Federal election law permits all eligible national committees of major and minor parties to receive public funds to help pay the official costs of their presidential nominating conventions. Each major party convention committee is entitled to receive $4 million, plus an adjustment for inflation (since 1974). The payments for each major party convention have been:
| 2012 | $17,689,800 |
| 2008 | $16,820,760 |
| 2004 | $14,924,000 |
| 2000 | $13,512,000 |
| 1996 | $12,364,000 |
| 1992 | $11,048,000 |
| 1988 | $9,220,000 |
| 1984 | $8,080,000 |
| 1980 | $4,416,000 |
| 1976 | $2,182,000 |
