foreign election
  • Any entity whose fundraising or spending does not match its stated mission
  • Any entity that changes its mission without prior notification
  • Any entity that uses donor funds primarily for the self-enrichment of officers, staff, or related vendors
  • Any entity that fails to provide ActBlue with financial documentation demonstrating responsible use of donor funds upon request, including but not limited to impact statements detailing how contributions have been utilized to advance stated organizational goals
  • Any entity that is unable to produce publicly available documentation, including but not limited to a website or Form 990 tax returns (if applicable), upon request 

AB Charities: 501(C)(3) Organizations

All 501(c)(3) organizations are listed at the discretion of ActBlue Charities.

ActBlue Charities is open to 501(c)(3) organizations that meet both of the following criteria:

  • Engaged in grassroots fundraising
  • Its work is not at odds with values including, but not limited to, social equality; women’s rights; LGBTQIA2S+ rights; racial justice; diversity; freedom of speech; disability rights; and respect for scientific inquiry, discovery, and data 

In addition, entities that meet any of the following criteria are impermissible:

  • Non-501(c)(3) entities
  • Any entity that is unable to produce publicly available documentation, including but not limited to Form 990 tax returns and a website, upon request or fails to provide nonpublic IRS documentation, including but not limited to Form 1023 application materials or determination letter, at the onboarding stage
  • Any entity whose fundraising or spending does not match its stated mission
  • Any entity that changes its mission without prior notification
  • Any fiscally sponsored organization that fails to have their sponsoring entity confirm the fiscal sponsorship relationship in writing during the onboarding process

Entities engaging in international work need to meet the following criteria to be permissible: 

  • Entities must have its own U.S. EIN (not operating via a fiscal sponsor)
  • Entities must be headquartered (and have a mailing address) within the United States or its territories
  • Entities must not fundraise directly or indirectly for foreign elections, government, military, or on behalf of international political parties or organizations
  • Entities must not fundraise, directly or indirectly, on behalf of entities or individuals that are the target of U.S. sanctions or anti-terrorism measures. See ActBlue’s Terms of Service for more details

All candidates, campaigns, and organizations that use our platform must comply with our Account Use Policy.