Local Tea Party groups funded themselves through small-scale volunteer organizing.

Evidence

Local Tea Party groups met in churches, libraries, and restaurants, and collected small contributions or sold books, pins, bumper stickers, and other Tea Party paraphernalia on commission to cover their modest costs. They did not get by on checks from the Koch brothers or any other wealthy advocacy organizations. — Anton Jäger, Hyperpolitics, 207

Categorization

• SHARE: For anyone studying the mechanics of modern right-wing organizing vs. its left counterparts, this detail on self-funding paraphernalia sales beats the astroturf caricature.
• XREF: Reverse of McAdam’s 1964 Mississippi Freedom Summer organizing; contrasts with the well-funded left SMO literature.