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Early Donor Enthusiasm: Harness grassroots energy to maximize impact and fundraising

It’s an understatement to say that the beginning of 2025 has ushered in significant changes in the political landscape. After an incredibly high-raising presidential race and a demoralizing election defeat, there was uncertainty about how quickly donor enthusiasm would bounce back in the new year.

But just two months in, one thing has become clear: Grassroots donors are rising to the occasion.

Political fundraising and new donor energy in February was higher than the first six months of last election year. In fact, the giving trends we’re seeing more closely resemble giving in the summer of a presidential election year. And with many campaigns just ramping up or not yet getting started, this snapshot is likely underreporting the amount of grassroots giving enthusiasm out there.

Take a look at the increases in donations in February, particularly from new donors, which jumped by 231% in one month:

The political organizations harnessing this energy and making investments in The Digital Co-Op right now are driving impressive immediate returns:

  • Email acquisition payback windows are as fast as three weeks with the average return window between two-and-a-half-to-three months.
  • One organization using MissionSMS saw an immediate 202% return. In fact, MissionSMS is outperforming four other rental vendors on immediate ROI across multiple tests, averaging 100% immediate payback for partners.
  • Another organization has converted more than 2,000 donors in less than two months.

What this tells us is that donors are showing up and giving at impressive rates – particularly new donors who are ready to jump into the fight. For campaigns and organizations looking to build up their digital infrastructure or increase revenue, now is the time to ramp up fundraising and acquisition efforts.

So let’s get your next Digital Co-Op investment planned now – to bolster your audience with powerful list growth that makes the most of this unique time in political fundraising. You can reach out directly: thedigitalcoop@missionwired.com, or get in touch with your co-op contact to get the conversation started.