More Money Is Flowing To Influence Michigan Government. Help Us Keep Following It.

Donations to the Michigan Campaign Finance Network help us follow the money in state politics through investigative reporting, research and educational presentations.

 

For 2018, the Michigan Campaign Finance Network tracked a record amount of money in the 2018 election (about $324 million). We've posted more than 60 investigative reports on our website. And we filed nearly 40 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.

We provided crucial information to the public by maintaining easy-to-access donor-tracking pages that summarize the top donors to ballot proposal campaigns and public officeholders.

We've also been a voice for transparency, doing more than 100 media interviews in 2018 and participating in more than 25 educational presentations around the state on campaign finance.

We do it all to pursue our mission of following the money in Michigan politics for the people for this state. MCFN's board of directors, staff and supporters are motivated by the belief that intelligent citizen participation in democracy requires access to trustworthy and credible knowledge about how ever-increasing campaign dollars are being raised and spent.

It's a mission that's becoming more important as more money pours into politics and there are fewer nonpartisan watchdogs at the state-level to tell the public's what's happening.

But we depend on your support to keep our working going. Please consider making a contribution to MCFN.

To donate online, follow this link to give through the Network for Good.

To mail a contribution, our address is Michigan Campaign Finance Network; 600 West Saint Joseph, Suite 3G; Lansing, MI 48933. For more information, email mcfn@mcfn.org.

Below you can access some of our top reports from 2018.

* As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, MCFN will send you a receipt after receiving your gift. Donors of more than $200 per year are listed on MCFN's website.

 

Nov. 16: How Millions Of Dollars In Dark Money Poured Into State Senate Races In 2018

 

Nov. 13: The 2018 Elections Are Now The Most Expensive In Michigan History

 

Oct. 1: A Collaborative Project With Bridge: Michigan Republicans Push ‘Popular Vote’ Bills After Trip To Hawaii

 

Sept. 4: When Lobbyists Aren’t ‘Lobbying’: Why Many Groups Disclose Only A Fraction Of What They’re Paying Lobbyists

 

Aug. 22: 15 Michigan Families, $35 Million In Political Contributions Since The Start Of 2017

 

July 11: A Collaborative Project With Bridge: Emails Cast Doubt About Michigan’s Ties To Enbridge In Line 5 Debate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 27: A Collaborative Project With Fox 2 Detroit: How Under-The-Radar Campaigns Backed By The Same Company Tried To Shape City Government In Detroit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 8: Michigan Justices Supported By Opponents Of Redistricting Proposal May Decide Its Fate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 10: ‘It Will Send A Message’: Some Of The First State Senate Ads Of 2018 Are Funded By Secret Donors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 26: In Search Of Cash: State Officeholders Reported Having 601 Fundraisers Last Year

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 2: 30 Lawmakers Got At Least $1,000 In Lobbyist-Funded Food Last Year, According To Filings