Table of Contents
Qualifying Request
To be certified as eligible to receive public financing, candidates must submit a Qualifying Request that demonstrates they have raised the minimum amount of qualifying contributions from the minimum number of San Francisco residents. Before submitting a Qualifying Request, candidates should ensure file a Statement of Participation indicating an intent to participate in the Public Financing Program and ensure that all other program eligibility requirements have been met.
The Qualifying Request may not be filed earlier than nine months before the election and must be received no later than the 70th day before the election. Candidates are advised to file a Qualifying Request as early as possible to provide ample time to address any issues or technical difficulties with their application.
Minimum Fundraising Threshold
The table below summarizes the minimum amount of qualifying contributions and the minimum number of contributors that must be submitted in a Qualifying Request, by candidate type:
| Candidate Type | Incumbency | Minimum number of qualifying contributors | Minimum total amount of qualifying contributions |
| Supervisor | Non-incumbent | 100 | $10,000 |
| Incumbent | 150 | $15,000 | |
| Mayor | Non-incumbent | 500 | $50,000 |
| Incumbent | 750 | $75,000 |
What is a Qualifying Contribution?
A qualifying contribution is:
- made by an individual who is a San Francisco resident;
- $10 – $100 per contributor (cumulatively);
- made within 18 months prior to the election; and no later than the 70th day before the election; and
- supported by appropriate documentation.
What if a contributor donates more than $100?
For contributions greater than $100, candidates can still submit the contribution in a Qualifying Request, but only the first $100 will count as a qualifying contribution. The remaining amount may be matched in a future Matching Request after the candidate is certified as eligible.
What if a contributor donates less than $10?
If a contributor has donated less than $10 (cumulatively), their contribution is not a qualifying contribution and cannot be used in the Qualifying Request. However, cumulative contributions under $10 may be used in a future Matching Request.
Qualifying contributions do not include contributions that are:
- made by an individual who is not a San Francisco resident;
- made after the 70th day before the election or earlier than 18 months prior to the date of the election;
- loans or nonmonetary contributions;
- from the candidate or their immediate family;
- less than $10 (cumulatively) from a single contributor;
- made in violation of local or state law;
- drawn on a business account, including “sole proprietorships”; or
- not deposited into the candidate’s account, returned to the contributor, or not posted to the candidate’s trust account (e.g., “bounced checks”).
Contributions received to support a candidate’s election to a different office or for a prior election that were transferred to their current committee cannot be used as qualifying contributions. However, if the contributions were received for a future election, and the candidate redesignates the committee for the current election cycle, contributions that fall within the designated time period may be used as qualifying contributions.
Submitting a Qualifying Request
Each Qualifying Request must include a list of qualifying contributions containing the minimum amounts and number of contributors listed in the table above, and sufficient supporting documentation for each contribution. The Qualifying Request, contribution list, and supporting documentation must be submitted electronically. The Qualifying Request and contribution list are submitted through the Commission’s free electronic filing system. Supporting documentation is provided via the Commission’s online records portal. A unique upload link and instructions for uploading records will be provided to each candidate. Specific requirements for documentation to be included with each public financing submission can be found on the Supporting Documentation for Public Financing page.
Important Note: All Qualifying and Matching Requests for public funds must be filed electronically either through the Ethics Commission’s free public filing system, provided by the Commission’s electronic filing service provider NetFile, or another compatible third-party system. Candidates using the NetFile public filing system should read Netfile’s “Filer Guide,” which provides step-by-step instructions for filing documents. The Filer Guide can be accessed by creating a NetFile account and, after logging in, clicking “Help & Support” and then “Public Financing.”
Required Information for Qualifying Contributions
Candidates must provide the following information for each qualifying contribution included in a Qualifying Request:
- Name of contributor
- Address of contributor’s primary residence (business, P.O. Box, or other non-residential addresses are not acceptable)
- Amount of qualifying contribution
- Date the contribution was received
- Deposit date
- Deposit batch number
- Method of payment
- Occupation and employer information if the cumulative amount that was received from the contributor for the calendar year is $100 or more
Important Note: The contributor information contained in the Qualifying or Matching request must match the information in the supporting documentation. Any discrepancies or inconsistencies may result in a contribution being rejected, including instances where the contributor’s name or address have changed.
How many contributions should I include in a Qualifying Request?
As noted in the table above, candidates must submit a minimum amount of contributions from a minimum number of contributors. As there is always the chance that not all contributions included in the Qualifying Request will be approved, candidates are encouraged to submit more than the minimum required to improve the chances that their Qualifying Request is approved.