Yesterday, DNC Chair Ken Martin and ASDC President Jane Kleeb announced a historic four-year agreement to provide a combined total of $1 million every month to all 57 Democratic state and territory parties – making this our largest investment in state parties to date. Through Chair Martin’s “organize everywhere, win anywhere” strategy, the DNC is delivering more money and resources than ever before to state parties to turbocharge investments in on-the-ground organizing and party building. Additionally, Chair Martin and President Kleeb hosted a press call alongside former Vermont Governor and former DNC Chair Howard Dean to highlight how, if Democrats want to retake our power in red, blue, and purple states, we need to give state parties the necessary tools to win – and this investment allows us to do just that
Under the new State Partnership Program (SPP), state parties will receive:
- A baseline of $17,500 per month, which is an additional $5,000 per month increase from the previous agreement.
- Republican-controlled states will receive an additional $5,000 per month for a total investment of $22,500 per month through the DNC’s Red State Program.
In addition to that, the DNC is making significant investments to deliver tools and resources to state parties that will allow them to beef up their staffing, strengthen their data and tech operations, build on-the-ground organizing programs, and better prepare for upcoming election cycles. Organizing wins elections, and with this investment, we are laying the foundation for Democrats to secure victories in the upcoming election cycles in the months and years ahead.
Take a look at some of the coverage below:
New York Times: D.N.C. Will Send More Cash to Red States, Aiming to Strengthen Party’s Reach
[Nick Corasaniti and Shane Goldmacher, 4/24/25]
“The D.N.C. will spend more than $1 million a month on the 50-state program, which is increasing the organization’s monthly cash donations to state parties in red states by 50 percent and in blue states by 30 percent.
“The extra money to red states, the D.N.C. argues, is to build long-term infrastructure in places where it is currently lacking to create possibilities in elections beyond just the upcoming midterms. The monthly price tag: $17,500 to each state party in a blue state, and $22,500 in a red state. (The party has a formula that looks at governor, Senate, House and state legislative seats to determine whether a state is red or blue.) …
“‘When I ran for D.N.C. chair, I said two things over and over,’ Mr. Martin said in a statement. ‘First, we have to get the D.N.C. out of D.C. and into the states. Second, we have to organize everywhere and compete everywhere if we’re going to win everywhere. This agreement is how we start turning those beliefs into reality.’ …
“‘If we’re going to rebrand the Democratic Party, we have to do it by running competitive races, especially in red states,’ said Howard Dean, the former chair of the D.N.C. who began what became known as the party’s 50-state strategy in 2005. He stressed the importance of state parties using these new funds to recruit candidates for state legislatures, city councils and school boards.”
Axios: DNC unveils new 50-state strategy: “Organize everywhere”
[Andrew Solender, 4/24/25]
“The Democratic National Committee on Thursday rolled out a plan to significantly ramp up its financial contributions to state parties — especially in Republican-controlled states. …
“DNC chair Ken Martin, the former chair of Minnesota’s Democratic party, told reporters the national party will donate a baseline of $17,500 to each state and territorial party.
“That’s an increase of $5,000 per month over the DNC’s current contribution, Martin said. Parties in red states will get an additional $5,000 per month.
“Nebraska Democratic Party chair Jane Kleeb, the president of the Association of State Democratic Committees, said contributions to state parties will go from 8 percent of the DNC budget to over 20 percent.”
States Newsroom: National Dems to deliver more than $1M a month to state parties
[Shauneen Miranda, 4/25/25]
“The Democratic National Committee will transfer more than $1 million per month to its state and territorial parties over the next four years in an effort to build state-level infrastructure and operations, the DNC announced Thursday.
“The agreement marks the DNC’s largest total investment in Democratic state parties to date and comes as Democrats try to rebound from significant losses in the 2024 election cycle. …
“‘We’re putting our money where our mouth is to equip state parties with what they need to reach working families who deserve better, build long-term success all across the ballot, and gain electoral ground for years to come,’ Martin said in the statement. …
“In a Thursday statement, Jane Kleeb, president of the Association of State Democratic Committees and chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party, said ‘state parties are the backbone of the Democratic Party, and through this investment, our state parties will receive the support they need to show voters that, no matter where they live, there is a strong Democratic Party in their corner, protecting their rights and economic opportunity against Republican attacks.’”
USA TODAY: DNC chair defends rule changes to force David Hogg’s hand on challenging incumbents
[Phillip M. Bailey, 4/24/25]
“Joined on Thursday’s call by former DNC Chair Howard Dean and Jane Kleeb, president of the Association of State Democratic Parties, Martin defended the proposals and investments as being more grassroots focused. …
“Under a new state partnership program agreement, for instance, each state party will receive $17,500 a month, which Martin said represents a $5,000 per month increase for every single state party. Those in Republican-controlled states will also receive an additional investment of $5,000 a month putting their total at $22,500.
“Party officials said these investments mean that state parties can plan better ahead of elections by hiring more staff, training candidates and assessing each state’s four-year strategic plan. …
“‘The DNC job has got to shift outside Washington,’ Dean said.
“‘We cannot be a Washington centric party and expect to win, especially in an era when the ordinary working people of this country are so much under attack by the guy who many of them voted for.’”
NBC News: DNC announces increased investment to all 50 state parties
[Adam Edelman, 4/24/25]
“The Democratic National Committee announced today it will send tens of thousands of dollars a month to every state party as part of an effort to bolster the party’s standing in red areas across the country. …
“On a call with reporters, DNC Chair Ken Martin called the investment the organization’s ‘largest investment into Democratic state parties in the long history of this Democratic Party.’ He said the investment would allow state parties ‘to invest in critical infrastructure and staffing, strengthen their data and tech operations, build on-the-ground organizing programs, and better prepare for upcoming election cycles, not just in the months ahead, but in the years to come.’
“‘We are sending a strong message that our party is building from the ground up, and we’re building everywhere,’ Martin said. ‘There’s no such thing as a perpetual red state or a perpetual blue state, and my job is to prove that to be true — that we can keep the blue states blue, and we can make red states blue.’”
Spectrum News: DNC announces ‘historic’ $17.5K monthly investment to states as part of ‘organize everywhere, win anywhere’ plan
[Cassie Semyon, 4/24/25]
“Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin announced Thursday his ‘organize everywhere, win anywhere’ plan, which includes a $17,500 monthly investment to state parties through December 2028.
“‘I ran for this job to get the DNC out of [Washington] D.C.,’ Martin told reporters on a press call Thursday. ‘I don’t think it benefits Democrats to sit in Washington and gaze at the problem and expect solutions to present themselves. Everyone here just wants to win the argument — I want to win elections. And you win elections in the states.’ …
“Under the previous DNC commitment, state parties received $12,500. Republican states, Martin said, will receive an additional $5,000 a month to help organizing efforts in states that Democrats have often struggled to find traction in. …
“Martin was joined on the press call announcement by Jane Kleeb, the president of the Association of State Democratic Committees, who said this commitment will help build out party infrastructure in the states, and could be the difference in some of these races.
“‘State parties are going from 8% of the DNC budget to over 20% of the DNC budget,’ Kleeb said. ‘This means that we are not only going to win the presidency in 2028 because we’re building out the infrastructure, but that we are going to be able to take back the House in 2026 and win U.S. Senate races in red and purple and blue states. This is how we build out the Democratic Party. This is how we beat back [President Donald] Trump.’”
Channel 3000: DNC announces record monthly investments in state parties, including Wisconsin
[Kyle Jones, 4/24/25]
“The Democratic National Committee and Association of State Democratic Committees announced an investment plan Thursday that party leadership believes will be a gamechanger.
“The new State Partnership Program agreement will see each state party receive a baseline $17,500 per month, with parties in Republican-controlled states receiving an additional $5,000 from the DNC’s Red State Fund for a total $22,500 per month. Wisconsin, being a state with elected Democrats like Gov. Tony Evers and Sen. Tammy Baldwin, falls under the lower end of that funding formula.
“Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler said the influx of cash is a welcome boost the Badger State, but that the impact will be felt far more in states where Democrats don’t have as strong of a hold. …
“The agreement marks the largest investment into state parties in the DNC’s history, totaling over $1 million each month. DNC Chair Ken Martin said the move is a way to push his party’s focus outside the Beltway and towards the places where elections are won.
“‘We’re sending a strong message that our party is building from the ground up and we’re building everywhere,’ Martin said. ‘I don’t think it benefits Democrats to sit in Washington and gaze at the problem and expect solutions to present themselves.’ …
“‘We’ve seen gains under [former DNC Chair Tom Perez], we saw gains under [former Chair Jamie Harrison] but now we are seeing a significant shift where state parties are going from 8% of the DNC budget to over 20%,’ ASDC President Jane Kleeb said. ‘This means that we are not only going to win the presidency in 2028 because we’re building up the infrastructure, but that we are going to win back the House in 2026 and win U.S. Senate races in red, and purple and blue states.’”
Washington Post: DNC bolsters state party funding in Trump-era reboot
[Patrick Svitek, 4/24/25]
“The Democratic National Committee announced plans Thursday to boost transfers to state parties across the country, part of its strategy to retool the party with Donald Trump back in the White House. …
“Under the new arrangement, the DNC will send at least $17,500 a month to every state party, a $5,000-per-month increase over the previous agreement. The DNC said ‘Republican-controlled states’ will receive an extra $5,000 in minimum funding per month.
“All told, the DNC is set to transfer more than $1 million per month to state parties. …
“‘This is exactly what has to happen,’ Dean told reporters, referring to the increased funding for state parties. ‘We have to focus on everything that happens outside of D.C.’”
Virginia Mercury: National organizations will give big boosts to Virginia Democrats this year
[Charlotte Rene Woods, 4/24/25]
“From building party infrastructure and strengthening candidate recruitment pipelines to supporting current candidates with tens of thousands in cash, both the Democratic Party of Virginia and candidates running in this year’s pivotal House of Delegates election are getting fresh infusions of funds and energy from national organizations.
“Thursday, the Democratic National Committee announced that it will transfer more than $1 million per month to its state and territorial parties over the next four years. …
“‘When we organize everywhere to compete everywhere, we can win anywhere,’ DNC chair Ken Martin told the media during a virtual call Wednesday morning.
“As part of the new investment strategy, he said that each state party is set to receive a minimum of $17,500 per month — up $5,000 from the current baseline. Republican-controlled states can also expect a total of $22,500 per month with a boost from the DNC’s Red State Fund.”
NewsNation: Amid questions over Democratic brand, DNC seeks unity, investment
[Jackie Koppell, 4/24/25]
“Martin was joined by Association of State Democratic Chairs President Jane Kleeb and former DNC Chair Howard Dean in announcing that the organization is making the following four-year commitment.
“In blue and purple states, the DNC will send state parties $17,500 per month, which is $ 5,000 more than they are currently receiving.
“In red states, the DNC will send $22,500 per month, which is $5,000 more than the blue and purple states. Martin explained the reasoning, saying, ‘Democrats in red states are starting in a deeper hole with a lot less investment’ due to disinvestment in the past. …
“The strategy is part of Martin’s plan to ‘organize everywhere, win anywhere,’ with the intention of year-round organizing, something that was part of his platform when he ran for the chairmanship.”
WRAL: National Democrats to boost investment in NC organizing ahead of 2026 midterms
[Will Doran, 4/24/25]
“Ken Martin, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, announced Thursday that all state party organizations would be getting extra funding, regardless of how competitive they are in presidential or congressional elections, and that Republican-controlled states like North Carolina will be in line for an even bigger bump. …
“The national Democratic Party has been giving state-level Democratic Party groups $12,500 a month, Martin said, but will soon add another $5,000 per month on top of that— a nearly 50% increase to the amount of funding going toward efforts to register voters, knock on doors, host events and do other grassroots organizing work. The new funding model will exist for at least the next several years. …
“Beyond just flipping Congressional seats in 2026, though, Martin said Democrats are already trying to lay the groundwork needed to stay competitive in Congress for years to come. All five of the nation’s fastest-growing states are in the South, he said, including North Carolina. That means the 2030 Census, and the subequent round of political redistricting ahead of the 2032 elections, will be expected to shift large amounts of political power away from the North and Midwest, and into the South. …
“‘We have to start moving the needle [in Southern states], or we’re going to be caught flat footed and, potentially, be in a permanent minority in the U.S. House,’ he said. ‘So that’s why I say we have to build everywhere. We have to make deeper investments in red states to start moving the needle there, and we have to organize everywhere and up and down the ballot.’”
PoliticsPA: DNC Announces “Organize Everywhere, Win Anywhere” 50-State Strategy
[Steve Ulrich, 4/24/25]
“Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Ken Martin and Association of State Democratic Chairs (ASDC) President Jane Kleeb announced a historic ‘organize everywhere, win anywhere’ strategy on Thursday.
“The new four-year agreement is designed to deliver more resources into Democratic state and territory parties than ever before, including a baseline of $17,500 per month. In addition to the $5K per month increase over the last agreement, Republican-controlled states will receive an additional investment of $5,000 a month through the DNC’s Red State Fund.
“According to a press release, the $1 million commitment from the DNC to state parties will allow Democratic state parties to invest in critical infrastructure and staffing, strengthen their data and tech operations, build on-the-ground organizing programs, and better prepare for upcoming election cycles – not just in the months ahead, but in the years to come.
“‘With this announcement, we are breaking ground on a historic political investment unlike anything Democrats have done in modern times,’ said Martin. ‘Elections are won in states – and that’s exactly where we will be investing our resources. When I ran for DNC Chair, I said two things over and over. First, we have to get the DNC out of DC and into the states. Second, we have to organize everywhere and compete everywhere if we’re going to win everywhere. This agreement is how we start turning those beliefs into reality.’”
Daily Kos: DNC invests heavily in state parties, taking the fight to Trump country
[Walter Einenkel, 4/24/25]
“The Democratic National Committee will begin giving more than $1 million a month to state parties in order to bolster local organizing and build out the party infrastructure.
“Under the new strategy, the DNC will increase monthly spending for state parties by $5,000, raising the baseline to $17,500. Republican-controlled states will receive a $10,000 increase, bringing their monthly total up to $22,500.
“‘Elections are won in states—and that’s exactly where we will be investing our resources,’ DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a press release. ‘We have to organize everywhere and compete everywhere if we’re going to win everywhere.’ …
“‘This agreement is how we start turning those beliefs into reality,’ Martin added. ‘We’re putting our money where our mouth is to equip state parties with what they need to reach working families who deserve better, build long-term success all across the ballot, and gain electoral ground for years to come.’”
Kansas City Star: Democrats to pump cash into red states: a revival strategy | Opinion
[Joel Mathis, 4/25/25]
“On Wednesday morning, the Democratic National Committee announced a new strategy designed to bump up organizing efforts in places like Kansas and Missouri, a so-called ‘Organize Everywhere, Win Anywhere’ effort. Red state parties will get $22,500 a month to hire staff, open new field offices and reach out beyond the urban areas where Democrats tend to congregate. (Blue states will get a smaller disbursement from the national party.)
“Jeanna Repass, chair of the Kansas Democratic Party, said the help is sorely needed.
“‘We’ve been crying out for our national party to hear us,’ she told me. ‘This is a big step towards saying, “We hear you. We’re going to invest where we know the people are.”’ …
“There are Democrats living in small towns and farm communities, even if they don’t always advertise themselves as such. Donald Trump’s tariff policy, which might be ruinous for farm country, could create an opening for those numbers to grow.
“‘There are voters there,’ Repass said. ‘There are disenfranchised voters there that we can reach. But all of that takes resources.’ …
“‘Ken understands the fight that state chairs have, how difficult it is, specifically in red states, to raise money into state parties,’ Repass said. And, she said, ‘he does have a particular soft spot for Kansas, so that never hurts.’”
