Basic Checklist For Affiliates

Below is a basic checklist by functional area. Note that items will vary in importance and may depend on the goals and priorities set forth by an affiliate. Higher performing affiliates will have other items that are not even on this list.

Admin/Organization

• Has an organization that prioritizes teamwork and positivity.
• A culture that focuses on running and electing candidates to office (not a social club).
• Holds monthly or quarterly EC meetings in-person
• Communication tool for party leaders such as a email group, FB group or Slack (preferred)
• Online repository/wiki of marketing assets/knowledge/reports/processes
• List of vendors (signs, lit, banners, mailers, etc)
• Organizational structure covering core functions: Political, Finance, Communication, IT, Field Development
• If there is paid staff: recruitment of intern(s)

Political

• Runs at least 3 candidates each election cycle
• Has at least 3 elected officials
• $40 per 10,000 in population fundraising (12 states currently satisfy this criteria)
• Candidate prospecting process
• Candidate training seminars
• Distribution of lists to candidates
• Volunteer routing to candidates
• Professional headshots of candidates

Communications

• Professional logo and branding guidelines (colors, fonts, style)
• State LP introductory literature piece
• Current media list
• Active social media on at least Twitter and Facebook
• Issues press release or original article on a monthly basis
• Responsiveness to inquiries, new members and volunteers from lp.org and state site

 Finance

Direct Mail Program

• Send 2 to 6 fundraising letters per year specifically for fundraising (not just part of a newsletter).
• Proper stationery: letterhead, professionally printed #9 and #10 envelopes, contribution form.
• In-house laser printer or established relationship with local printer

Emails & Website

• Send 4 to 12 emails per year focused specifically on fundraising (not just part of a newsletter)
• Donating on website is easy and painless (Anedot, PayPal, Authorize.net)
• Has a donation form that people can print and mail
• Has a monthly pledge programs to bring in a predictable flow of funds

Phone

• Call people and ask them to donate, preferably by credit card over the phone
• Membership renewals are followed up with via phone (okay to send mail renewal letter first)

In-Person

• One-on-one meetings in person with wealthy donors

 IT

• Functional database with current data
• Segmenting database (e.g. national members, state members, outreach event attendees, volunteers, inquiries, territory, etc)
  • Professional email service provider (e.g. Constant Contact, MailChimp)
  • Website: does it leave a favorable impression?
  • Issues prominently on website
• Online donation acceptance
• Using national data e.g. National members in monthly data dump, are they being welcomed?
• New contacts are followed up within 2 days
• Non-disclosure agreement
• Database backup procedure

Outreach

• Conducts at least 4 major outreach events each year
• Has some system to train in new volunteers
• Professional event signage
• Follows up with new contacts

 Field Development

• A clear structure on how to be a local affiliate (outlined in bylaws)
• A map that shows what affiliates are active, in progress, no active.
• Affiliates trained on what is expected of their affiliate. Field Dev director is interfacing with counties.
• Clear instructions on steps to form affiliate.