After years of organizing to first build public support for a statewide public financing system, secure its passage, and then ensure the program was fully funded and implemented, Piper Fund grantee Citizen Action of New York, alongside their partners, is seeing how public financing is changing the election landscape in their state. The New York State Public Campaign Finance Program, launched in the 2024 election cycle, provides candidates running for statewide or state legislative office matching funds for small donations, between $5 and $250, from residents of their districts. The formula allows for up to a 12-to-1 match for eligible small donations.

This reform is an important challenge to the outsized influence of wealthy donors, offering a clear alternative that fuels a people-powered democracy. By amplifying small-donor contributions, the program ensures that candidates can run viable campaigns rooted in the support of their communities, rather than relying on the deep pockets of special interests.

While a full report on the performance of the statewide program in this election cycle is still forthcoming, interest and participation in it far exceeded expectations. Karen Wharton, Citizen Action of New York’s democracy coalition coordinator, talks about the work that occurred in 2024 to protect and promote this groundbreaking achievement.