Organizing for Action, the grass-roots group that grew out of President Obama’s campaign machine, raised just shy of $4.9 million during the first quarter of 2013, according to an e-mail to the group’s supporters.
The group, which began fund-raising in late January, is designed to help support Mr. Obama’s governing agenda by tapping into his list of campaign supporters. It has so far organized events and bought online ads about gun control and immigration issues.
But the fund-raising totals suggest that the organization may struggle to raise the kind of resources that Mr. Obama was able to rely on during his two presidential campaigns, when Obama for America raised hundreds of millions of dollars.
Jon Carson, the group’s executive director, said in the e-mail to supporters that about 110,000 people had donated to the group in the shortened quarter. He said the average donation was $44.
“That’s incredible, and the way it should be,†Mr. Carson wrote. “People â€" especially the special interests on the other side â€" are taking notice of what this grass-roots-funded organization is up to. We’re digging in, we’re speaking out, and we’re amplifying the voices of ordinary Americans on some of the biggest issues of our time.â€
The organization is not required to disclose its donors, but it has said from the beginning that it would do so. Officials on Friday said that later in the day the group would publish a link to the list of donors who have contributed more than $250.
“To anyone who thought we couldn’t do this, these numbers send a pretty clear message. It’s never been done before, but supporters like you are doing it,†Mr. Carson wrote. “Now my question to you is: Are you going to let those founding members do it all on their own, or are you going to join them It’s not too late.â€
