Launching Crowdfunded Constituent Advocacy Platform in California

Hey everyone, 

I'm building a platform called Veeto that allows Californians to pool small contributions to fund effective, direct advocacy on specific state bills.

Here's how Veeto works:

1. Advocates identify key legislation
   Veeto advocates – regular constituents and people knowledgeable about specific issues – select active bills where direct advocacy can have real, meaningful impact (e.g. the bill is assigned to a committee, moving to a floor vote, etc.)

2. Transparent, clear advocacy campaigns
   Advocates create straightforward campaigns that clearly state:

   • Their position (for or against the selected bill).
   • Exactly what they plan to do (personal meetings with legislators, expressing support or opposition at hearings).
   • A reasonable fundraising goal to cover costs (travel, preparation time, etc.).

   Each campaign includes a short video from the advocate explaining their approach. We review and approve campaigns before they're publicly listed to ensure they are feasible and well researched (we remain neutral on users' policy objectives)

3. Constituents fund impactful advocacy
   Constituents can browse campaigns and contribute directly – as little as $5 – to support advocacy they find important.
4. Direct engagement with legislators
   After funding is reached, advocates follow through: meeting directly with legislators or staff, attending and speaking at legislative hearings, and advocating on behalf of their contributors.
5. Public verification and transparency
   Each advocacy action is verified clearly and transparently, with evidence (such as recorded committee testimony, meeting confirmations, detailed summaries, or written evidence) publicly available on the platform. Contributors can see exactly how their support translated into real interactions and policy advocacy.
6. Accountability, ratings, and payment
   After verification, advocates receive campaign funding. Contributors rate advocate effectiveness, professionalism, and communication, ensuring ongoing accountability and quality.
7. Strictly neutral platform
   Veeto itself remains neutral and doesn't endorse specific legislation or advocate positions. It simply provides the infrastructure connecting citizens with advocates, managing transparency, verification, and funding.

Where we are now and how we could use help:

We're currently building our initial cohort of advocates based in the Sacramento and Bay Area regions. These advocates will put Veeto into action by directly engaging legislators on active state legislation in the coming weeks. 

We'd appreciate any feedback and if you (or someone you know) could be interested in being a founding advocate, please let us know!

Feel free to comment here or reach out directly at [email protected] . You can also learn more at joinveeto.com and veeto.app. 

Thanks very much!