The Green National Committee has approved the party’s 2026 budget in a divided vote, adopting a tiered model that scales both revenue and spending based on projected fundraising performance.
The committee adopted the budget last month with 47 votes in favor, 25 opposed, and 11 abstentions. Thirty-seven votes were needed for passage, based on a majority of votes cast excluding abstentions. Opposition came from several state parties and included all voting members from Arizona, Massachusetts, and Ohio, along with the party’s Youth Caucus and all eight delegates from the Texas affiliate.
The proposal was initially introduced in February by the Steering Committee, which said the party would need “work, wealth, and wisdom” and require “time, treasures, and talent.”
The approved budget operates on a tiered basis, presenting three revenue scenarios tied to projected fundraising performance. The tiers account for projected increases of approximately five, ten, and twenty percent over 2025 actuals.
According to the document, total expenditures range from approximately $190,302 to $208,751 across the budget’s three tiers, with most of the increase concentrated in fundraising activity rather than changes to core operations, which remain largely fixed.
Under its best case fundraising scenario, the party projects revenue of roughly $228,302, up from the $203,669 budget adopted last year. The two lower tiers project $192,073 and $209,325. The highest projection is expected to be driven largely by recurring contributions from sustaining donors, which continue to make up the majority of the party’s income. Contributions over $500 represent the next largest share of donor revenue across all tiers.
To support that growth, the party’s Fundraising Committee said it plans to expand donor outreach, including targeted direct mail appeals to different donor segments, such as individuals from what it calls its “Stein-list,” efforts to clean and standardize its donor database, and at least two virtual fundraising events.
Despite projected increases in two of the three tiers, the budget largely maintains the party’s existing financial approach, continuing to rely heavily on donor contributions while prioritizing staffing and operational infrastructure. More than half of projected expenditures are allocated to personnel costs, while additional funds are directed toward web services, database platforms, and payment processing systems.
Several larger expenses are funded with the expectation that the party will recoup those costs through fundraising. This includes $19,550 across all three tiers for its upcoming Annual National Meeting and up to $25,000 for a contracted professional fundraiser.
The budget does not project any new contributions to restricted funds for 2026, though it includes a separate list of restricted and reserve funds. As of the end of 2025, the party reported more than $58,000 in restricted funds designated for committees and affinity caucuses, as well as its legal fund.
One of the more notable elements of the budget is the complete absence of any funding for ballot access or the Coordinated Campaign Committee, which works with state and local affiliates and provides candidate support. Both budget lines have declined in recent years, from $20,000 allocated for ballot access and $10,000 for the Coordinated Campaign Committee in 2023 to significantly lower levels in subsequent budgets.
According to the list of restricted funds, the Ballot Access Committee has $916 and the Coordinated Campaign Committee has $1,035.
Even without additional funding, the party’s Ballot Access Committee still presented a timeline of goals in the budget, including expanding ballot access, working to retain state ballot lines for the 2028 presidential cycle, and continuing to serve as a resource for prospective candidates.
In all three tiers, the party anticipates carrying a small surplus into 2027, aiming to help offset a roughly $28,570 deficit from the previous year.
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