For 22 years, small-dollar donors have proven that the most powerful force in politics isn’t money, it’s people
Twenty-two years ago, ActBlue launched with a radical idea: that small-dollar donors, giving what they could, had the ability to power movements just as effectively as big-money donors. No one knew then what that idea would become. Today, we do.
Over the past two decades, millions of small-dollar donors have shown up for candidates they believed in, for causes that kept them up at night, and for a vision of the country they want to leave behind. They give what they can and when they can every election cycle, because they understand that democracy isn’t a spectator sport.
That collective belief hasn’t just funded campaigns, it has built something unlike anything before it. Through tens of millions of individual donations, small-dollar donors have won close races, turned out first-time voters, bolstered organizations on the ground, and reimagined what it means to use power for good in our democracy.
Building a One-Stop Shop for Democracy
Over the years, ActBlue has also grown alongside the movement we serve. What began as a fundraising platform has evolved into a one-stop shop for candidates at every level. Raise by ActBlue streamlines fundraising for campaigns of any size, ActBlue Website Builder gives candidates an affordable, professional online presence, ActBlue Field Tools powers the organizing work that turns donor energy into votes on the ground, and our new financial suite that includes Donate By Bank, Call Time, and Federal Compliance brings fundraising, call time, and compliance into one platform. These products share the same north star that has guided ActBlue from the beginning: lower the barriers and more people can participate.
Meeting the Moment
Perhaps the most inspiring part of ActBlue’s story is that it’s still being written. Even in the face of partisan attacks from MAGA Republicans, ActBlue has remained a critical part of Democratic infrastructure. Coming off the largest first quarter in ActBlue history, $568 million raised by grassroots donors, the energy heading into this critical midterm year is undeniable. The same people who have powered this movement for two decades are showing up again, with the same urgency and purpose that has always defined them. Small-dollar donors are continuing to put their money behind their convictions, and investing in their communities.
Powered by Purpose
On our 22nd birthday, the relationship between ActBlue and the grassroots donors who power this movement is as strong as it has ever been. With an average contribution of just $39, tens of millions of donors have raised more than $19 billion on ActBlue for the countless candidates and causes they believe in. That’s a milestone worth celebrating, but also a foundation worth building on.
With the 2026 midterms on the horizon, the movement needs you. Find a candidate or cause you believe in, make your voice heard at the ballot box, and know that every dollar and every vote counts. Don’t sit this out.
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