Green National Committee Considers Study of National Membership Dues

The Green National Committee is considering a proposal to study the creation of a national dues system for party members as part of ongoing efforts to identify new fundraising sources.

The motion, introduced in late March by the Green Party of Texas and the party’s Young EcoSocialists Caucus, would establish an ad hoc “Dues Research Group” tasked with examining the technical and practical considerations of implementing individual membership dues at the national level.

Under the proposal, the working group would review how dues systems operate within Green state parties and caucuses, as well as comparable models used by outside organizations such as the Democratic Socialists of America, the Sierra Club, and the Green Party of the United Kingdom. It would also evaluate potential advantages and drawbacks of different dues structures and produce a recommendation report within 90 days of the measure’s adoption.

The Green Party does not maintain a standardized national dues-based membership system, relying primarily on donations and a decentralized network of state affiliates, each of which sets its own membership and fundraising practices. While some affiliates operate their own dues programs, there is no uniform national model.

Last month, the Green National Committee approved a tiered budget for 2026 in March, presenting multiple revenue scenarios, each tied to specific projected increases in fundraising. The plan accounts for gains of approximately five, ten, and twenty percent over 2025 totals, but otherwise maintains its existing funding structure, which relies heavily on small donors.

Notably, the tiered budget provides no new dedicated funding for ballot access efforts or the party’s Coordinated Campaign Committee, which works with state and local affiliates to support candidates.

At the same time, the national committee is weighing a separate proposal introduced by the Young EcoSocialists to disband the party’s two Green Congressional Campaign Committees. That measure argues the committees have failed to effectively raise and distribute funds. It further notes they collectively hold less than $3,000 while also facing potential compliance concerns.

Discussion on the dues proposal has been ongoing since its introduction, with a formal vote expected to be opened early next week. The measure requires a two-thirds quorum of national committee members to advance to a vote, with a simple majority among those voting needed for adoption.