OFA banks $5.7M, raised $26M in 2013

Organizing for America, the nonprofit group that evolved from President Obama’s reelection campaign, said Friday it had banked nearly $5.7 million in the fourth quarter and raised more than $26 million through all of 2013.

The group reported more than 115,000 donors in the fourth quarter, and more than 421,000 over the full year. On average, contributors donated $37.14 to the group over the last year.

Top donors in the past quarter included author Amy Goldman Fowler, who gave the group a quarter of a million dollars, as well as venture capitalist Ryan Smith, Democratic fundraiser Barbara Stiefel and Olan Mills, the former chairman of an eponymous chain of photography stores. Each donated $100,000 to the group.

{mosads}Other notable donors included actor Tate Donovan, known for his turn as Jimmy Cooper on “The O.C.”, Democratic National Committee treasurer Andrew Tobias and “Wicked” author Gregory Maguire.

“As we approach the one year mark of our founding, OFA is extremely proud that our grassroots funded operation has an average contribution of $37,” said spokeswoman Katie Hogan. “We have raised $26.3 million from more than 421,000 individuals who are supporting our organizers and volunteers working to tip the scales back towards the American people and away from special interests in Washington.” 

The fourth-quarter fundraising numbers include donations gathered around a conference call the group held with the president in mid-November. That call came amid the initial struggles with the rollout of ObamaCare, and featured the president attempting to rally his supporters behind his signature law. The president also attended an OFA-sponsored healthcare summit in Washington earlier that month.

The group has come under criticism from Republicans and political watchdog groups, who have accused OFA of selling access to the president. The group has looked to combat that perception by choosing to disclose donors who gave over a certain amount and not to accept corporate donations.