Andrew Richards Email & Phone Number

Responsible for all fundraising, budget management, campaign finance compliance for MeckDems, additionally responsible for oversight of the organizing program. Led a team of up to 20 staff and full-time Fellows to perform organizing and fundraising work. Wrote and managed a multi-million dollar organizational budget.

Developed a comprehensive fundraising plan, targeting a $2.5m+ raise, including robust call time, event, digital, and recurring components. So far this cycle, MeckDems has raised $2.75m, roughly 30 times what the party raised in the previous cycle. Implemented a significant major donors program, resulting in 130+ donations above $5,000 and 45+ above $10,000 and building long-term relationships with high-capacity donors to create a sustainable funding base for the long term. Designed and implemented a sustaining donor program, developing more than 300 monthly donors with an average donation of $25. Built out, maintained, and managed complex data systems, including dashboarding, advanced NGP features and integrations, and oversaw data projects completed by outside consultants. Planned and executed major events, including ticketed fundraisers and major donor events. Managed call time, including donor research and prospecting.

Responsible for field research on candidates across 4 targeted Upstate New York congressional districts. Identified and recorded events, monitored social and news media, and prepared about 500 research memos for analysts, comms staff, and others. Served as an expert on all covered races and candidates to assist book writing teams and recommend messaging and research work.

Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States

Selected campaign manager and provided support and advice to political novice candidate and campaign manager on strategy and systems. Designed the fundraising program, including call time and event components, which raised $27,000, about 30% more than the next-highest campaigns, primarily from small dollar donations and exclusively from donations smaller than $400. Drafted messaging on policy, platform, and the campaign, reviewed all endorsement questionnaires, wrote platform planks, and coached the candidate for public appearances. Developed campaign field plan, enabling the candidate and volunteers to knock 4,000 doors and contact 1,100 voters.

Organized assigned counties to have the most contact attempts per capita in the program. Recruited ~700 canvassing shifts, managed leadership at 3 staging locations to run canvasses which ultimately knocked 30,000 doors, touching over 26% of registered voters in my turf and shifting the largest county in my turf 4 points bluer compared to the 2020 Senate election. Coordinated with other groups in a complex and developing political environment, including working closely with 5 campaigns, 3 county parties, an independent party committee, a College Democrats chapter, and more. Planned events independently and in combination with other stakeholders, including major and minor surrogate events, joint canvasses, and regular phonebanks and canvasses. Personally knocked 3,300 doors, the most of any organizer on the Coordinated Campaign, and made 7,100 volunteer recruitment calls.

Worked as a campaign organizer, including organizing and running canvassing operations, training volunteer canvassers, cutting turf, coordinating phonebanks, and data entry.