How we raised $8,100 for a New York political campaign — from our living room
Hosting a political fundraiser is easier (and more fun) than you think.
Ever thought about hosting a political fundraiser? Neither had I — until my wife and I threw one in our apartment and raised over $8,100 for Keith Powers’ campaign to be Manhattan’s next Borough President.
Before this, I’d never even attended a political fundraiser, let alone hosted one. But I believed in Keith’s work — especially his leadership on housing abundance — and I wanted to do something tangible to help his campaign. When his team put out a call for supporters to host events, we decided to go for it.
I wasn’t sure how it would turn out. Would people actually show up? Would our friends be willing to donate? Would the event even be worth Keith’s time? But despite those uncertainties, the night was a huge success. Our living room was packed with engaged New Yorkers, the conversation was lively, and by the end, we’d raised thousands of dollars for a campaign we believe in.
If you’ve ever wanted to get involved in local politics but weren’t sure where to start, hosting a fundraiser is easier — and more impactful — than you might think. Here’s what I learned from the experience.
What Is a Political Houseparty?
At its core, a houseparty fundraiser is exactly what it sounds like: a supporter invites friends, family, and colleagues to their home for an informal event with a political candidate. Guests typically donate in advance (or at the door), and the event serves as both a fundraising tool and a chance for attendees to meet the candidate in a more personal setting.
For candidates, houseparties are a way to build grassroots support, raise money, and engage directly with voters in a low-key setting. For attendees, it’s an opportunity to actually talk to someone who might end up in office—not just hear their speeches, but ask them real questions and share their views face-to-face. For hosts, it’s a chance to draw attention to candidates they believe in and foster political engagement among friends.
New York City’s campaign finance matching program makes small donations incredibly powerful. When a city resident donates to a local candidate, the city matches their contribution 8-to-1. That means if you give just $10, the campaign actually receives $90. This system helps candidates rely less on big-money donors and more on everyday supporters—making grassroots fundraisers like houseparties a highly effective way to raise money.
The Hardest Part: Getting People to Show Up
Once we committed to hosting the event, we quickly realized the biggest challenge wasn’t picking a date or designing an invite—it was turnout. I wanted to make sure we had enough guests to make it a worthwhile event for Keith while also being careful not to unduly pressure friends into attending something they weren’t interested in.
I ended up tailoring my outreach carefully for each friend, colleague, or family member I invited:
If someone wasn’t very familiar with NYC politics, I explained what the role of a Borough President is.
If they hadn’t previously heard of Keith, I shared some reasons why I support him.
If I knew they were already politically engaged, I framed the event as an opportunity to directly chat with Keith.
Ultimately, we invited around 80 people, and about 25 showed up—a solid turnout, especially since some who couldn’t attend still donated. The lesson here? Political organizing is personal. I think most of our attendees wouldn’t normally attend a political event, but because I personally explained the relevance to their lives, a bunch of people were willing to spend their evening with us.
One thing I didn’t expect was how much effort it took to craft all the personalized invitations. Next time we host something like this, I might try drafting some templates that I copy and paste to help lighten the load.
The Party: Casual, Yet Inspiring
The night of the event, we kept things simple: drinks, Indian finger foods from Jackson Heights, and a relaxed atmosphere in our living room for guests to mingle. Keith’s fundraising manager arrived early to help us set up, and as guests trickled in the conversations naturally shifted to city politics—transit, housing, affordability. Our light catering worked well, and a crowd favorite was the “Powers Punch” cocktail my wife mixed up.
When Keith arrived, he worked the room, chatting with guests in small groups. After about 30 minutes, I caught the room’s attention and gave a quick introduction. I thanked everyone for coming and thanked Keith for his work on the City Council. Then, I handed the floor over to him.
Keith gave a speech outlining why he was running, what he hoped to accomplish, and how he saw the Borough President’s role in shaping Manhattan’s future. But the best part of the night was the Q&A. Guests asked thoughtful questions about housing, transportation, and the challenges facing the city. Keith answered candidly, showing a deep understanding of the issues and vision for our city’s future.
The Impact: More Than Just Money
By the end of the night, our houseparty raised $8,156 for Keith’s campaign – made up of $1,116 of individual donations and $7,040 of matching city funds.1 At that stage in his campaign, our event accounted for 1.6% of Keith’s total fundraising, which I’m pretty proud of!2 Our guests’ contributions ranged from $1 to $200, with a median size of $25. Thanks to NYC’s public matching program, these dollars stretch much further, helping to fund outreach, campaign materials, and staff salaries as Keith builds toward the June 2025 primary.
But the real impact went beyond the money. We helped introduce a group of friends to local politics in a way that felt personal and meaningful.
For many of our guests, this was their first time meeting a politician in person. More than half of our donors had never given to a New York City campaign before. Some arrived unsure about what a Borough President even does; by the end of the night, they were engaged in real discussions about city policy with a key decision-maker. That felt like a real win.
Hosting a fundraiser doesn’t just help the candidate; it builds your own influence in the local political scene. If you ever want to advocate for an issue down the line, you’ll have already built relationships with elected officials and engaged citizens.
Politics feels very remote to many Americans. The barrage of political news — especially at the federal level — can easily leave you feeling powerless. But hosting this fundraiser reminded me how accessible local government really can be. If you care about an issue, you can meet the local officials who are shaping the present and future of our city. If you want to get a candidate elected, you don’t have to be a major donor — you can just open your home and rally your friends together.
Would I Do It Again? Absolutely.
This experience showed me that you don’t need to be a millionaire or a political insider to host a successful fundraiser. You just need:
A candidate you believe in.
A space to bring people together, typically with some light food and drinks.
A willingness to reach out across your networks to invite attendees.
If you think you can check off all three boxes, then all you need to do is contact your preferred candidate by email or social media to get the ball rolling.
In New York, fundraising typically kicks off 6-9 months before the corresponding primary election. Reaching out to a candidate early in the campaign cycle with an offer to host a houseparty gives you the opportunity to have the biggest impact; the earlier the funds are raised, the better the campaign can optimize their spending.
Houseparty fundraising for the 2025 city elections has now largely wrapped up – but some candidates may still be fundraising, so don’t hesitate to reach out. The next big opportunity for hosting houseparties will be the 2026 elections for state assembly and state senate. The primaries for those state legislative elections are expected to be held in June 2026, so fundraising will likely begin in fall 2025.
If you’ve ever considered hosting a political event but felt unsure, I can say firsthand: it’s worth it, and it’s surprisingly easy. It’s a chance to bring new people into the fold, build stronger civic connections, and have real conversations about the future of our city.
And as it turns out, it’s also a pretty great excuse to throw a party.
NYC residents’ donations are matched 8:1, up to $175 per donor per candidate. Several attendees live outside of NYC, so were ineligible for matching funds.
You can view the full list of Keith’s donors – and those of any NYC candidate – on the NYC Campaign Finance Board website.