Donation Setup Guide

# Donation Setup Guide for PA State House Campaigns

## Do You Need a Bank Account?

**Yes.** Pennsylvania requires campaigns to use a dedicated campaign account for all contributions and expenditures. This must be separate from your personal account.

### Can You Open One Without Money?

**Yes.** Many banks offer business or campaign accounts with:
- No minimum opening deposit
- No monthly fee (or low fee)
- Free checks or debit card

**Recommended:** Open the account before accepting donations. Contact your local bank or credit union and ask about "campaign" or "political committee" accounts.

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## Donation Processors

### ActBlue (Democrats)
- [actblue.com](https://actblue.com)
- Free for campaigns
- Handles FEC/state compliance
- Donors use credit/debit
- **Setup:** Create an account, verify your committee, add your bank account

### WinRed (Republicans)
- [winred.com](https://winred.com)
- Similar to ActBlue for Republican campaigns
- Compliance built-in

### Stripe (Any Party)
- [stripe.com](https://stripe.com)
- More technical setup
- You must handle compliance reporting yourself
- Good if you want full control

### Cash App / Venmo
- **Not recommended** for campaign donations
- No compliance reporting
- Harder to track for required filings

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## Steps to Go Live

1. **Open a campaign bank account** (can be $0 balance)
2. **Register your committee** with Pennsylvania Department of State if required
3. **Sign up for ActBlue or WinRed** (or Stripe)
4. **Link your bank account** to the processor
5. **Add the donation link** to your website's donate.html page

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## Compliance Notes

- Keep records of all contributions (name, address, amount, date)
- Pennsylvania has contribution limits—check current rules
- Report contributions as required by state law

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