When Black women start thinking about running for elected office, one of the first questions we often ponder is “how am I going to raise the money?” 

Political fundraising is riddled with stories about candidates succeeding because of cash injections from wealthy donors, but that’s not the only path to securing the dollars needed to run a winning campaign. We’ve seen time and time again that Black women candidates can raise the money needed to be competitive, and that they don’t need to be the highest fundraisers to win. They do, however, need a firm belief in their cause and a clear understanding of what motivates people to financially support political candidates. 

Black women candidates in particular often have to become comfortable with asking for financial support. This can require a perspective reset in the minds of individuals who are frequently successful because of their bootstrapping skills. A first step in acquiring this new level of ease with fundraising is to remember that you aren’t asking for money to buy a pair of shoes or go on vacation. You’re asking for people to invest and have a hand in building the future they want to see. You’re asking them to be a part of the changes that you both agree need to be made to ensure a more equitable world where all families and communities thrive in a healthy, safe and economically secure environment.

With that new perspective on fundraising in mind, let’s talk through the steps to bring in the dollars. 

#1 Motivation

People are motivated to give money for one of four reasons:

• They give to help others achieve an otherwise out of reach goal (e.g., supporting a scholarship)
• They give because it’s fun (e.g., attending a charity entertainment event)
• They give because it advances a cause they care about (e.g., stopping world for 
• They give in hope of gaining access (e.g., they’ll be in the room with decisionmakers and can share their thoughts and concerns)

#2 Message Delivery

Now that you know why people give, why should they give to you? What is your message? When speaking to donors you should be able to concisely give your reason for running, why that reason is relevant to the current situation in your community, what makes you prepared to take this on, and why you need their help right now. 

Write this messaging down and practice it. It will come in handy when you are talking to voters, endorsers and donors, even on the fly. 

#3 Making the Call 

How do you know who to call? Think of people in your personal circle, your close friends, family and professional colleagues who know this is something you’ve been thinking about. 

The next group of people to think about are those who share your ideology, your cause or your advocacy for particular causes. You can also reach out to members of your religious, cultural or ethnic group(s)

An interesting group to think about are those with Axes to grind. They may be motivated to support you because they don’t like your opponent. The enemy of my enemy is my friend philosophy may unearth some fertile fundraising opportunities. 

The last group to approach is the “power circle.” They are political insiders, prominent thought leaders on your issues, those who understand the investment in access and people who want to protect and advance their economic interests.

As you work through these different groups of people, you should approach them in order, your friends and family should be the first ones to support you and the power circle will come on board when they see you are close to winning. Make a list of names in each category and put a dollar amount next to each. No contribution is too small. If someone only give you $5 that’s $5 more than you had when you began, and you are $5 closer to creating the change you want to see in the world. 

When it comes to political fundraising remember that you already took the boldest step in the process when you entered the race. So, don’t let asking for money be your stumbling block, and don’t limit your ask to whether or not you think someone is able to give or what they are able to give. Ask and let them tell you what they can do.