Environmental Groups Working Donor Dollars to Pro-Environment Candidates

LeadingGreen is an expansion on the League of Conservation Voters’ GiveGreen program.

The League of Conservation Voters and the Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund announced Monday that it is joining forces on a multimillion-dollar electoral effort. The initiative, called LeadingGreen, plans to drive $5 million in direct campaign contributions to pro-environment candidates in 2014.

LeadingGreen would expand on the League of Conservation Voters GiveGreen program in support of the NRDC Action Fund. The League has traditionally pointed donors to individual candidates that support its program.

According to the group’s website, the league has already raised nearly $3 million for 16 Senate and House candidates in this year’s election. So far, the biggest recipient of its funds is Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.), who has worked to bring in over $260,000 through GiveGreen. GiveGreen raised $2 million for candidates in 2012 and $1 million in 2010.

Out of all the national environmental groups, the League of Conservation Voters is the biggest electoral spender. The League of Conservation Voters and NRDC Action Fund said in a press release that their combined effort will “unite top donors and influencers at the intersection of policy and politics to maximize their policy engagement and political leverage on climate change.” It also said it plans to organize donor summits to “develop a unified strategy heading into each election cycle.”