NEA

As the NEA’s national political action committee (PAC), the NEA Fund provides direct financial support to recommended candidates for President, the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate who will fight to support teachers, staff and students and improve public education. We also support pro-public education candidates in gubernatorial and other important state races. In addition, the NEA Fund makes independent expenditures asking people to vote for or against candidates based on their position on public education.

Every member who contributes to the NEA Fund does so voluntarily. Every dollar that the NEA Fund contributes to a candidate, a political party, or spends on independent expenditures is voluntarily given. NEA does not use dues dollars for this purpose.

Our Impact

The NEA Fund has been working on behalf of NEA members for more than 36 years. In the 2008 election, NEA members contributed over $8.9 million to the NEA Fund to support NEA-recommended candidates for federal office. Our efforts were instrumental in electing President Obama and in winning eight targeted Senate races and 40 of the Congressional races targeted.

Just as the NEA Fund relies on small contributions from thousands of members, the NEA candidate recommendation process is driven by NEA membership. NEA never recommends or endorses a candidate for federal office without the support of State Association leaders.

If you have questions, or would like more information about the NEA Fund, please feel free to contact us at neafund@nea.org.

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Who may contribute to the NEA Fund?
ONLY current or retired NEA members, NEA and Affiliate executive and managerial staff and their families may be solicited to contribute to the NEA Fund to help elect NEA's recommended candidates for President, the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate. The NEA Fund may NOT accept contributions from the general public.

Why should I give to the NEA Fund?
The lives of every NEA member and NEA family member are affected each day by decisions made by politicians in Washington, DC. From the tests you are forced to give, the number of students in your classroom, the hours you work, the amount of funding made available to support school lunch programs, children's health care and after school programs, even the size of your paychecks, important decisions about your life are made by elected officials. If you join together with other NEA members to make your voices and concerns heard, you can help elect the right people to federal and state office, people who will work on educators’ behalf when making legislative decisions that impact your work, your students, your schools and your communities.

Making a voluntary contribution to support the NEA Fund gives you the power to support the election of the right candidates to federal office, candidates who will represent your values and concerns in the White House and in Congress.

How is a contribution to the NEA Fund different from my dues?
Federal law says that ONLY funds voluntarily donated by NEA members, staff, and their families can be spent in connection with federal elections. Because the payment of dues is a condition of membership, dues money may not be donated to, or spent on behalf of, federal candidates.

I make contributions to my state or local political action committee (PAC) – doesn't that count?
Your contributions supporting your state and/or local political action committee (PAC) may ONLY be used to support and advocate for candidates running for state and local office. Contributions to state and local PACs may NOT be used to make contributions to or expenditures for candidates for federal office. If you want to have a role in electing candidates to federal office, you should make a voluntary contribution to the NEA Fund – the NEA's federal political action committee.

How can I contribute?
Click here to contribute to the NEA Fund. You can make a one-time contribution or participate in our continuous membership program.
 
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