Creating a Robust Election-Year PAC Plan

8:30 a.m.      Networking Breakfast

9 a.m.            Lay the Groundwork: Creating Election-Year Goals

An election year provides an unmatched opportunity to engage eligibles, boost fundraising and increase political involvement. It’s also the PAC’s busy season, bringing increased support requests, heightened fundraising expectations and disbursement activities. Lay the groundwork for success early by learning how to create thoughtful and realistic goals for the year ahead. This session will explore:

• Identifying realistic goals your PAC can meet, including how to realign existing expectations
• How to use these goals to implement your strategy and plan for the year
• Tactics for securing internal buy-in and building a team

9:45 a.m.      Fundraising in an Election-Year

With the midterm elections right around the corner, it’s a great time to showcase what your PAC is all about. Hear case studies from PAC practitioners on how to best leverage the election season into your PAC fundraising and communications plan, including:

• Strategies and ideas for generating increased excitement, competition and engagement with your donors throughout the election season
• Examples of effective election-year messaging to incorporate into PAC solicitation campaigns
• Creating a communications plan to engage internal stakeholders and encourage both PAC and electoral participation

11:00 a.m.    Break

11:15 a.m.      Developing a Comprehensive Candidate Support Strategy

The campaign season brings an influx of fundraiser invitations, requests for PAC funds and a busy event schedule. Developing a comprehensive plan to ensure a winning candidate support strategy is critical to your overall political effectiveness. This session will cover:

• Developing a sophisticated support strategy by looking at budgets, candidate needs, relationship concerns and committee priorities
• Ways to distribute candidate contributions and build lasting political relationships
• How to take your PAC on the campaign trail through successful in-district events, site visits and local check deliveries

12:15 p.m.     Networking Lunch

12:45 p.m.    Election-Year Opportunities to Expand Political Engagement

An election year brings a great opportunity to raise brand awareness and increase your organization’s political footprint outside of traditional candidate support. This session will examine alternative political activities to consider that can elevate your political affairs program, including:

• How to launch a successful Get Out the Vote (GOTV) operation and engage your PAC donors and grassroots advocates
• Considerations for planning constituent events, hosting legislators at your facilities and reaching out to newly elected legislators
• Examining opportunities such as supporting joint fundraising committees, party committees or super PACs and determining when to engage
• The basics on how and when to conduct independent expenditures

1:45 p.m.      Break

2:00 p.m.     Stand Out and Get Noticed: Tips from a Campaign Fundraiser

There is no shortage of players in the influence arena and nowhere illustrates that more sharply than at a large fundraising event. Many PACs—large and small—struggle to stand out amidst the noise of a busy election year. Hear from a seasoned campaign fundraiser who will weigh in on tactics for getting noticed and building long-lasting relationships with candidates. We’ll discuss:

• How to build relationships with booth candidates and fundraisers to get the most bang for you buck
• Strategies a PAC of any size can deploy to help their favored candidates win and it’s not just about the financial support.
• Tips for prioritizing which events to attend and committees to support to have the greatest impact