Our Progress on Account Use Policy Enforcement
When we announced our strengthened Account Use Policy back in August, we made our commitment clear: we would take decisive action against organizations that deceive donors. Three months later, we want to show you exactly what that commitment looks like in practice.
The Numbers Tell the Story
Since August 20th, our enforcement efforts have been comprehensive – and they’re working:
We’ve reviewed hundreds of potential violation reports from donors, partners, and our internal monitoring systems.
We’ve taken dozens of enforcement actions against entities using deceptive practices, including page removals, warning letters, and account restrictions.
We’ve brought 44 organizations into compliance through educational outreach, helping them correct problematic practices.
We’re actively monitoring 96 organizations to ensure their practices stay within our guidelines.
And we’ve permanently removed 16 entities from our platform for serious violations of our Account Use Policy – most commonly, PACs that failed to be responsible stewards of donations.
These aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet. They represent real progress in protecting donor trust. Every donor deserves honest, transparent fundraising and every organization on our platform must either step up to meet our standards or lose access.
“There is an urgency to meet this moment and move quickly. We are investing significant resources behind making systemic changes so that we can continue to adapt in a rapidly changing environment.”
– Regina Wallace-Jones, ActBlue CEO & President
How We’re Enforcing Our Standards
Our approach balances firmness with fairness. When we spot a problem, here’s what happens:
We start with education. When we identify first-time or minor violations, we reach out directly to explain the problem and show the organization how to fix it. In most cases, organizations immediately correct their practices once they understand what went wrong. Since August 20th, we’ve seen dozens of successful compliance outcomes.
But we don’t hesitate to take action when needed. For repeated serious or deliberate violations or outright refusal to comply, we move quickly and decisively. This means removing misleading contribution pages, restricting account functionality, and in serious cases, permanent removal from the platform.
Our New Matching Program Standards are Working
One of the biggest changes we made in August was introducing clear standards for matching programs. We heard from donors frustrated by claims of “500% matches” or “limited-time triple matches” that seemed too good to be true.
Here’s the core rule: organizations can no longer use grassroots donations to “match” other grassroots donations. If a PAC raises $25 from a small-dollar donor and then uses that to “match” your $25 gift, that’s misleading. They’re just moving money they already raised from one pocket to another.
And here’s the kicker: all matching claims must be documentable. We can request proof at any time. If an organization can’t back up its matching claim with real documentation, it faces immediate enforcement action. This standard is working. In fact, we’ve seen a 92% decrease in new matching forms created during the two weeks after this year’s election compared to the average from previous cycles. We’re seeing fewer dubious matching claims and donors can trust the matching programs they see on ActBlue.
Cracking Down on Impersonation and Unauthorized Use
Another pattern we’ve worked hard to address is organizations using candidate names and likenesses without permission. Our guidance on impersonation and unauthorized use makes clear that PACs and other organizations cannot use a candidate or other organization’s name or image in ways that suggest endorsement or affiliation unless they have documented permission.
Since August, we’ve taken enforcement action against numerous organizations for exactly these types of violations. Some corrected their practices immediately. Others lost access to our platform. The message is simple: if you want to use ActBlue, be honest about who you are and what you’re doing.
Looking Forward
We’re not alone in this fight. Across the progressive movement, organizations are joining us in raising the bar for fundraising standards. Donors and partners are proactively reporting violations they encounter. Consulting firms are helping their clients understand and meet our standards. This collective commitment to protecting donors shows that the movement as a whole recognizes what’s at stake: the trust that makes grassroots fundraising possible. “We are heartened that more of our partners from across the ecosystem are speaking up,” said ActBlue CEO and President Regina Wallace-Jones. “Donor trust is paramount – and its protection belongs to many, not just one. Our enforcement actions this past quarter show what real commitment looks like in practice.”
“We are heartened that more of our partners from across the ecosystem are speaking up. Donor trust is paramount—and its protection belongs to many, not just one.”
– Regina Wallace-Jones, ActBlue CEO & President
This work continues every day. Our team stays vigilant, constantly refining our approach to adapt to an ever-changing landscape. We’ve invested significant resources into building even stronger solutions and aren’t stopping here.
To keep you informed about our progress, we’re committing to regular transparency. Starting now, we’ll publish quarterly enforcement updates on this blog, sharing data on our actions, trends we’re seeing, and how we’re evolving our standards. You deserve to see the work we’re doing to protect your trust, and we’re committed to showing you – not just telling you.
Every donation you make through ActBlue represents your commitment to the candidates and causes you believe in, as well as your trust that your gift will matter. Protecting that trust isn’t just our responsibility – it’s central to the success of everything we care about and we’re honored to do this work.
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