Nursing Home Owner Political Contributions Search

Sources and Methodology

This dashboard connects nursing home ownership data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) with political contribution records from the Federal Election Commission (FEC). It allows journalists, researchers, and the public to explore the political contributions of individuals and organizations that own or operate skilled nursing facilities in the United States. Contribution data may cover 2019–2026 depending on source; each result page shows the exact date range. This tool is currently in beta and may contain matching errors or incomplete data.

Verify with original sources: FEC · FEC bulk · FEC API · CMS SNF Owners

Jan 2026 · Owner search: FEC API · Committee: local bulk when available

Details ▼

Matching methodology

We match owner names to FEC records as follows:

Name variations: We build multiple search variants from the owner name (e.g., full name in uppercase, "First Last" without middle name for individuals, and for organizations we may also search by first or last significant word). The original name is always included; we use up to five variants to allow for different spellings and formats in FEC filings.
FEC API search: We query the FEC Schedule A (itemized contributions) API for each name variant. For individuals we restrict to contributor type "individual"; for organizations we do not restrict by type. Results from multiple searches are combined and deduplicated by FEC record ID.
Plausibility check: Each contribution returned by the FEC is checked so the contributor name on the record plausibly matches the owner we searched for. For individuals we require both first and last name to appear in the FEC contributor name; for organizations we require a meaningful portion of the name (e.g., first several words) so that similar but different entities are excluded.
Deduplication and display: Duplicate contributions (same FEC record from multiple name-variant searches) are removed. Remaining contributions are normalized (dates, amounts, committee names), sorted by date (most recent first), and displayed. Where available we provide links to the original FEC filing.

The names actually searched (e.g., "JOHN SMITH", "JOHN A SMITH") are shown above the contribution summary when you view political contributions, so you can verify what was queried.

FEC match score: For committee search results we layer a quantitative match score (0–100) and band (e.g. Very High, High, Moderate) on top of the name match. The score combines name similarity, geographic agreement (FEC vs CMS ownership data city/state), and an exact-normalized-name bonus. It is for internal transparency and does not change who is matched; low scores indicate weaker name/location agreement.

Major conduit committees (ActBlue, WinRed): When served from local bulk, we use data through 2024 only—2025–2026 is not included. The result page shows the exact years. If local bulk is unavailable, we fall back to the FEC API (searches may take 60–90+ seconds). Conduit/earmark attribution (direct vs resolved to ultimate recipient) is applied for transparency.

FEC data coverage: We aim to cover 2020 through present. Which years appear depends on the data source: bulk only includes years we have parquet for (currently 2023–2026); API returns what it provides. The result page shows the actual years included.

Committee search data source: Each search uses either bulk or API—never both. Bulk: Data from local parquet (indiv24, indiv22, indiv20, etc.). For large committees (ActBlue, WinRed, and others with ≥50k contributions): we cap at through 2024; indiv26 (2025–2026) is not used. The FEC API would timeout for these; bulk parquet is required. The result page shows the exact years included. API: No local bulk; we fetch from the FEC API. The result page always states the source and date range.

Data Sources (details)

FEC Individual Contributions: fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions — Search by contributor name. Links to original filings. Primary source for contribution data.
FEC API: api.open.fec.gov — Real-time access to federal campaign finance data.
FEC bulk data: fec.gov/data/browse-data — Downloadable bulk files (indiv24, indiv26, etc.) used for committee search when available.
CMS Ownership: Skilled Nursing Facility All Owners — Ownership information for Medicare/Medicaid-certified SNFs.
CMS Provider Data: Nursing Home Provider Data — Facility details including ratings and staffing.

Disclaimers

Beta Status: This tool is in beta and may contain matching errors or incomplete data. Provider name matching between CMS datasets is not perfect, and some facilities may not be matched correctly. Always verify information independently.

Name Matching Limitations: Political contribution matching relies on name similarity and may include contributions from individuals or organizations with similar names. Review results carefully to ensure accuracy.

Data Completeness: Not all facilities may have complete provider information, and not all owners may have political donation records in the FEC database. Missing data does not necessarily indicate an absence of donations or facility information.

Public Information: All data presented here is publicly available from federal government sources. This tool aggregates and presents this information for transparency and research purposes.

Contact for questions or to report data issues: eric@320insight.com