ActBlue

From dKosopedia

Category: Organizations

ActBlue's website is located at www.actblue.com

ActBlue's Mission

ActBlue is a Federal PAC that enables anyone — individuals, local groups, and national organizations — to fundraise for the Democratic candidates of their choice.

Launched in June 2004, ActBlue created and deployed the next generation of online fundraising technology, and has raised over $25 million for Democratic candidates and committees.

Previously, only the most well-funded and technologically-savvy groups have employed these powerful fundraising methods. But with ActBlue, groups and individuals need only choose their candidates and make their solicitations.

By providing all the technical, financial, and compliance systems, ActBlue enables every progressive organization and individual to make the most of their networks - rapidly raising otherwise untapped millions for Democrats in the closest races.

Highlights and History

• July 2006 — Actblue activates Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Texas, continuing the effort to support candidates for state offices across the country.
• June 2006 — Gov. Warner Mark Warner headlines fundraiser for ActBlue
• June 2006 — ActBlue activates Iowa, Indiana, Maine, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, bringing candidates for state executive and legislative offices in these states the same innovative fundraising technology that has revolutionized federal elections.
• May 2006 — ActBlue reaches $5 million raised for Democratic candidates since launching in June 2004.
• July-August, 2005 — In just two weeks, over $500,000 comes through ActBlue.com for the Paul Hackett campaign in the August 2 OH-02 special election. (Average contribution: $50.) These funds were raised by the blogosphere, Democracy for America, and many other grassroots communities and networks;
• February 12-15, 2005 — ActBlue hosts an internet-wide DNC fundraiser in honor of Howard Dean's selection, coordinated by the blogosphere. The effort raised $110,000 from 2360 contributors.
• November, 2004 — By the conclusion of the election, fundraisers using ActBlue raised $850,000 for 150 Democratic candidates for U.S. House and Senate.
• August-September, 2004 — ActBlue's users grow to include widely-read bloggers Daily Kos and Atrios, and the 100,000-member True Majority Action PAC.
• June 28, 2004 — ActBlue launches online bundling platform.

The ActBlue Team

• Matt DeBergalis graduated from MIT in 2000 with Bachelor's and Master's degrees in computer science. Narrowly defeated in his 2003 run for Cambridge City Council, Matt stunned the city's politicians with his unprecedented success at bringing over one thousand new voters to the polls. Previously, Matt worked at Network Appliance as an engineer and researcher, spending much of his time evangelizing NetApp's advanced technologies to industry partners. Since leaving NetApp, Matt has consulted for a variety of local firms on both technology and product development.
• Erin Hill graduated from Wellesley College in 2001 with a concentration in Public Policy Studies and a degree in English literature. Erin has worked in the Massachusetts State House, on Capitol Hill, and at Democratic National Headquarters in fundraising, operational and legislative research capacities. She spent the 2004 election cycle working on the finance staffs of the Kerry campaign and the Democratic National Committee.
• Karl-Thomas Musselman graduated from the University of Texas-Austin in 2006 with a Bachelor's in Government. Originally destined for NASA, he was redirected into politics thanks to Al Gore and Howard Dean. Most recently he served Tech Coordinator for the 2006 Travis County Coordinated Campaign where he managed and raised over $3500 for innovative student GOTV projects. He is the former Editor of the Texas political blog the Burnt Orange Report.
• Benjamin Rahn went on leave in 2004 from pursuing a theoretical physics Ph.D. at Caltech to work full-time on ActBlue. During college he interned in strategy consulting, taught elementary after-school programs, and successfully lobbied for undergraduate curriculum reform. After graduating from Harvard College he led a 20-member staff as Assistant Director of the Research Science Institute at MIT.
• Nate Thames graduated from the University of Kansas in 2006 with a Bachelor's degree in political science. During his time at KU he worked for the Kansas Coordinated campaign field program in 2004 and went on to be Technology Director and Vice President of the KU Young Democrats. After graduating, Nate served as the Deputy Finance Director for Congressman Dennis Moore, where he set was responsible for online fundraising strategy and planned major events.
• Jonathan Zucker spent the 2004 election cycle with the Democratic National Committee, where he served as National Director of Operations for Finance, overseeing technology, legal, compliance, vetting, and data-management for the DNC's $100 million major-donor program. Prior to the DNC, Jonathan worked with a wide variety of progressive and Democratic organizations as a fundraiser, legal counsel, and field organizer, including The Interfaith Alliance, Human Rights Campaign, GenderPAC, and the Democratic Leadership Council. Jonathan holds a B.A. in Political Science from Yale and a J.D. from Georgetown.