Associations use a wide variety of strategies, tactics, and tools to pursue their advocacy goals. Political action committees (PACs) are an important part of the toolkit, providing a fundraising mechanism by which associations give electoral support to lawmakers who will help advance the organization’s policy agenda. 

Here, two seasoned association advocacy professionals share the lessons they’ve learned about fueling PAC success at the state and federal level.

Build a strong foundation. Kristin Nash, director of political fundraising at NC Realtors, says that “building a PAC is a lot like building a house. Without a strong foundation, erecting the structure will be very difficult and lead to instability over time.” A solid and efficient organizational structure—including clear PAC goals and bylaws and a PAC committee or board made up of the right people—will allow you to move beyond administration and build a dynamic program that involves a large number of your association’s members.

Understand the rules. Federal and state PACs are governed by different rules, and—to complicate matters—each state has its own rules for PACs operating in its jurisdiction. Federal PACs must register with the Federal Election Commission within 10 days of formation, and donors may contribute up to $5,000 per year. By comparison, under the state rules in Kentucky, PACs (known officially there as “permanent committees”) must register with the state Registry of Election Finance. State law allows donors to contribute up to $2,000 to a Kentucky PAC each election cycle. Every state has its own idiosyncrasies and unique rules for PACs, so be sure to follow the laws of your jurisdiction closely. 

Maintaining a fair and nonpartisan approach to grading legislators and determining who receives funding is important to provide accountability to members and lawmakers.

Implement a fair and nonpartisan process. Travis Burton, manager of public affairs at the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, says that maintaining a fair and nonpartisan approach to grading legislators and determining who receives funding is important to provide accountability to members who donate and to the lawmakers his organization works with during legislative sessions. The Kentucky Chamber publishes a scorecard reporting how lawmakers voted on key issues important to members.

Increase member involvement and recognition. When members contribute to an association’s PAC, they have made a deliberate decision to get politically involved with the issues the members and the association care about most. “An active, involved membership is a key part of our state association’s success,” Nash says. The NC Realtors PAC recognizes donors on event banners, and in one recent year a local association sent a postcard to thank every NC Realtors PAC investor. Burton adds that making PAC contributions is a way for members to help “keep business issues front and center.”

Show your results. The Kentucky Chamber publishes press releases to the state media on PAC activities and to local media outlets when a lawmaker requests the publicity. After each legislative session, the organization honors a select group of legislators with the Chamber MVP Award—an engraved Louisville Slugger baseball bat that recognizes actions they took to support Kentucky’s business community. The award is highly prized by lawmakers, Burton says.

Associations can use PACs to further their advocacy goals on both the state and federal level. To get the most out of this tool for your association, build a strong, transparent, and fair organizational structure, and use your PAC to engage your members—but be mindful of the rules surrounding PACs in various jurisdictions.