ActBlue Civics is the 501(c)(4) arm of the left-of-center pass-through political action committee ActBlue and its 501(c)(3) pass-through affiliate ActBlue Charities. ActBlue Civics functions as a fundraising platform that facilitates donations to other 501(c)(4) left-leaning activist organizations.¹

Overview

The ActBlue website was launched in 2004 by Ben Rahn and Matt DeBergalis as a fundraising platform for left-wing nonprofits, liberal political candidates, and Democratic-aligned PACs.² ActBlue Civics was formed eight years later in 2012.³ According to its own estimates, ActBlue has helped to raise $2.4 billion for its clients since its creation.⁴

ActBlue is divided into three components, each of which deals with a specific type of donation. ActBlue Non-Federal deals with PAC contributions, ActBlue Civics manages contributions to 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations, and ActBlue Charities manages contributions to 501(c)(3) nonprofits.⁵

In addition to publishing its list of clients on its website for donors’ ease-of-use, ActBlue also stores contributors’ credit card information, which “reduces the friction involved in filling out donation forms to a single click.”⁶

ActBlue provides grassroots fundraising software that allows its clients to maximize their impact. These tools are available on all three of their platforms.⁷ ActBlue also “run randomized experiments to increase the efficiency of its donation forms.”⁸

Clients

Act Blue Civics has served a number of left-of-center 501(c)(4)  clients, including the Center for American Progress Action Fund, American Civil Liberties Union, America Votes, National Organization for Women, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Democratic Socialists of America, Alliance for Justice Action Campaign, MoveOn.org Civic Action, Priorities USA Action, and Demand Justice.⁹

Outside Funding

In 2012, Act Blue Civics received $7,500 from the Tides Foundation.¹⁰

1. “About Us.” ActBlue. Accessed July 30, 2018. https://secure.actblue.com/about.
2. Hartmann, Michael E. “ActBlue Fundraising Platform Strikes Gold — for Liberals | RealClearPolitics.” RealClearPolitics. January 23, 2018. Accessed July 23, 2018. https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2018/01/23/actblue_fundraising_platform_strikes_gold_–_for_liberals_136068.html.
3. “Business Entity Summary.” Corporations Division. Accessed January 16, 2019. http://corp.sec.state.ma.us/CorpWeb/CorpSearch/CorpSummary.aspx?FEIN=455097038&SEARCH_TYPE=1
4. “Billions Raised Online since 2004.” ActBlue. Accessed July 23, 2018. https://secure.actblue.com/.
5. Hartmann, Michael E. “ActBlue Fundraising Platform Strikes Gold — for Liberals | RealClearPolitics.” RealClearPolitics. January 23, 2018. Accessed July 23, 2018. https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2018/01/23/actblue_fundraising_platform_strikes_gold_–_for_liberals_136068.html.
6. Willis, Derek. “How ActBlue Became a Powerful Force in Fund-Raising.” The New York Times. October 09, 2014. Accessed July 25, 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/09/upshot/how-actblue-became-a-powerful-force-in-fund-raising.html.
7. Castenell, Aimée. “How to Increase Donations on Giving Tuesday with ActBlue.” Fission Strategy. October 17, 2016. Accessed July 23, 2018. https://fissionstrategy.com/now-nonprofits-can-increase-donations-on-giving-tuesday-with-actblue/.
8. Willis, Derek. “How ActBlue Became a Powerful Force in Fund-Raising.” The New York Times. October 09, 2014. Accessed July 25, 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/09/upshot/how-actblue-became-a-powerful-force-in-fund-raising.html.
9. “About Us.” ActBlue. Accessed July 30, 2018. https://secure.actblue.com/about.
10. “ActBlue Civics.” Grant Analyzer. Accessed July 23, 2018. http://www.foundationsearch.com/FindFunders/GrantVisualizer.aspx?searchid=4012725.