passpacs, Author at PASS

Need Voter Education Resources for Your Employees and Members?

passpacs on March 26, 2026

PASS’ new system, MyElectionInfo, has everything you need!

PASS’ MyElectionInfo just launched and will simplify access to election details, elected officials, candidate listings, and essential voter resources for all employees and members. MyElectionInfo streamlines access to election information to support informed engagement. The page brings together information that is often scattered across multiple sources into a single, intuitive user experience.

At PASS, every update we release or enhancement we create is guided by one core principle: delivering meaningful improvements that make our clients’ work easier, more informed, and more efficient.

As we continue to evolve our products, we are focused on creating tools that grow with our clients’ needs including customizable dashboards and informational resources like MyElectionsInfo. At PASS, our goal is always to deliver technology and services that empower PACs to operate more effectively and strengthen administrative, compliance, and reporting workflows.

Smart Systems. Seamless Compliance. Stronger PACs.
That’s the standard we strive toward, today and in every enhancement we develop.

For more information on PASS’ newest offering, MyElectionInfo, please contact Megan Allen at mallen@pass1.com.

So, You’re Thinking About a Charity Match Program…Need a few tips to get started?

passpacs on January 28, 2026

For the past 10 years I’ve been working on the PASS charity match team, and our team works with over 50 organizations managing their charity match programs. I’ve personally partnered with more than half of our clients to help them launch their charity match programs. I find that most organizations begin with a clear vision of why they want a charity match program, but they often lack the information and expertise to define program parameters that will set their program up for long-term success.

While every organization’s goals and budgets are unique, successful charity match programs consistently share a few foundational best practices. I put together my top five considerations when designing a new charity match program.

Matching Amount: A dollar-for-dollar match is the best place to start.

When launching a new program, simplicity is key. A straightforward dollar-for-dollar match is easy to communicate and easy for PAC members to understand. A tiered or variable match structure can be effective for a mature program, but this approach adds unnecessary complexity during the early stages of a program. Starting simple allows organizations to build awareness and participation before experimenting with other approaches.

Minimum Contribution: A minimum contribution requirement reinforces the value of the match.

Setting a minimum donation amount reinforces that PAC match is a valuable member benefit. A reasonable minimum ensures that resources are focused on the most engaged members while keeping the program accessible to all members.

Capped Matching: Start with a capped match to ensure sustainable growth.

Establishing an annual match cap – either per employee or program-wide – allows organizations to manage budgets responsibly while encouraging broad participation. Rather than allocating a large portion of funds to a small number of high-dollar donations, a cap can help spread incentives across more PAC members.

Number of Charities: Allow participants to select one charity.

Allowing employees to select a single charity helps maintain program clarity. When employees clearly understand how the program works, they are more likely to participate. As the program matures, organizations can expand on the number of charity options as incentives for higher contribution levels or special campaigns.

Payout Schedule: Send out PAC Match checks to charities on an annual basis.

An annual payout schedule provides structure, predictability, and clarity for participants. An annual match is easier to explain, easier to track, and ensures employees know exactly when and how their match will be processed. As programs evolve, some organizations may explore more frequent payouts, but annual matching is the most effective starting point.

By focusing on clear parameters, simple rules, and scalable structures, your organization can create a PAC match program that is easy to manage, easy to explain, and recognized as a valuable PAC member benefit.

PASS offers full-service PAC match program administration for new and existing PAC match programs. Our Charity Match Team will provide valuable guidance from program inception through maturity.

Interested in learning more about how PASS can help you create a PAC match program to enhance your PAC member benefits and fundraising? Contact Megan Allen at (703) 476-3070 or visit our website: https://passpacs.com/.

Five Keys to a Successful Compliance Manager / PAC Manager Relationship

passpacs on November 25, 2025

Working as a PASS Compliance Manager is both challenging and rewarding. I started my career in donor relations at a large membership association and I joined PASS in 2023 as a Compliance Manager. I had no idea I was entering a world with its own language, rules, regulations, and peculiarities. This article details my five biggest takeaways that are key to delivering excellent service and becoming a successful Compliance Manager.

Communicate. In the PAC world, there are many unique terms and phrases. While a PAC Manager understands the terms, others in their organization may not. Our team must figure out the best way to break that information down in a simple and clear manner. We get to know each client contact and their communication style to foster effective communication, build relationships, and make sure all PAC contacts understand their responsibilities.

Build relationships. Our goal at PASS is to be an extension of our clients’ team and we strive to make our clients’ lives easier by streamlining the data and information flow processes. Our team often acts as a translator, helping people understand not just what the rules are, but why they matter. For policies and procedures to be effective, people must understand why we need payroll files by a certain date, why only certain individuals can contribute to the PAC, and why funds need to be deposited be a certain time. Building relationships within a client’s organization makes it easier to collaborate and get the data we need in a timely manner to deliver our services.

Be proactive. Waiting for a problem to happen and then fixing it is far more expensive and stressful than preventing the problem in the first place. Building proactive systems to make sure data is transmitted in a timely manner prevents late reports and fines, and keeps client reputations intact. Our team carefully monitors reporting deadlines and data delivery to make sure both sides have what they need. Our goal is always to be ahead of every deadline.

Change is constant. Reporting schedules change, internal reporting structures evolve, and technology moves fast. Staying on top of every change is key to keeping our clients compliant. At PASS, our team keeps everyone up to speed with their findings in real time. Knowing who to talk to within the client organization is important when deadlines are tight.

Challenging and rewarding. My biggest takeaway is that being a Compliance Manager is much more than providing compliance information and completing reports. PASS Compliance Managers work to reduce risk and allow our clients’ PACs to thrive while staying within the boundaries of the law. Taking the stress of PAC compliance work from our clients and allowing them to build their PAC program is our goal. We can deliver on that goal because the PASS team works together to deliver excellent service, and our comprehensive and intuitive PAC software gives clients access to the PAC information they need when they need it.

I recently transitioned to the Sales and Marketing side of PASS and thankfully am able to use everything I learned as a Compliance Manager to talk to organizations about our services. Want to find out how PASS will augment your PAC team to keep your PAC running smoothly? Connect with me, Megan Allen, at mallen@pass1.com or on LinkedIn.

How Does PASS Keep Your Data Safe?

passpacs on September 30, 2025

Data security. We’ve talked about it before, but we can never talk about it too much. Today’s topic? Data in transit. More specifically, what strategies we employ at PASS to ensure the information our clients share with us, and we with them, is well protected and secure as it moves between the two parties.

One of the primary tactics PASS uses to protect sensitive information is email encryption. Encryption converts data into code to prevent unauthorized access. Anytime we include confidential or sensitive information in an email, we encrypt the email. This encryption makes it possible to send highly sensitive information to the intended recipient in a secure manner. And, all replies, both back and forth, that are part of the original email thread will automatically be encrypted as well. No special software is required to read and reply to these encrypted emails.

Another strategy that we employ at PASS to protect sensitive information is data segregation. The concept of data segregation is quite simple: separate the data into organized categories based on some defined criteria, such as sensitivity or purpose, and limit the parties who have access to each category. That way, if there is an unauthorized data breach in one category, the other categories of data will remain secure. Data segregation helps mitigate the risk of a security incident and safeguards the remaining sensitive material.

What happens when larger files of a sensitive nature cannot be transmitted in a single email? That’s where Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) comes in. In the simplest terms, SFTP is like having your own personal vault where you can store and transfer data in and out securely. Once an SFTP connection has been established, data can be transferred to and from the SFTP server safely and securely, and data transferred via SFTP is encrypted.

At PASS, keeping your data safe and secure and your PAC compliant are two of our main priorities.

For more information about our data security and PAC compliance services, contact your Compliance Manager or reach out to Megan Allen at mallen@pass1.com.

Can We Talk About Effective Communication?

passpacs on August 30, 2025

I’ve been the “voice of PASS” for the last 20+ years and I’ve learned a thing or two about communicating in today’s dynamic business environment. We have hundreds of communication tools at our disposal that are invaluable for connecting teams and customers. Much like a great chef does not solely rely on their whisk to prepare a delectable chocolate souffle, effective communication requires the right tools AND a thoughtful strategy.

Effective communication involves delivering a message clearly, with a positive attitude, and listening to gain meaning so the communicator feels heard and understood.

To communicate effectively, start by being clear and concise. Know your audience and what you would like to convey and what you would like the listener to take away from the conversation.

When writing, effective communication requires that you are mindful of nonverbal communication and how that will come across to the reader. You can’t rely on a reader seeing your facial expressions or gestures so choose your words carefully and read your message out loud to see how it sounds when you speak the words.

When speaking, watch your tone. In general, it’s not always what you say but how you say it that can determine the outcome of a conversation. In written communications, be sure to read your communication several times before sending it – does it reflect the tone you intended?

Always practice active listening when speaking with someone. No one likes to have a conversation with someone who is constantly scanning the room to see who else is in the room. Without active listening, you don’t always hear the words being spoken or grasp the message.

Lastly, use the right medium or platform to communicate. Ask yourself: Should this be an in-person meeting, a phone call, a video chat, or an email? Ask yourself how you would want to be communicated with if the tables were turned and you were receiving the information.

At PASS, our message is clear: we are committed to keeping PACs on track through purposeful communication, supported by modern tools and a strategy grounded in trust, precision, and progress.

The PASS team recognizes that effective communication is fundamental to our mission. For over 40 years, we’ve leveraged the latest in communication and information technologies to support our clients and enhance collaboration within our team. Our commitment to clarity and innovation allows us to deliver high-quality, error-free services—guided by federal and state regulations and rooted in industry best practices.

One of my donors overcontributed to the PAC! What do I do?

passpacs on June 24, 2025

Keeping your large donors from contributing more than the $5,000 maximum can be a challenge because contributors want to max out at exactly $5,000. If they contribute by credit card, it’s not a problem. If, however, they contribute by recurring payroll deductions, the bi-weekly or monthly split never works out to exactly $5,000 for the year. They will either be $0.08 under $5k or $0.06 over the limit.

PASS Receipt Analysts and Compliance Managers are monitoring your large donors to ensure they stay within the limits.

Toward the end of the year, they will suggest you ask the payroll department to manually adjust the deduction amount for the last pay date. The downside of this approach is that someone has to remember to ask Payroll to restore the deduction back to the original amount after January 1.

The PASS Receipts team is also paying attention to any payroll dates that may fall on January 1, which typically means they get pushed back to December 31 because of the holiday. This can cause an overage because the individual would have received 27 pay checks in one year. Don’t worry. PASS’ Receipts team can alert you to this at the start of the year as we track actual pay period dates for our clients.

Many payroll systems can place a $5000 cap on PAC contributions. Systems with this capability will not only adjust the contribution on that last pay date as needed, they will also resume taking the original amount on the first pay date of the new year. Does your payroll system have this functionality? Talk to your Payroll department to find out.

To add to your peace of mind, PASS’ epacInfo software has reports that show Year to Date contributions for all contributors as well as reports that will show a payroll variance from one pay period to the next. Keeping a close eye on donation changes is important to monitoring your PAC income and making sure deductions are not inadvertently stopped after the start of a new year or other change.

Tracking PAC receipts is an important step in maintaining donor compliance and monitoring the health of your PAC. PASS can help! Contact your Compliance Manager to get more information on the PASS process for keeping your contributions compliant. And, if you would like to know more about epacInfo reports that allow you to track your receipt information, please reach out to your Compliance Manager and learn reporting options to get the data you need with just a couple of clicks. PASS will keep your PAC on track!

Is Your PAC Losing Money?

passpacs on May 29, 2025

Has this ever happened to you? You finished a PAC solicitation and your projected new revenue figures were impressive. Sadly, that revenue never materializes because payroll deductions were either not started or were set up with the wrong amounts.

PASS’ epacInfo® software offers payroll comparison reports. This helps ensure all new deductions start at the correct amount. PASS will also program a report with new and updated enrollments and send it directly to your payroll department.

The new enrollments are uploaded to your payroll system, reducing the chance of mistakes.

Many clients depend on PASS to prepare and send new or updated pledge information to their payroll teams. In 2024, PASS sent out 1,800 enrollment reports, that’s 150 reports per month.

Additionally, epacInfo® offers enrollment comparison reports to identify PAC pledges that haven’t started. With epacInfo®, you can report deduction mistakes to your payroll team. This powerful tool helps you easily track new and updated PAC contributions.

The process is straightforward. PASS works directly with your payroll team to discuss file specifications, formats, and schedules. On the scheduled date, you and your payroll team will receive the customized file. Files are send via password-protected email or through our Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP).

The PASS IT team will work closely with you to customize solutions that meet your company’s unique needs. Don’t let your fundraising efforts go to waste! Contact PASS to automate your enrollment process and ask about which epacInfo® reports are available to track your PAC activity.

Should You Worry About Pay to Play?

passpacs on April 29, 2025

Companies that operate in regulated industries or have state and local government contracts may be subject to “pay-to-play” rules when making political contributions. Pay-to-play (PTP) laws exist at the federal, state, local, and agency levels, and are designed to prevent corruption or undue influence in politics, particularly when it comes to political contributions. PTP laws may apply to political contributions made by executives, employees, and in some cases, their family members.

PASS offers comprehensive PTP compliance services for our clients. We leverage in-house and external resources to identify potential PTP issues a political contribution may trigger, and we help guide clients on the key focus areas.

Pay to Play is one of the many services where the PASS Compliance Team

collaborates closely with our clients to ensure all relevant entities,

including affiliated ones, are considered when assessing government contracts.

Does your organization contract with, or plan to contract with, governmental bodies? If so, it is crucial to understand the specific PTP laws in that jurisdiction. By staying informed, you can avoid jeopardizing existing and future contracts or facing fines and penalties. Contact your PASS Compliance Manager today to discuss our PTP services.

Why Does PASS have a Team Dedicated to Receipts Processing?

passpacs on March 19, 2025

At PASS, we understand the importance of personalized support when it comes to PAC administration and compliance. That’s why our clients work closely with a dedicated Compliance Manager (CM) for day-to-day guidance. What’s even better? Each Compliance Manager is backed by a specialized member of our Receipts Analysis team, ensuring top-notch support every step of the way.

Our team of receipts professionals are dedicated to processing PAC receipts

and making sure all PAC contributions comply with

federal and state campaign finance laws.

Additionally, the team makes sure all the funds that should have been deposited in the PAC bank account were deposited in the PAC bank account, and they follow up with Payroll departments as needed to track down missing funds or funding overages.

To make sure client data is safe and is imported correctly, the Receipts Manager receives the payroll data from the client via secure transmission. The Receipt Manager uploads the payroll data to epacInfo®, PASS’ PAC management software, following a documented procedure. Once the data is imported and verified, the file is audited by a Quality Assurance Manager using a documented process that is detailed in an audit report. The audit report accompanies the notice to the CM that the data is available to be used for compliance reporting. Following the data import, Clients can also view their payroll information and use the management reporting module in epacInfo® to run analytics and create internal PAC reports.

Separating the receipt process from the compliance reporting function allows for greater attention to detail to help ensure PAC data is 100% correct when filing reports with federal and state election law agencies. The PASS team is always looking for ways to make sure client data is accurate and compliant with campaign finance laws. For more information about how we process and keep your data safe and ensure accuracy, contact PASS today!

Inflation Erodes PAC Contributions

passpacs on February 20, 2025

Campaign contribution limits are restrictions set by regulatory bodies that dictate the maximum amount of money individuals or organizations can donate to political campaigns. These limits are designed to prevent corruption, ensure fair competition, and promote transparency in the electoral process.

As the cost of living and operating expenses rise due to inflation,

the value of a fixed contribution limit has been diminished.

This creates a challenge for candidates to raise the necessary funds to run competitive campaigns and effectively communicate their message to voters.

To address this issue, regulatory bodies should periodically review and adjust contribution limits to account for inflation. By indexing contribution limits to inflation or periodically reviewing and adjusting them based on economic conditions, policymakers can help ensure that campaign finance regulations remain effective and equitable.

The Federal Election Commission is an example of a regulatory agency that has indexed personal and non-multicandidate PAC contributions to inflation but has not applied those same indexing rules to multicandidate PACs. The limits for multicandidate committees have been $5,000 per candidate and per election since 1976. Keeping contribution limits equitable is a big step in ensuring fair electoral competition, ensuring a diverse slate of candidates, and promoting transparency in our electoral process.

The campaign finance experts at PASS help PACs navigate federal and state election contribution limits, laws, and reporting requirements to ensure 100% compliance.