Definition
Dark money commonly refers to election-related spending by certain nonprofit organizations or structures where the public cannot easily identify the ultimate donors.
Political Dictionary
Dark Money
Dark money is political spending by organizations that do not publicly disclose all original funding sources.
Why It Matters
It affects transparency and makes it harder for voters to evaluate who is financing political messages.
How It Works
Organizations may fund issue advocacy or independent spending while reporting requirements reveal the spender but not every underlying donor.
History
The term became prominent as nonprofit political spending increased in the twenty-first century.
Example
A nonprofit may fund ads near an election without publicly identifying all contributors.
Common Misconceptions
- Dark money is always illegal.
- Every anonymous donation is dark money.
- No dark-money spending is ever disclosed in any form.
Related Terms
Related Topics
See Also