§ 100.7 - Contribution (2 U.S.C. 431(8)).

(a) The term contribution includes the following payments, services or other things of value:

(1) A gift, subscription, loan (except for a loan made in accordance with 11 CFR 100.7(b)(11)), advance, or deposit of money or anything of value made by any person for the purpose of influencing any election for Federal office is a contribution.

(i) For purposes of 11 CFR 100.7(a)(1), the term loan includes a guarantee, endorsement, and any other form of security.

(A) A loan which exceeds the contribution limitations of 2 U.S.C. 441a and 11 CFR part 110 shall be unlawful whether or not it is repaid.

(B) A loan is a contribution at the time it is made and is a contribution to the extent that it remains unpaid. The aggregate amount loaned to a candidate or committee by a contributor, when added to other contributions from that individual to that candidate or committee, shall not exceed the contribution limitations set forth at 11 CFR part 110. A loan, to the extent it is repaid, is no longer a contribution.

(C) Except as provided in (D), a loan is a contribution by each endorser or guarantor. Each endorser or guarantor shall be deemed to have contributed that portion of the total amount of the loan for which he or she agreed to be liable in a written agreement. Any reduction in the unpaid balance of the loan shall reduce proportionately the amount endorsed or guaranteed by each endorser or guarantor in such written agreement. In the event that such agreement does not stipulate the portion of the loan for which each endorser or guarantor is liable, the loan shall be considered a loan by each endorser or guarantor in the same proportion to the unpaid balance that each endorser or guarantor bears to the total number of endorsers or guarantors.

(D) A candidate may obtain a loan on which his or her spouse's signature is required when jointly owned assets are used as collateral or security for the loan. The spouse shall not be considered a contributor to the candidate's campaign if the value of the candidate's share of the property used as collateral equals or exceeds the amount of the loan which is used for the candidate's campaign.

(E) If a political committee makes a loan to any person, such loan shall be subject to the limitations of 11 CFR part 110. Repayment of the principal amount of such loan to such political committee shall not be a contribution by the debtor to the lender committee. Such repayment shall be made with funds which are subject to the prohibitions of 11 CFR 110.4(a) and part 114. The payment of interest to such committee by the debtor shall be a contribution only to the extent that the interest paid exceeds a commercially reasonable rate prevailing at the time the loan is made. All payments of interest shall be made from funds subject to the prohibitions of 11 CFR 110.4(a) and part 114.

(ii) For purposes of 11 CFR 100.7(a)(1), the term money includes currency of the United States or of any foreign nation, checks, money orders, or any other negotiable instruments payable on demand.

(iii) (A) For purposes of 11 CFR 100.7(a)(1), the term anything of value includes all in-kind contributions. Unless specifically exempted under 11 CFR 100.7(b), the provision of any goods or services without charge or at a charge which is less than the usual and normal charge for such goods or services is a contribution. Examples of such goods or services include, but are not limited to: Securities, facilities, equipment, supplies, personnel, advertising services, membership lists, and mailing lists. If goods or services are provided at less than the usual and normal charge, the amount of the in-kind contribution is the difference between the usual and normal charge for the goods or services at the time of the contribution and the amount charged the political committee.

(B) For purposes of 11 CFR 100.7(a)(1)(iii)(A), usual and normal charge for goods means the price of those goods in the market from which they ordinarily would have been purchased at the time of the contribution; and usual and normal charge for any services, other than those provided by an unpaid volunteer, means the hourly or piecework charge for the services at a commercially reasonable rate prevailing at the time the services were rendered.

(2) The entire amount paid to attend a fundraiser or other political event and the entire amount paid as the purchase price for a fundraising item sold by a political committee is a contribution.

(3) The payment by any person of compensation for the personal services of another person if those services are rendered without charge to a political committee for any purpose, except for legal and accounting services provided under 11 CFR 100.7(b)(13) or (14), is a contribution. No compensation is considered paid to any employee under any of the following conditions:

(i) If an employee is paid on an hourly or salaried basis and is expected to work a particular number of hours per period, no contribution results if the employee engages in political activity during what would otherwise be a regular work period, provided that the taken or released time is made up or completed by the employee within a reasonable time.

(ii) No contribution results where an employee engages in political activity during what would otherwise be normal working hours if the employee is paid on a commission or piecework basis, or is paid only for work actually performed and the employee's time is considered his or her own to use as he or she sees fit.

(iii) No contribution results where the time used by the employee to engage in political activity is bona fide, although compensable, vacation time or other earned leave time.

(4) The extension of credit by any person is a contribution unless the credit is extended in the ordinary course of the person's business and the terms are substantially similar to extensions of credit to nonpolitical debtors that are of similar risk and size of obligation. If a creditor fails to make a commercially reasonable attempt to collect the debt, a contribution will result. (See 11 CFR 116.3 and 116.4.) If a debt owed by a political committee is forgiven or settled for less than the amount owed, a contribution results unless such debt is settled in accordance with the standards set forth at 11 CFR 116.3 and 116.4.

(b) The term contribution does not include the following payments, services or other things of value:

(1) (i) Funds received solely for the purpose of determining whether an individual should become a candidate are not contributions. Examples of activities permissible under this exemption if they are conducted to determine whether an individual should become a candidate include, but are not limited to, conducting a poll, telephone calls, and travel. Only funds permissible under the Act may be used for such activities. The individual shall keep records of all such funds received. See 11 CFR 101.3. If the individual subsequently becomes a candidate, the funds received are contributions subject to the reporting requirements of the Act. Such contributions must be reported with the first report filed by the principal campaign committee of the candidate, regardless of the date the funds were received.

ii) This exemption does not apply to funds received for activities indicating that an individual has decided to become a candidate for a particular office or for activities relevant to conducting a campaign. Examples of activities that indicate that an individual has decided to become a candidate include, but are not limited to:

(A) The individual uses general public political advertising to publicize his or her intention to campaign for Federal office.

(B) The individual raises funds in excess of what could reasonably be expected to be used for exploratory activities or undertakes activities designed to amass campaign funds that would be spent after he or she becomes a candidate.

(C) The individual makes or authorizes written or oral statements that refer to him or her as a candidate for a particular office.

(D) The individual conducts activities in close proximity to the election or over a protracted period of time.

(E) The individual has taken action to qualify for the ballot under State law.

(2) Any cost incurred in covering or carrying a news story, commentary, or editorial by any broadcasting station (including a cable television operator, programmer or producer), newspaper, magazine, or other periodical publication is not a contribution unless the facility is owned or controlled by any political party, political committee, or candidate, in which case the costs for a news story (i) which represents a bona fide news account communicated in a publication of general circulation or on a licensed broadcasting facility, and (ii) which is part of a general pattern of campaign-related news accounts which give reasonably equal coverage to all opposing candidates in the circulation or listening area, is not a contribution.

(3) The value of services provided without compensation by any individual who volunteers on behalf of a candidate or political committee is not a contribution.

(4) No contribution results where an individual, in the course of volunteering personal services on his or her residential premises to any candidate or to any political committee of a political party, provides the use of his or her real or personal property to such candidate for candidate-related activity or to such political committee of a political party for party-related activity. For the purposes of 11 CFR 100.7(b)(4), an individual's residential premises, shall include a recreation room in a residential complex where the individual volunteering services resides, provided that the room is available for use without regard to political affiliation. A nominal fee paid by such individual for the use of such room is not a contribution.

(5) No contribution results where an individual, in the course of volunteering personal services to any candidate or political committee of a political party, obtains the use of a church or community room and provides such room to any candidate for candidate-related activity or to any political committee of a political party for party-related activity, provided that the room is used on a regular basis by members of the community for noncommercial purposes and the room is available for use by members of the community without regard to political affiliation. A nominal fee paid by such individual for the use of such room is not a contribution.

(6) The cost of invitations, food and beverages is not a contribution where such items are voluntarily provided by an individual volunteering personal services on the individual's residential premises or in a church or community room as specified at 11 CFR 100.7(b)(4) and (5) to a candidate for candidate-related activity or to any political committee of a political party for party-related activity, to the extent that: The aggregate value of such invitations, food and beverages provided by the individual on behalf of the candidate does not exceed $1,000 with respect to any single election; and on behalf of all political committees of each political party does not exceed $2,000 in any calendar year.

(7) The sale of any food or beverage by a vendor (whether incorporated or not) for use in a candidate's campaign, or for use by a political committee of a political party, at a charge less than the normal or comparable commercial rate, is not a contribution, provided that the charge is at least equal to the cost of such food or beverage to the vendor, to the extent that: The aggregate value of such discount given by the vendor on behalf of any single candidate does not exceed $1,000 with respect to any single election; and on behalf of all political committees of each political party does not exceed $2,000 in a calendar year.

(8) Any unreimbursed payment for transportation expenses incurred by any individual on behalf of any candidate or any political committee of a political party is not a contribution to the extent that: The aggregate value of the payments made by such individual on behalf of a candidate does not exceed $1,000 with respect to a single election; and on behalf of all political committees of each political party does not exceed $2,000 in a calendar year. Additionally, any unreimbursed payment from a volunteer's personal funds for usual and normal subsistence expenses incidental to volunteer activity is not a contribution.

(9) The payment by a State or local committee of a political party of the costs of preparation, display, or mailing or other distribution incurred by such committee with respect to a printed slate card, sample ballot, palm card, or other printed listing(s) of three or more candidates for any public office for which an election is held in the State in which the committee is organized is not a contribution. The payment of the portion of such costs allocable to Federal candidates must be made from funds subject to the limitations and prohibitions of the Act. If made by a political committee, such payments shall be reported by that committee as disbursements, but need not be allocated in committee reports to specific candidates. This exemption shall not apply to costs incurred by such a committee with respect to the preparation and display of listings made on broadcasting stations, or in newspapers, magazines, and similar types of general public political advertising such as billboards.

(10) Any payment made or obligation incurred by a corporation or a labor organization is not a contribution if under the provisions of 11 CFR part 114 such payment or obligation would not constitute an expenditure by the corporation or labor organization.

(11) A loan of money by a State bank, a federally chartered depository institution (including a national bank) or a depository institution whose deposits and accounts are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation, or the National Credit Union Administration is not a contribution by the lending institution if such loan is made in accordance with applicable banking laws and regulations and is made in the ordinary course of business. A loan will be deemed to be made in the ordinary course of business if it: Bears the usual and customary interest rate of the lending institution for the category of loan involved; is made on a basis which assures repayment; is evidenced by a written instrument; and is subject to a due date or amortization schedule. Such loans shall be reported by the political committee in accordance with 11 CFR 104.3(a). Each endorser or guarantor shall be deemed to have contributed that portion of the total amount of the loan for which he or she agreed to be liable in a written agreement, except that, in the event of a signature by the candidate's spouse, the provisions of 11 CFR 100.7(a)(1)(i)(D) shall apply. Any reduction in the unpaid balance of the loan shall reduce proportionately the amount endorsed or guaranteed by each endorser or guarantor in such written agreement. In the event that such agreement does not stipulate the portion of the loan for which each endorser or guarantor is liable, the loan shall be considered a contribution by each endorser or guarantor in the same proportion to the unpaid balance that each endorser or guarantor bears to the total number of endorsers or guarantors. For purposes of 11 CFR 100.7(b)(11), an overdraft made on a checking or savings account shall be considered a contribution by the bank or institution unless: The overdraft is made on an account which is subject to automatic overdraft protection; the overdraft is subject to a definite interest rate which is usual and customary; and there is a definite repayment schedule.

(i) A loan, including a line of credit, shall be considered made on a basis which assures repayment if it is obtained using either of the sources of repayment described in paragraphs (b)(11)(i) (A) or (B) of this section, or a combination of paragraphs (b)(11)(i) (A) and (B) of this section:

(A)(1) The lending institution making the loan has perfected a security interest in collateral owned by the candidate or political committee receiving the loan, the fair market value of the collateral is equal to or greater than the loan amount and any senior liens as determined on the date of the loan, and the candidate or political committee provides documentation to show that the lending institution has a perfected security interest in the collateral. Sources of collateral include, but are not limited to, ownership in real estate, personal property, goods, negotiable instruments, certificates of deposit, chattel papers, stocks, accounts receivable and cash on deposit.

(2) Amounts guaranteed by secondary sources of repayment, such as guarantors and cosigners, shall not exceed the contribution limits of 11 CFR part 110 or contravene the prohibitions of 11 CFR 110.4, part 114 and part 115; or

(B) The lending institution making the loan has obtained a written agreement whereby the candidate or political committee receiving the loan has pledged future receipts, such as public financing payments under 11 CFR part 9001 et seq. or part 9031 et seq., contributions, or interest income, provided that:

(1) The amount of the loan or loans obtained on the basis of such funds does not exceed the amount of pledged funds;

(2) Loan amounts are based on a reasonable expectation of the receipt of pledged funds. To that end, the candidate or political committee must furnish the lending institution documentation, i.e., cash flow charts or other financial plans, that reasonably establish that such future funds will be available;

(3) A separate depository account is established at the lending institution or the lender obtains an assignment from the candidate or political committee to access funds in a committee account at another depository institution that meets the requirements of 11 CFR 103.2, and the committee has notified the other institution of this assignment;

(4) The loan agreement requires the deposit of the public financing payments, contributions and interest income pledged as collateral into the separate depository account for the purpose of retiring the debt according to the repayment requirements of the loan agreement; and

(5) In the case of public financing payments, the borrower authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to directly deposit the payments into the depository account for the purpose of retiring the debt.

(ii) If the requirements set forth in paragraph (b)(11)(i) of this section are not met, the Commission will consider the totality of the circumstances on a case-by-case basis in determining whether a loan was made on a basis which assures repayment.

(12) A gift, subscription, loan, advance, or deposit of money or anything of value made to a national committee or a State committee of a political party is not a contribution if it is specifically designated to defray any cost incurred for construction or purchase of any office facility which is not acquired for the purpose of influencing the election of any candidate in any particular election for Federal office. If such gift, subscription, loan, advance, or deposit of money or anything of value is made to a committee which is not a political committee under 11 CFR 100.5, the amount need not be reported. However, if such gift, subscription, loan, advance, or deposit of money or anything of value is made to a political committee, it shall be reported in accordance with 11 CFR 104.3(g).

(13) Legal or accounting services rendered to or on behalf of any political committee of a political party are not contributions if the person paying for such services is the regular employer of the individual rendering the services and such services are not attributable to activities which directly further the election of any designated candidate for Federal office. For purposes of 11 CFR 100.7(b)(13), a partnership shall be deemed to be the regular employer of a partner. Amounts paid by the regular employer for such services shall be reported by the committee receiving such services in accordance with 11 CFR 104.3(h).

(14) Legal or accounting services rendered to or on behalf of an authorized committee of a candidate or any other political committee are not contributions if the person paying for such services is the regular employer of the individual rendering the services and if such services are solely to ensure compliance with the Act or 26 U.S.C. 9001 et seq. and 9031 et seq. For purposes of 11 CFR 100.7(b)(14), a partnership shall be deemed to be the regular employer of a partner. Amounts paid by the regular employer for these services shall be reported by the committee receiving such services in accordance with 11 CFR 104.3(h).

(15) The payment by a state or local committee of a political party of the costs of campaign materials (such as pins, bumper stickers, handbills, brochures, posters, party tabloids or newletters, and yard signs) used by such committee in connection with volunteer activities on behalf of any nominee(s) of such party is not a contribution, provided that the following conditions are met:

(i) Such payment is not for cost incurred in connection with any broadcasting, newspaper, magazine, bill board, direct mail, or similar type of general public communication or political advertising. For purposes of 11 CFR 100.7(b)(15)(i), the term direct mail means any mailing(s) by a commercial vendor or any mailing(s) made from commercial lists.

(ii) The portion of the cost of such materials allocable to Federal candidates is paid from contributions subject to the limitations and prohibitions of the Act.

(iii) Such payment is not made from contributions designated by the donor to be spent on behalf of a particular candidate or candidates for Federal office. For purposes of 11 CFR 100.7(b)(15)(iii), a contribution shall not be considered a designated contribution if the party committee disbursing the funds makes the final decision regarding which candidate(s) shall receive the benefit of such disbursement.

(iv) Such materials are distributed by volunteers and not by commercial or for-profit operations. For the purposes of 11 CFR 100.7(b)(15)(iv), payments by the party organization for travel and subsistence or customary token payments to volunteers do not remove such individuals from the volunteer category.

(v) If made by a political committee such payments shall be reported by the political committee as disbursements in accordance with 11 CFR 104.3 but need not be allocated to specific candidates in committee reports.

(vi) Payments by a State candidate or his or her campaign committee to a State or local political party committee for the State candidate's share of expenses for such campaign materials are not contributions, provided the amount paid by the State candidate or his or her committee does not exceed his or her proportionate share of the expenses.

(vii) Campaign materials purchased by the national committee of a political party and delivered to a State or local party committee, or materials purchased with funds donated by the national committee to such State or local committee for the purchase of such materials, shall not qualify under this exemption. Rather, the cost of such materials shall be subject to the limitations of 2 U.S.C. 441a(d) and 11 CFR 110.7.

(16) The payment by a candidate for any public office (including State or local office), or by such candidate's authorized committee, of the costs of that candidate's campaign materials which include information on or any reference to a candidate for Federal office and which are used in connection with volunteer activities (such as pins, bumper stickers, handbills, brochures, posters, and yard signs) is not a contribution to such candidate for Federal office, provided that the payment is not for the use of broadcasting, newspapers, magazines, billboards, direct mail or similar types of general public communication or political advertising. The payment of the portion of the cost of such materials allocable to Federal candidates shall be made from contributions subject to the limitations and prohibitions of the Act. For purposes of 11 CFR 100.7(b)(16), the term direct mail means any mailing(s) by commercial vendors or mailing(s) made from lists which were not developed by the candidate.

(17) The payment by a State or local committee of a political party of the costs of voter registration and get-out-the-vote activities conducted by such committee on behalf of the Presidential and Vice Presidential nominee(s) of that party, is not a contribution to such candidate(s) provided that the following conditions are met:

(i) Such payment is not for the costs incurred in connection with any broadcasting, newspaper, magazine, billboard, direct mail, or similar type of general public communication or political advertising. For purposes of 11 CFR 100.7(b)(17)(i), the term direct mail means any mailing(s) by a commercial vendor or any mailing(s) made from commercial lists.

(ii) The portion of the costs of such activities allocable to Federal candidates is paid from contributions subject to the limitations and prohibitions of the Act.

(iii) Such payment is not made from contributions designated to be spent on behalf of a particular candidate or candidates for Federal office. For purposes of 11 CFR 100.7(b)(17)(iii), a contribution shall not be considered a designated contribution if the party committee disbursing the funds makes the final decision regarding which candidate(s) shall receive the benefit of such disbursement.

(iv) For purposes of 11 CFR 100.7(b)(17), if such activities include references to any candidate(s) for the House or Senate, the costs of such activities which are allocable to that candidate(s) shall be a contribution to such candidate(s) unless the mention of such candidate(s) is merely incidental to the overall activity.

(v) For purposes of 11 CFR 100.7(b)(17), payment of the costs incurred in the use of phone banks in connection with voter registration and get-out-the-vote activities is not a contribution when such phone banks are operated by volunteer workers. The use of paid professionals to design the phone bank system, develop calling instructions and train supervisors is permissible. The payment of the costs of such professional services is not an expenditure but shall be reported as a disbursement in accordance with 11 CFR 104.3 if made by a political committee.

(vi) If made by a political committee, such payments for voter registration and get-out-the-vote activities shall be reported by that committee as disbursements in accordance with 11 CFR 104.3, but such payments need not be allocated to specific candidates in committee reports except as provided in 11 CFR 100.7(b)(17)(iv).

(vii) Payments made from funds donated by a national committee of a political party to a State or local party committee for voter registration and get-out-the-vote activities shall not qualify under this exemption. Rather, such funds shall be subject to the limitations of 2 U.S.C. 441a(d) and 11 CFR 110.7.

(18) Payments made to any party committee by a candidate or the authorized committee of a candidate as a condition of ballot access are not contributions.

(19) [Reserved]

(20) A gift, subscription, loan, advance, or deposit of money or anything of value made with respect to a recount of the results of a Federal election, or an election contest concerning a Federal election, is not a contribution except that the prohibitions of 11 CFR 110.4(a) and part 114 apply.

(21) Funds provided to defray costs incurred in staging candidate debates in accordance with the provisions of 11 CFR 110.13 and 114.4(f).

(c) For purposes of 11 CFR 100.7(a) and (b), a contribution or payment made by an individual shall not be attributed to any other individual, unless otherwise specified by that other individual in accordance with 11 CFR 110.1(k).