NGP That Works Like VAN? Yes please! (Interview about NGP 8 with Lou Levine)

When I learned there was a way to make NGP work like VAN I was all YES PLEASE. Then my finance director came on and made me change it back. Nevertheless, I am stoked about this new development and couldn't wait to share it with you! See below for my interview with NGP's Lou Levine about the new, great NGP 8!

First things first tell us about yourself. What's your position at NGP VAN and what were you doing beforehand?
I’m the Sr Vice President and General Manager for Political Fundraising and Compliance. I’ve been at the company for 18 years now, and started back when it was just NGP. I wear a lot of hats, but my main role here is to be the person generally in charge of the traditional "NGP" side of our business. Before joining the company, I was in college at Claremont McKenna in California. [Editor's note: Dang. 18 years in the same job is a campaign person's eternity.]

Okay now tell us about NGP 8. What is it and why should we be excited?
NGP 8 is the latest iteration of our industry-standard fundraising and compliance toolset, and it's the culmination of years of work. There is a ton to be excited about in NGP 8. We've already added a lot of new functionality around call time, including custom call sheets, enhanced mobile call time, and the ability to run call time from within the application. It works seamlessly with our amazing digital tools - Digital 8, allowing you to have an full view of your supporters both online and offline, and interact with them the way that best works for them.

And of course, NGP 8 still has a tightly integrated compliance functionality, so you can take care of all aspects of the campaign from one place. The thing i'm most excited about is that we've built it on top of the same underlying database as VAN - the Action Platform. So what that means is that as we've been making improvements to NGP 8, we've also been making improvements to VAN. And when someone learns how to use VAN, that means that they can look at NGP 8 and immediately know the basics of how that system works. And over the long term, we expect that to be a big win for the progressive movement as a whole. (Click here to listen to more of why Lou’s excited about NGP 8.)

What has the reception been so far?
We've seen a lot of positive reaction so far to NGP 8, especially from down-ballot campaigns. I'm pretty excited to say that in the few short months that we've had it up, we have over 300 campaigns already using it. We've also acknowledged many people’s fear of new and different things, and that change can sometimes be challenging. That said, we always try to listen and respond to our users' feedback.

As a field person turned manager I love NGP 8, but I know some finance directors and compliance firms still prefer NGP 7. Are there some things 7 can do that 8 can't or are these just growing pains?
A lot of it is growing pains on the part of the user and the fact that changing your workflow is hard. It's not an exaggeration to say that many finance and compliance directors spend the bulk of their day in NGP, so naturally any change is going to be a disruptive one, and take some getting used to.

I'm hard-pressed to think of things that NGP 7 can do that you can't do in 8. In general, when building features in NGP 8, we used the criteria of "the user needs to be able to do what they were able to do in 7". But as you said, there are some users that still prefer 7, and it's just going to be a steady process of listening to their feedback and winning them over. Having been around here as long as I have been, we've successfully navigated that process with users a number of times, and i'm confident we'll be able to do it again.

Is the plan to eventually only have this NGP or is the old NGP here to stay?
Generally, we've taken the approach that we don't force people off a platform they are happy using. We still have people using NGP Classic, and we still have folks on NGP 7. I'd really like to retire NGP Classic in the coming years, and we'd like for the overwhelming majority of people to move to NGP 8 as soon as they’re ready. The long term plan is for there to be only one NGP. In a perfect world, I'd wave a magic wand and everyone would be using the most recent version of our tools.

Can a campaign go back and forth between the two?
Not really. We do offer a way to move online fundraising data from NGP 8 into NGP 7, but that's about it.

This is really exciting! What else exciting is on the horizon for NGP VAN?
We've got a lot going on right now! We're continuing to improve the NGP tools, coming out with further improvements to our fundraising and call time tools, and adding tighter integration with VAN.
We are on-boarding our first state party committees onto NGP 8 as well. We've got an improved, actual integration with ActBlue coming soon. Our EveryAction business has been growing rapidly, and pushing us to do even more innovation, which is really exciting. And we've been working with lots of the new companies that have sprung up out of the tech resistance. And let's not forget, we've got some big elections to win in 2018 and beyond - and we're already planning for that.

And the question I ask everyone on the blog. What is something you wish you had known earlier in your career?
I wish someone had told me just how long impressions, both good and not-so-good can last. I've been doing this for 18 years, and I've seen how good work that I did early on has continued to pay dividends now, and missteps over the years have been hard to get folks to forget. I've been fortunate in that the good has heavily outweighed the bad, but people at all stage of their careers should keep in mind that people have long memories.

Thank you so much, Lou! If you are not using NGP First of all what?! Second of all, you can learn more here.

Koch Party!

Okay. The title of this New York Times article really sums it up. "Koch Brothers’ Budget of $889 Million for 2016 Is on Par With Both Parties’ Spending"

They are spending like they are their own political party! Are you KIDDING? Are you KIDDING? How is this democracy?

As the three senators addressed the audience of rich donors — effectively an audition for the 2016 primary — they dismissed a question about whether the wealthy had too much influence in politics. At times they seemed to be addressing an audience of two: the Kochs themselves, now among the country’s most influential conservative power brokers.

Mr. Cruz gave an impassioned defense of his hosts as job creators and the victims of unfair attacks by Democrats, while Mr. Rubio suggested that only liberals supported campaign finance restrictions, so as to empower what he said were their allies in Hollywood and the news media.

Wow. God bless America.

FEC Increases Spending Limits

This happens in off years to adjust for inflation.

However the significant change this year is... I'll let the Wall Street Journal tell you. "In April 2014, the Supreme Court threw out the $123,200 cap on what individuals could give to federal candidates and political committees over a two-year election cycle, saying the limits infringed on First Amendment free-speech rights. Within two weeks, the three national GOP party committees formed a joint fundraising committee allowing them to host events where they could request checks three times the size of what they could accept on their own. Previously, they were not barred from creating a joint committee, but the aggregate limit would usually block individuals from giving the joint effort more than each committee’s cap.Under the new limits, the joint committee—called Republican Victory Fund—can accept as much as $100,200 from an individual person or political entity."

Good. Because I was feeling super bad for rich people's inability to completely buy elections. Read all about it here.

Ask An Election Nerd: How Does One Get An Entry Level Campaign Job Outside The Field Department?

Hello! You've posted some good posts about finding jobs and how you got started on campaigns working as an organizer. Do you have an advice for an upcoming college grad who's interested in working on campaigns but simply LOATHES the prospect of doing field work? It seems to be the only entry level job I hear campaign operatives talk about but having volunteered for campaigns in the past I know its not something I'm interested in doing full time...
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Thanks for your question! After recovering from my initial knee-jerk reaction to anyone who refuses to work in field, I got to bounce your question off a couple of coworkers, one of whom started in field and then went on to manage and one of whom started and continues to work in finance.

The consensus among the three of us is that first you should consider why you "loathe" working in field. Common complaints about field include the long hours, the stress, the abuse you take from local stakeholders and the awkwardness of making cold calls. If these are your objections to field work, then campaigns in general are probably not for you. Finance, which is probably the second most available entry level campaign position, includes all of these drawbacks in spades. Also, as a junior staffer when the campaign approaches GOTV you will more than likely get absorbed into field. So keep that in mind.

Now, field positions are the most available at the entry level because there are the more of them. Even a large statewide campaign could have 100 field organizers but would be lucky to have even 5 finance assistants. If you are interested in working in a non-field department (which, by the way, might include research, finance, communications, operations and scheduling) your best bet is to apply to jobs early and before they are advertised. One coworker brought up the great point that when you see a posting for a Comms or Finance Director you should send your resume and let them know you are interested when they get around to hiring entry level positions in that department. That way when that director is hired and needs a staff, your resume is the first in the pile. You might also contact a campaign soon after a candidate announces and let them know you are interested when they start staffing up. Campaigns tend to have openings very suddenly (ie. when they get the money) and fill them very quickly. Letting your interest be known in a way that acknowledges that you understand that reality by being available but not pushy will work in your favor.

I would encourage you to seek out informational interviews with people who have worked in your department of interest. First, they will be able to give you an idea of what the day to day of an entry level job entails and whether it would be a good fit for you. Second, they will likely have networks in those specific areas of campaigns and be able to push your resume or let you know when their former colleagues are hiring. Note, I suggest contacting people who took the cycle off or now work at PACs, government offices or non-profits, since those currently on campaigns may not have the bandwidth to help network on your behalf.

Finally, if you are a Democrat and want to work in finance check out EMILYs List. They have a fantastic reputation for their finance trainings and also for placing staff on the ground afterward.

Best of Luck!

(Expect an upcoming post on why field is great.)

Campaign Love and Mine,


Nancy

Ask An Election Nerd: Is it Better to Donate Time or Money?

Nancy! Totally theoretical question... which is better, time or money? Like, if I'm willing to give a campaign one but not both, which would you rather have?
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Great question! Of course as a campaign person my first reaction is to say "do both," but I know that's not what you were asking.

The short answer is 1) It depends how much 2)It depends when and 3) It depends on the campaign.

If you are talking about $1,000 vs. 1 door knocking shift (I am guessing not),then money. If you are talking 3 shifts vs. $10, then time. A paid canvasser gets paid about $12/hr and obviously a motivated volunteer, especially one with a little bit of experience, is even more effective so you can consider it in those terms.

Another thing to consider, Early Money Is Like Yeast (ever wonder where the name EMILY's List came from?) it helps raise the dough. Fundraising reports are often the first places high dollar donors and endorsing organizations look in order to determine viability. As you go along in the campaign, the time/money tradeoff begins to shift. If you are donating to a campaign in the last week, they are likely to spend it on some type of field activity because paid calls and canvassers can be turned around more quickly than mail or media and it's usually too late to hire an additional staff member.

Of course this all depends on a campaign's size and specific needs. For most of my state leg candidates, all things being equal, I would say money until the last 2 weeks and then I would say time.

Or you could do both and host a fundraiser...with a phonebank at it! (I'm sorry I couldn't help myself, but I hope this helped you!)

Campaign Love and Mine,

Nancy


PS. Please consider supporting Campaignsick!

So you think you've asked everyone...

Candidates often claim they exhausted their options when it comes to fundraising. Here is a handy reference for you to say "Oh really? Have you tried..."

Personal Connection Asks
Christmas Card List
Family, Extended Family, Extended Extended Family (eg your Aunt by marriage’s cousins)
Exboyfriends/Girtlfriends/Partners
Current boyfriend/girlfriend/partner's family
Your former teachers/professors
Family friends/Friends of Parents/Parents of childrens’ friends
Workout Buddies/Gym Trainer/People in classes with you at the gym
Your haircutter/manicurist etc
Your online social network Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn universe

Community Connection Asks
Day school classmates
Middle school classmates
High school classmates
College/Grad school classmates
College/Grad school alumni
Community Organizations of which you are part (Volunteer orgs, Rotary Club, etc)
Church/Synagogue/Religious Community
Fellow PTA parents/teachers
LGBT community, activists, people you know through GLAD, GLSEN, etc, local leaders
Local business owners who are impacted by legislation (use your town’s yellow pages and reach out to the owners, regardless of their politics)

Political Connection Asks
Donor lists from electeds/former electeds/candidates who have endorsed you
Unions that might endorse your campaign
Local PACs that might endorse your campaign
Former and current elected officials
Local community or issue based activists
Party activists/board members in your area/city/state
Local issue based clubs (eg chapter of Sierra club)
Political enemies of your opponent
People whose political campaigns/causes you have supported in the past
People with whom you have volunteered on political campaigns in the past
Anyone you have identified as a supporter (a “1”) of your candidacy

Professional Connection Asks
Coworkers/Former Coworkers
Unions of which you are a member
Professional organizations (Bar Association, etc)
Your professional network (other colleagues with whom you may not have worked directly)