Our method

How we decide who to endorse

The Builders Fund endorses federal candidates from any party whose verified record moves builder-first policy. Endorsements are announced one at a time, and every one follows the same method below.

What we look for

Capital access for small businesses

Community banks, credit unions, CDFIs, and SBA programs that actually reach neighborhood businesses.

Innovation economies in older cities

Federal policy that helps places like Philadelphia build startups and ownership, not just watch from the sidelines.

Capital connected to culture and community

Investment that respects neighborhoods and the people who live in them.

Simpler paths to start and grow

Less red tape, fairer costs, and rules a first time founder can actually follow.

How we evaluate

Each candidate is researched and scored against five standards. Policy record counts the most. A clean record is a hard gate every candidate must pass.

Policy record

Bills, votes, and actions that moved one or more of the four priorities. Sponsoring a bill counts more than co-sponsoring. A law counts more than a bill.

Lived experience

Has run a business, worked in community lending, or governed a city through the problems this fund cares about.

Bipartisan behavior

Working across the aisle: bipartisan bills, bipartisan caucuses, votes that break with party on small business issues.

Race relevance

Competitive races where an endorsement carries real weight.

Clean record

A hard gate, not a score. A candidate is out only if a scandal or ethical cloud fully drags them down. The standard is innocent until proven guilty: no candidate has a perfect brand, and public battles are expected.

How a decision gets made

We research the candidate's record bill by bill.
We verify every claim we plan to publish. Unverified claims are dropped.
We score the candidate against the five standards.

Two ways we support candidates

Endorsement

A public statement of support. No paid promotion, no coordination with the campaign. This is where the fund operates in 2026.

Independent expenditures

Paid ads or mail supporting a candidate, run independently and reported to the FEC. The fund is not spending on independent expenditures in the 2026 cycle.

Our rules

We endorse on verified records only. If we cannot verify it, we do not say it.
We never coordinate with candidates or campaigns.
The slate as a whole must read as nonpartisan, with candidates from both parties.
Every public endorsement carries the FEC disclaimer.

Paid for by Amaury Abreu Builders Fund. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

Amaury Abreu Builders Fund · FEC ID C00945139