How to Keep Donors Engaged Between Elections While You're in Office
To keep donors engaged between elections, start the week you win. The donors who got you elected are the start of your 2028 campaign. It’s easy to go quiet for a year and then call with an ask, and that’s the hardest way to raise money.
This guide is for Democrats who just won. It covers what to send, how often to ask, the rules to watch and a calendar for 2027.
Thank Them First, Personally
In your first few weeks, call your top donors yourself. Send handwritten notes to the next tier and a personal email to everyone else.
Don’t ask for anything in that first round. You’re thanking people, and they’ll notice the difference.
Send Updates, Not Just Asks
The simplest way to keep donors engaged is a short update every month or two: what you did, a photo, one thing coming up. Make most of your emails updates, and ask in only some of them.
Donors who hear from you between asks give again, because they’ve watched you do the job they paid to get you.
Keep Official and Campaign Lines Clean
Campaign emails come from campaign accounts and campaign staff. Your official newsletter can’t raise money or ask for votes.
For local officials in Arizona, the law bars using city or school district resources to influence elections. Members of Congress can’t solicit from their official offices.
Arizona legislators have one more rule. Under A.R.S. § 41-1234.01, registered lobbyists and their principals can’t contribute to you or solicit for you while the legislature is in regular session. Plan your fundraising around the session calendar.
Small Events and Small Asks
House parties, coffees and small dinners keep donors close without the cost of a big event. Ask a host committee of your strongest supporters to fill the room.
Build your small-dollar list too. A donor who gives $25 three times a year is worth keeping close. If you rent your list to allies between elections, our post on donor file rental covers how.
Track Every Relationship
Log every call, meeting and gift in your campaign CRM, along with what each donor cares about. When you send an update on water policy, the donors who care about water should hear it from you first.
A 2027 Calendar to Keep Donors Engaged
- January to March: thank-you calls and notes, then a session update. Legislators: no lobbyist money during session.
- April to June: your first real ask, tied to a result you can point to, and a small event.
- July to September: a summer update and a house-party round.
- October to December: a year-end ask, with the deadline as the hook.
Our swing-seat re-election plan shows how this fits into the full road to 2028. Sutton & Smart works with Democratic officeholders on fundraising, mail and field. Talk to us about your 2027 plan.
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Jon Sutton
An expert in management, strategy, and field organizing, Jon has been a frequent commentator in national publications.
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