ACEC/PAC Fundraising Tops $1 Million Again in 2020

ACEC News / Advocacy

January 7, 2021

ACEC/PAC Fundraising Tops $1 Million Again in 2020

For the fourth consecutive year, ACEC/PAC raised more than $1 million to support business-minded House and Senate candidates. Forty states reached their annual fundraising goals.

The COVID-19 pandemic posed significant challenges for fundraising because most state MOs have historically raised the bulk of their PAC contributions through in-person meetings, events, golf outings, and conferences. With those events off-the-table, ACEC/PAC had to find other ways to reach members.

“We had to improvise,” said ACEC Political Affairs Vice President Dave Bender. “Working with the Executive Directors, PAC Champions, National Directors, and ExCom Liaisons, we set up more than 200 virtual meetings for our members with their Congressional Delegations. And this enabled us to engage with dozens of Council members who have not typically participated in our advocacy efforts in the past.”

The impact of the virtual meeting campaign was remarkable. On July 1, ACEC/PAC was down $250,000 compared to the same period in 2019, but by the end of the year, Bender estimated it will end up being down only about $20,000. As a result, despite all the difficulties, 2020 will be ACEC/PAC’s second-best fundraising year.

Numerous states hit milestones in 2020:

• Minnesota reached its fundraising goal for the first time.
• Indiana and Alaska hit their target for the 18th consecutive year.
• Maryland, Nebraska, Tennessee, and Wisconsin did for the 17th straight year.
• Indiana reached the highest percentage of goal (178 percent), followed by Arkansas (152 percent) and Connecticut (148 percent).
• Illinois raised the highest amount ($67,500), followed by New York ($66,500), and California ($63,500).
• Illinois also had the highest number of individual contributors (249), followed by North Carolina (159) and Ohio (148).    

For more information about ACEC/PAC and ACEC’s political programs, visit the ACEC/PAC website or contact ACEC Vice President Political Affairs Dave Bender or ACEC/PAC Director Jennifer Pugh.

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