PAST WRITING
2019 SNEAK PEEK: CANDIDATES RUNNING UP & DOWN THE BALLOT WITH CROWDPAC
December, 2018
The 2018 elections are over. Now it’s time to start thinking about 2019 and elections that will be happening up and down the ballot in your town, city, state and across the country.
Change is possible when people step up to run for office. So we’ve got to ask — what about you?
We’ve helped thousands of candidates from Congress to Library Board test the waters risk-free with our “Start Running” tool. Much like Kickstarter, our Start Running tool allows you to ask your networks to pledge to your campaign should you decide to take the leap and run for office. Their credit cards are only charged if and when you decide you have enough support to run.
THIS GIVING TUESDAY, GIVE POWER BACK TO PEOPLE
November, 2018
2018 saw an unprecedented rise in political participation. Whether it was running for office for the first time, joining marches and rallies across the country, or making their first-ever political contribution, people stepped into the political arena to make their voices heard. Hundreds of thousands of donors were inspired to give back to movements supporting democracy — many of them on Crowdpac.
As the holiday season begins, Giving Tuesday is a reminder to support the causes that matter to you and continue to act on the values that won in the midterms. At Crowdpac, we value an open democracy; no matter who you are or where you come from, your voice can and will be heard. You don’t need to make a huge donation to make a difference; your participation is already making a statement.
CROWDPAC’S 2018 ELECTION RECAP
November, 2018
The 2018 midterms were historic. With over 100 women elected to Congress, millennials turning out to vote in record-breaking numbers and small-dollar donors giving corporate PACs a run for their money (literally), this election was the start of a new era of political engagement.
And Crowdpac was part of it all.
We’re breaking down barriers for new and emerging leaders to run for office and win. We’ve worked with thousands of candidates ready to make a difference, and even more donors ready to support them.
MAXIMIZE YOUR CAMPAIGN WITH NEW DIGITAL TOOLS ON CROWDPAC
November, 2018
At Crowdpac, we’re always looking for ways to meet the needs of our campaign creators. With Crowdpac Action Pages — customizable fundraising forms that sync with your overall Crowdpac campaign — you can now offer free or paid options to your supporters.
Our Action Pages take your campaign to the next level. They’re so much more than a fundraising form: you can include free RSVPs to events or collect emails with petitions or general signup forms! And, you can create as many Action Pages as you like and customize each page to fit your particular goal.
MEET THE AMAZING 2018 CANDIDATES WHO GOT THEIR START ON CROWDPAC
November, 2018
With Crowdpac, more people are running for office than ever before — nontraditional candidates like nurses, scientists, and teachers are running at all levels of government, from Congress to School Board to local Mosquito Controller.
From testing the waters of a run for office to using our creative fundraising tools, we’re proud to have helped a stellar pool of candidates reach their fundraising goals and launch their campaigns.
2018 has made it clear: crowdfunding is the most effective way to make an impact in politics, and Crowdpac is where political change begins.
THE PATH TO TAKING BACK THE HOUSE RUNS THROUGH CALIFORNIA
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October, 2018
Democrats need to win 23 seats this upcoming Election Day to take back the House — no small feat.
And with the recent appointment of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, it’s more important than ever that there’s a check on the Trump Administration in Congress.
Enter Zach Blume and Juan Carlos Sanchez. The pair met as organizers on their first campaign in 2006, working to flip California’s 45th congressional district blue. Today, the district is still blue.
NAPA VALLEY IS COMING TOGETHER TO FLIP CONGRESS
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August, 2018
In the hillside vineyards of Napa Valley, a close-knit community is coming together to support Democratic candidates around California that could be the difference in taking back the House.
Before the 2016 Presidential election, Julie Jenanyan had never been involved in politics. After watching her sister canvass and phone bank, she wondered what she could do to help.
“I thought, ‘What can I do?’ said Julie. “I live in this great community, so I decided to create an online fundraiser that would appeal to my like-minded friends and neighbors. I wanted to effect change and flipping Congress felt like it would be the most impactful.”
ADY BARKAN HAS A MESSAGE FOR SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS
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August, 2018
This summer, President Trump nominated District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court — immediately threatening the rights of millions of Americans, including those with pre-existing conditions’ access to affordable health care.
Ady Barkan is one of those Americans. Since being diagnosed with ALS, a deadly debilitation of the muscles without a cure, he has gone on to fight for healthcare protections in front of Congress. Most recently, he wrapped a cross country tour of the Be A Hero campaign to encourage voters to support candidates who will protect health care.
After the Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010, Kavanaugh wrote the dissenting opinion to Seven–Sky v. Holder, a case that challenged the ACA and its “minimum essential coverage provision.” The provision, or individual mandate, requires most Americans to have insurance that meets the government standard.
CLARE BOOTHE LUCE PROGRAM SUPPORTS RESEARCH BY FEMALE UNDERGRADUATES
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March, 2018
The Clare Boothe Luce Program has awarded $300,000 to Virginia Tech to support physical science and engineering research by female undergraduates.
The funding will be used over the next three years to provide 24 Clare Boothe Luce Undergraduate Research Awards that will help make it possible for students to participate in research over the summer.
“We’re very thankful,” said Jody Marshall, who directs the Virginia Tech Multicultural Academic Opportunities Program, which will administer the grant. “This gift will make it easier for students to stay on campus, engage in research, and not have to scramble to find research opportunities elsewhere. Most graduate programs won’t even look at a student who does not have research or experiential learning experience, so a major benefit of this program is that we’re preparing women for graduate school.”
DONORS GAVE NEARLY $120,000 TO VIRGINIA TECH CROWDFUNDED PROJECTS
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December, 2017
Nearly two dozen initiatives will benefit from the generosity of donors who supported projects highlighted this semester on Jump, Virginia Tech’s crowdfunding platform.
More than 1,300 donors provided nearly $120,000, combined, to the 23 causes featured during the fall 2017 term. It was a substantial increase from the roughly $21,000 raised during the spring semester of 2017, when Jump debuted with four projects.
Jump allows students and faculty to maximize their fundraising efforts by providing resources and support to campaigns that are approved by a crowdfunding project selection committee. The generosity of this fall’s Jump donors will help to back a wide range of research, education, and public-service projects.
YIK YAK DISTRACTS: APP CONSUMES CAMPUS LIFE
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December, 2014
With final exams quickly approaching, students may soon abandon their procrastination routines of scrolling through Facebook news feeds and Twitter timelines. Instead, they could find themselves perusing updates from the latest app designed for college students.
Launched just over a year ago, Yik Yak has become a strong presence on over 1,000 college campuses across the nation. The sharing app provides users with an anonymous forum to post anything on their mind. Through GPS enabling, Yik Yak will send these posts, or "yaks," to the nearest 500 users within a 1.5-mile radius. In return, those users can monitor their feeds by “up-voting” and “down-voting” specific posts.
Since the launch of Yik Yak there have been 2,675 “yaks” sent out on the Virginia Tech campus per day, receiving 56,419 up-votes and 9,659 down-votes. Whereas University of Virginia and James Madison University send out approximately 3,400 and 3,300 yaks per day, respectively. The app has grown increasingly popular, and since September it has ranked in the top 10 of all social networking apps in the Apple store.