Caging

Caging is the process of picking up mailed-in donations from the U.S. Post Office, processing the payments, updating the mailing list and providing any needed FEC compliance services. Quickly processing your contributions and gifts in compliance with FEC regulations is a strategic advantage for state-wide and national political organizations. CMDI empowers your campaign to use this advantage.

Efficiently Manage Your Mail

Our highly-efficient inbound caging process means that your team will have access to funds faster. CMDI’s unique, purpose-built caging facility and well-trained staff offer organizations a competitive, operational edge to quickly process contributions and donations in compliance with FEC or state regulations. With CMDI, your mail program can:

  • Manage unpredictable mail volume spikes

  • Handle exception or non-compliant contributions

  • Securely processing credit card donations

  • Fulfill donation returns

  • Other unexpected situations

Expect Speedy Deposits

During the height of the political season, CMDI’s caging department can process almost 100,000 pieces of mail every 24 hours. This ensures your donations are deposited within hours of receipt. Using Check 21 technology, deposits are made electronically to maximize processing time and access to funds. The check images are then available, which meets legal requirements and links contribution records within Crimson for future reference.

High Standards of Security

CMDI provides total chain-of-custody tracking and archival of every contribution received in our on-site, secure facility using biometric access, video surveillance, and 24-hour manned security. Contribution forms with credit card information are opened in a PCI-secure environment. Cash contributions are handled under very strict procedures, and caging work is recorded by security camera. 

Assured Compliance

CMDI excels at performing FEC-compliant caging services for Republican committees and campaigns. Our caging systems are designed to identify contributions which cannot be accepted or require special handling, and staff is specially trained to recognize and categorize contribution issues and code for problem resolution. 

Learn More about CMDI Services.

Schedule a call to see how CMDI can help your organization or campaign.

Experience & Training

CMDI’s teams are led by experienced full-time, tenured supervisors, who are seasoned by the pressure of the high-volume and intense scrutiny of recent political cycles.

Fast & Reliable Data Entry

The professional data entry department at CMDI has a long track record of handling extraordinary volume during busy campaign seasons. The caging and data entry processes happen in a continuous flow as each contribution moves through the operation.

Scalable Staffing

CMDI systems and staffing levels are scalable to the fluctuating volumes of response. We understand the importance of maintaining a high-velocity, fundraising process to assure that money received each morning is available for use quickly, which is usually the next day. Since CMDI is often involved on the frontend by generating output for fundraising solicitations, we can anticipate the timing and volume of mail and adjust staffing levels accordingly.

CMDI's Caging Process

1. Receiving

  • • Mail is retrieved from a local post office box, on an agreed upon schedule, or packages can be forwarded to our facility directly. Once mail is picked up, the “chain of custody” begins.

2. Processing

  • Mail is opened and sorted according to your specifications.

  • “Exception” contributions, donations that cannot be deposited due

  • to check or compliance problems, are identified and forwarded to our

  • compliance team.

  • Contributions over the amount designated by client are pulled for review.

  • Bank deposits and batches are prepared for data entry.

  • Funds are electronically deposited.

3. Scanning

  • Checks are scanned and digitally archived.

4. Data Entry

  • New donation records are created or existing records are updated in Crimson.

  • As each record is keyed, it is checked against possible duplicate records already on

  • Credit card donations are manually processed in a PCI-compliant manner.

5. Archival

  • All physical documents submitted by donors are archived for three years.

  • All data is backed up to tape on a rotating schedule of backups and stored off-site in vaults for certain period of time.

  • All data entered into Crimson is also archived to a secure cloud.