(1) “Contribution” means a payment, gift, subscription, assessment, expenditure, contract, payment for services, dues, advance, forbearance, loan, or donation of money or anything of ascertainable monetary value, or a transfer of anything of ascertainable monetary value to a person, made for the purpose of influencing the nomination or election of a candidate, for the qualification, passage, or defeat of a ballot question, or for the qualification of a new political party.

  (2) Contribution includes the full purchase price of tickets or payment of an attendance fee for events such as dinners, luncheons, rallies, testimonials, and other fund-raising events; an individual’s own money or property other than the individual’s homestead used on behalf of that individual’s candidacy; the granting of discounts or rebates not available to the general public; or the granting of discounts or rebates by broadcast media and newspapers not extended on an equal basis to all candidates for the same office; and the endorsing or guaranteeing of a loan for the amount the endorser or guarantor is liable. Except for the purposes of section 57, contribution does not include a contribution to a federal candidate or a federal committee.

  (3) Contribution does not include any of the following:

  (a) Volunteer personal services provided without compensation, or payments of costs incurred of less than $500.00 in a calendar year by an individual for personal travel expenses if the costs are voluntarily incurred without any understanding or agreement that the costs shall be, directly or indirectly, repaid.

  (b) Food and beverages, not to exceed $1,000.00 in value during a calendar year, that are donated by an individual and for which reimbursement is not given.

  (c) An offer or tender of a contribution if expressly and unconditionally rejected, returned, or refunded in whole or in part within 30 business days after receipt.

  (d) A contribution or expenditure for the establishment or administration of, or solicitation, collection, or transfer of contributions to, a separate segregated fund, or for mailing or shipping of an item or prize purchased under section 55(8), if that contribution or expenditure was made by a connected organization of that separate segregated fund as authorized under section 55.

  (e) An independent expenditure.