To track donations to federal candidates, search the candidate or committee on fec.gov. Every House, Senate and presidential campaign, party committee and PAC must report its money to the Federal Election Commission. Contributions from anyone who gives more than $200 are itemized with the donor’s name, address, employer and occupation. Free sites like OpenSecrets repackage the same data into easier summaries.
What can you find in FEC data? #
- How much a campaign raised and spent in each reporting period and the cycle so far.
- Cash on hand and debts, the best single measure of what a campaign can still do.
- Itemized donors: name, city, state, ZIP code, employer, occupation, date and amount.
- Spending: who the campaign paid and for what, from ad buys to consultants.
- Outside spending: independent expenditures by super PACs and other groups for or against a candidate.
The FEC covers federal races only. State and local campaigns report to state agencies, usually the secretary of state or a state ethics commission.
How do you look up a candidate on fec.gov? #
- Search the name in the site’s search box and choose the candidate.
- Read the summary. The candidate page shows total receipts, total disbursements, cash on hand and debts for the two-year cycle.
- Open the committee. Money flows through the candidate’s principal campaign committee, which has its own page.
- Look at raising and spending. Tabs break down receipts by type, individual contributions by state and size, and disbursements by category.
- Open the filings. Each report is available as filed, with every itemized entry.
The main report types:
| Form | Who files | What’s in it |
|---|---|---|
| Form 3 | House and Senate campaigns | Receipts, disbursements, cash, debts |
| Form 3P | Presidential campaigns | Same, on a presidential schedule |
| Form 3X | PACs, super PACs and party committees | Same, plus contributions to candidates |
| Schedule A / B | Attached to the above | Itemized receipts / itemized disbursements |
| Schedule E | Committees making independent expenditures | Spending for or against specific candidates |
How do you find who donated to a candidate? #
Use the FEC’s individual contributions search. You can filter by recipient, donor name, city, state, ZIP code, employer, occupation, date range and amount. Results show each itemized contribution.
Two things to know:
- Only donors above $200 are itemized. Contributions that total $200 or less from a donor in the cycle are reported as a lump sum called unitemized contributions.
- Conduits show more. Most small online donations go through ActBlue (Democratic candidates) or WinRed (Republican candidates). Because those platforms report the contributions they pass along, searching their filings can turn up donors who don’t appear itemized on the campaign’s own report.
The ratio of unitemized to itemized money is a quick read on a campaign’s base. A campaign raising mostly small, unitemized amounts has broad grassroots support; one relying on large checks depends more on major donors and events.
What are the 2025–2026 contribution limits? #
| From | To | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | Candidate | $3,500 per election |
| Individual | PAC | $5,000 per year |
| Individual | National party committee | $44,300 per year |
| Multicandidate PAC | Candidate | $5,000 per election |
| Anyone | Super PAC | Unlimited |
The primary and general count as separate elections, so an individual can give a candidate $7,000 across both. Limits for individuals are adjusted for inflation every two years. Source: FEC contribution limits. For how PACs and super PACs differ, see PAC vs. super PAC.
When are the 2026 reports due? #
For House and Senate campaigns in the November 3, 2026 general election, per the FEC’s 2026 schedule:
| Report | Covers through | Due |
|---|---|---|
| October quarterly | September 30 | October 15, 2026 |
| Pre-general | October 14 | October 22, 2026 |
| Post-general | November 23 | December 3, 2026 |
In the final stretch, campaigns must also file 48-hour notices for contributions of $1,000 or more received between the 20th day and 48 hours before the election, so late big checks show up within two days. Groups making independent expenditures file 24-hour reports for spending of $1,000 or more in the final 20 days.
What about super PACs and outside money? #
Super PAC contributions are itemized like any other committee’s. To see what outside groups are spending on a race, look at a candidate’s page for independent expenditures, or search Schedule E filings. In close Senate and House races, outside spending often matches or exceeds what the campaigns spend.
The limit of disclosure is dark money: when a super PAC’s donor is a nonprofit that doesn’t disclose its own funders, the trail stops. Our explainer on dark money covers how that works.
A note on enforcement: the FEC lost its quorum on May 1, 2025, which stops it from voting on complaints or issuing guidance until enough commissioners are confirmed. Filing and disclosure continue, so the data remains available.
Which third-party sites make FEC data easier? #
- OpenSecrets turns FEC filings into candidate and donor profiles, groups donors by industry, and tracks outside spending and lobbying. It formed from the 2021 merger of the Center for Responsive Politics and the National Institute on Money in Politics, and it cut about a third of its staff in 2024, so check how current a given page is.
- ProPublica’s FEC Itemizer shows filings as they arrive, useful for spotting late money and unusual spending.
Both use FEC data, so when numbers disagree, the filing on fec.gov is the source of record.
How to read the money in context #
- Cash on hand beats total raised. A campaign that raised less but spent carefully can end with more to spend in October.
- Burn rate matters. Spending most of what you raise just to keep raising is a warning sign.
- Candidates get cheaper airtime. Broadcasters must sell candidates ads at the lowest unit rate in the 45 days before a primary and 60 days before a general. Super PACs pay market rates, so campaign dollars go further.
- Money isn’t votes. Well-funded candidates lose every cycle.
To check whether spending is moving a race, compare the money with the polling. Election Tracker, our free iPhone app, shows each Senate and governor race’s polls with a 30-day average and trend line, and the generic ballot for the House, so you can see whether a race moved after a big spending push. For which House races are drawing money, our guide to tracking the 2026 House races covers ratings and party target lists.
Frequently asked questions #
How often do campaigns file FEC reports? #
In an election year, House and Senate campaigns file quarterly, plus pre-primary, pre-general and post-general reports, and 48-hour notices for large late contributions. Presidential campaigns and many PACs file monthly.
Can I look up how much a specific person donated? #
Yes, if they gave more than $200 to a federal committee in the cycle. Search the individual contributions database on fec.gov or OpenSecrets by name, city or employer. Using donor information for commercial solicitation is prohibited.
Why can’t I find small donors in FEC data? #
Contributions totaling $200 or less per donor aren’t itemized on campaign reports. Some small donors appear in ActBlue or WinRed filings, which report the contributions they process.
Does the FEC track state and local campaign donations? #
No. State and local candidates report to their state’s campaign finance agency, and rules and search tools vary by state.