Glossary Definition:

Contribution Limit: Federal law limits the amounts individuals and PACs can give to candidates, political parties, and political committees. These limits regulate both specific contributions and aggregate contributions by individuals.
Statutes and/or Regulations:

Definition: 11 C.F.R. §§ 100.51; 100.52; 100.53; 100.54; 100.55; 100.56; 114.1

Acceptance of Anonymous Contributions: 11 C.F.R. § 110.4(c)(3)

Acceptance of Contributions by Federal Committee/Account: 11 C.F.R. § 102.5(a)(2)

Acceptance of Contributions by Separate Segregated Fund: 11 C.F.R. § 114.5(j)

Acceptance of Contributions that Appear Illegal: 11 C.F.R. § 103.3(b)

Acceptance of Prohibited Contributions: 11 C.F.R. §§ 110.9(a), 114.2(c)

Aggregate biennial contribution limitation for individuals: 11 C.F.R. § 110.5

Cash Contributions: 11 C.F.R. § 110.4(c)

Contributions by Affiliated Committees: 11 C.F.R. § 110.3(a)(1)

Contributions by Children/Minors: 11 C.F.R. § 110.19

Contributions by Committees: 11 C.F.R. §§ 110.1, 110.2

Contributions by Corporations/Labor Organizations/National Banks: 11 C.F.R. §§ 103.3(b), 114.2

Contributions by Foreign Nationals: 11 C.F.R. §§ 103.3(b), 110.20

Contributions by General Party Committees: 11 C.F.R. §§ 110.3(b)(1) and (3)

Contributions by National House and Senate Party Committees: 11 C.F.R. § 110.3(b)(2)

Contributions by Party Committees to Senate Candidates: 11 C.F.R. § 110.2(e)

Contributions by persons other than multicandidate political committees: 11 C.F.R. § 110.1

Contributions by multicandidate political committees: 11 C.F.R. § 110.2

Contribution limitations for affiliated committees and political party committees; Transfers:

11 C.F.R. § 110.3(a)(1)

Contributions Made by Checks and Other Written Instruments: 11 C.F.R. §§ 104.8(c) and (d)

Contributions Made by Individuals: 11 C.F.R. §§ 110.1, 110.5

Contributions Made by a Separate Segregated Fund: 11 C.F.R. § 114.5(f)

Contributions Made in the Name of Another: 11 C.F.R. § 110.4(b)

Contributions to and expenditures by delegates and delegate committees: 11 C.F.R. § 110.14

Election Contribution Limit: 11 C.F.R. §§ 110.1(a)(1) and (j), 110.2(a)(1) and (d), 110.5(c)

Excessive Contribution: 11 C.F.R. §§ 103.3(b)(3), 110.1(k)

Forwarding Contributions: 11 C.F.R. § 102.8

Illegal Contributions: 11 C.F.R. §§ 103.3(b), 110.1(b)(3)(i), 110.4, 110.9(a), 110.14(c)(2), 114.2, 115.2

Joint Contributions: 11 C.F.R. §§ 104.8(c) and (d), 110.1(k)

Joint fundraising by committees other than separate segregated funds: 11 C.F.R. § 102.17(c)(5)

Limitations on Contributions: 11 C.F.R. §§ 102.17(c)(5), 110.1, 110.2, 110.3(a)(1) and (b), 110.5, 110.9(a)

Millionaires' Amendment: 11 C.F.R. § 400.6

Prohibition on contributions, donations, expenditures, independent expenditure, and disbursements by foreign nationals: 11 C.F.R. § 110.20

Receipt of Contributions: 11 C.F.R. § 102.8

Redesignation: 11 C.F.R. §§ 102.9(e), 103.3(b)(3), 104.8(d)(2), 110.1(b) and (1), 110.2(b)(3)(i) and (5)

Refunds of Designated Contributions: 11 C.F.R. §§ 110.1(b)(3)(i), 110.2(b)(3)(i)

Refunds of General Election Contributions: 11 C.F.R. §§ 102.9(e), 110.1(b)(3)(i), 110.2(b)(3)(i)

Refunds of Illegal Contributions: 11 C.F.R. § 103.3(b)(1)

Reporting Refunded Contributions: 11 C.F.R. § 104.8(d)(4)

Returned Contributions: 11 C.F.R. §§ 103.3(a) and (b), 110.1(b)(3)(i), 110.2(b)(3)(i), 110.4(c)(2)

Unauthorized expenditures and contributions: 11 C.F.R.§ 9012

Violations: 11 C.F.R. §§ 110.4, 110.9(a)

BCRA Regulations:

Prohibited and Excessive Contributions: Non-Federal Funds or Soft Money

Contribution Limitations and Prohibitions

Increased Contribution Limits for Candidates Facing Wealthy Opponents ("The Millionaires' Amendment")

Multicandidate Political Committees and Biennial Contribution Limits

Related Forms:

FEC Statement of Organization for PACs: Form 1 and Instructions

FEC Notification of Multicandidate Status for PACs: Form 1M and Instructions

FEC Disclosure Form for Candidate Committees of House and Senate Candidates: Form 3 and Instructions

FEC Post-Election Detailed Summary for Form 3: Form and Instructions

FEC Disclosure Form for Candidate Committees of Presidential Candidates: Form 3P and Instructions

FEC Post-Election Detailed Summary for Form 3P: Form and Instructions

FEC Disclosure Form for PACs: Form 3X and Instructions

FEC Disclosure Form to Report Independent Expenditures: Form 5 and Instructions

FEC Disclosure Form to Report Candidate Committee Last-Minute Receipts of $1,000 or More: Form 6 and Instructions

FEC Disclosure Form to Report Communications Costs by Corporations and Membership Organizations: Form 7 and Instructions

FEC Disclosure Form to Report Electioneering Communications: Form 9 and Instructions

Commentary:

FEC Brochure on Contributions

FEC Final Rules to Reorganize Definitions of "Contribution" and "Expenditure"

"National Party Fundraising Remains Strong, Despite Ban on Soft Money", The Brookings Institution

"Campaign Finance eGuide: Contribution Limits", The Campaign Finance Institute

Reports:

"In the Wake of BCRA: An Early Report on Campaign Finance in the 2004 Elections", Anthony Corrado and Thomas E. Mann

"Campaign Finance Reports and Data", FEC Reports

"Top Donors by Sector and Industry", The Center for Responsive Politics

"Contributions by the Top 100 Donors in 2001-2002", The Center for Responsive Politics