Program Overview

The New York State Public Campaign Finance Program provides candidates running for statewide or state legislative office the ability to qualify for public matching funds based on small donations ($5-$250) from residents in their district. The Program began on November 9, 2022.

The Public Campaign Finance Program is available to candidates running for the following statewide and state legislative offices in New York State.

If a candidate is running for one of the eligible offices and wants to participate in the Public Campaign Finance Program, the candidate must follow the steps below to register a committee, apply, and become certified by PCFB. 

Register a Committee

Candidates must register a new authorized committee (Type 1P) with the New York State Board of Elections by submitting the PCF-21 Type 1P Committee Registration Form. Once an authorized committee is registered with the Board, it can begin to raise funds that may qualify for the public matching program. 

Candidates are only permitted one authorized committee per elective office sought. All previously authorized committees for the same elected office must be terminated with NYSBOE.

Please note: Committee registration alone is not sufficient to become a program participant.  Please review subsequent steps about the required application and certification.   

Submit an Application/Certification 

After a candidate has registered a new authorized committee, the candidate and committee treasurer must complete the PCF-22 Application/Certification Form attesting that they are compliant with Title II, Article 14 of NYS Election Law. The Application/Certification should be submitted as early as possible and must be submitted at least four months prior to the applicable Primary Election. Notarized copies with original signatures (candidate and treasurer) need to be mailed to PCFB for review and approval. 

PCFB reviews the Application/Certification. If approved, PCFB sends a welcome letter to the candidate and treasurer that includes the program rules, eligibility checklists and other important program information. Once PCFB approves a candidate’s application and the candidate is certified, that candidate will remain in the Program for the entire election cycle.

Eligibility Requirements 

Beyond registration of a PCFB authorized committee and submission of an Application/Certification, the statute outlines additional eligibility requirements for those wishing to participate in the public financing program, including:

• Be a candidate in a covered election (Primary/General/Special) for a covered office;
• Be opposed by a candidate (not including write-ins);
• Not make expenditures from personal funds (including spouse or unemancipated child) in excess of 3x contribution limits for an individual, outlined in E.L. 14-114;
• Meet threshold requirements for number of matchable contributions received and total monetary contributions received (see Threshold Requirements for Participation); and
• Adhere to all program requirements (disclosure, contribution limits, etc.)
   

See Candidate & Committee Services for a complete guide to the Application/Certification process. 

Newly registered Type 1P committees may begin raising matchable contributions on November 9, 2022 (the day after Election Day 2022) for their next election cycle. The first eligible election for state legislative candidates will be in 2024 and will operate on a two-year cycle thereafter. The first eligible election for the statewide candidates will be in 2026 and will operate on a four-year cycle thereafter.

Matchable Contributions 

Contributions between $5 and $250 (in the aggregate over the election cycle) may be eligible for public matching funds, provided they meet the following criteria: 

• Contributions from individuals (natural persons) who are residents of New York State for statewide offices and residents within the applicable district for State Senate and State Assembly offices
• Contributions received on or before the applicable election day
• Contributions reported in full to PCFB by the candidate’s authorized committee as itemized transactions in disclosure reports 

Not all contributions qualify for the public matching program. For a list of contributions and funds that do not qualify to be matched, see the Submitting a Matching Claim section under Candidate & Committee Services. 

Matching Funds Formula 

The amount of public matching funds a candidate is eligible to receive varies by the office sought and the amount of the aggregate contribution from a particular contributor throughout the applicable election cycle.    

Statewide Offices

State Legislative Offices

The total amount of public matching funds a candidate can receive is determined by the office sought, the competitive status of an opponent, and the circumstances surrounding the particular election. These payable amounts are calculated separately between Primary and General/Special Elections. For the list of caps by office and other limiting circumstances, see the Caps on Public Matching Funds section under Candidate & Committee Services. 

Receiving Matching Funds 

Public matching fund payments are made to a candidate’s authorized committee (Type 1P) via electronic funds transfers (EFTs) in the Statewide Financial System (SFS). After a committee submits a matching funds claim through PCFB’s web application, PCFB verifies eligibility within four business days of receipt and then authorizes payment within two business days, if within a payment period. 

The payments for the Primary Election start as early as 30 days after petitions/nomination certifications have been filed. The payments for the General Election may start as early as the day after the Primary Election. There will be at least three payment dates scheduled in the thirty days prior to the Primary/General/Special Election. 

PCFB will publish a calendar of scheduled payment dates and the weekly matching claims schedule.

Using Matching Funds 

Matching funds must be used by the candidate’s authorized committee for campaign expenses to further the candidate’s nomination for election or election, in a lawful manner. See the Spending Public Matching Funds section of Candidate & Committee Services for examples of permissible and impermissible use of public matching funds.