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Robert Kaplan political campaign, ballot measure, and fundraising papers

 Collection
Identifier: 6123

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Scope and Contents

The Robert Kaplan political campaign, ballot measure, and fundraising papers consists of correspondence, memorandums, reports, audio visual materials, and ephemera, created and collected by Robert Kaplan during the course of his professional fundraising activities. Included are materials for many of the campaigns on which Kaplan worked, which include ballot initiatives (primarily in California but some in other states) and political campaigns (primarily in California but some in other states); political action committees; and general fundraising.

Dates

  • Creation: 1981-2015

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. Advance notice required for access.

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Manuscripts Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Biographical note

Robert Kaplan is known internationally for his skills as a campaign, communications and fundraising consultant and advisor. Clients have included initiative campaigns, political action committees, special interest groups, trade associations, not-for-profit organizations and foundations, candidates and independent expenditure efforts. Kaplan is widely viewed as an expert in these areas. Kaplan has planned, designed, positioned, directed and executed more than 250 fundraising and capital campaigns, grassroots, voter outreach and other communications programs for a variety of interests. His experience includes more than 30 statewide initiative campaigns.

Honored as the "2008 Fundraiser of the Year" by the American Association of Political Consultants, Kaplan has also been named a "Rising Star," "Mover & Shaker" and "America's Hottest Fund Raiser" by Campaigns & Elections magazine. Kaplan's work has won numerous Pollie Awards (the political consulting worlds' equivalent of the Oscars) and he was also named to the 2010 Aristotle National Campaign Dream Team.



Robert Kaplan has worked with public and private sector groups and clients on a wide range of issues, including renewable energy, environmental preservation and natural resources management, public safety, transportation, public school finance, public employee pensions, land-use, auto and health insurance, public-private partnerships and capital campaigns for the construction of buildings and public parks.



Kaplan has been published more than a dozen times and is a frequent speaker at conferences, training programs and other community events. His activities and clients span the United States, Israel, Mexico, Canada and the former Soviet Union. In 1990 Kaplan was among the first twelve American political consultants invited to the former Soviet Union to train government and party officials on the role of politics and political campaigns in building a democratic government.



Following a degree in Rhetoric from the University of California at Berkeley, Kaplan was awarded a CORO Foundation Fellowship in Public Affairs. He then completed his Fellowship and studies in Public Policy at the Claremont Graduate School.



Kaplan spent more than a decade as a Director of the American Association of Political Consultants where, as Chair of both its 2008 and 2009 National Pollie Awards Conferences, he reworked their programs and awards. Kaplan was a member of the Board of the CORO Foundation of Southern California, the Board of Hillel at UCLA and on the United Jewish Appeal National Leadership Cabinet representing the Los Angeles Jewish Federation. Robert was instrumental in the creation of, and serves as a Co-Chair of, the Los Angeles Political Roast benefiting the American Diabetes Association.



Kaplan began his political, public affairs and fundraising career in 1966 at the ripe age of 9 when he was dragged by his older brother Allan to "volunteer" for a California State Assembly campaign. Robert was the youngest envelope stuffing, precinct walking, lawn sign planting and telephone soliciting for votes and money volunteer on that campaign, which set the stage for a lifetime of activities devoted to public and community service.

Extent

7 Linear Feet (7 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Robert Kaplan is an internationally known campaign, communications and fundraising consultant and advisor who has planned, designed, positioned, directed and executed more than 250 fundraising and capital campaigns, grassroots, voter outreach and other communications programs for a variety of interests. His experience includes more than 30 statewide initiative campaigns. Kaplan has worked with public and private sector groups and clients on a wide range of issues including renewable energy, environmental preservation and natural resources management, public safety, transportation, public school finance, public employee pensions, land-use, auto and health insurance, public-private partnerships and capital campaigns for the construction of buildings and public parks. The Robert Kaplan political campaign, ballot measure, and fundraising papers consists of correspondence, memorandums, reports, audio visual materials, and ephemera, created and collected by Robert Kaplan during the course of his professional fundraising activities. Included are materials for many of the campaigns on which Kaplan worked, which include ballot initiatives (primarily in California but some in other states) and political campaigns (primarily in California but some in other states); political action committees; and general fundraising.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of the Kaplan family, May 17, 2016.

Title
Finding aid for the Robert Kaplan political campaign, ballot measure, and fundraising papers
Status
Completed
Author
Sue Luftschein
Date
2016 September
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the USC Libraries Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Doheny Memorial Library 206
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles California 90089-0189 United States