Advanced Strategy Guidebook

7/26/2019 Advanced Strategy Guidebook

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Contact Us

Students for Life of America

9900 Courthouse Road

Spotsylvania, VA 22553

540-834-4600

[email protected]

www.studentsforlife.org

Dear Pro-Life Student Leader,

Students for Life of America is a non-prot organization dedicated to assisting

and training pro-life students across America. Our mission is to identify, edu-cate, and equip pro-life students to abolish abortion in our lifetime.

Our team has created this Advanced Strategy Guidebook as a continuingresource for you, and your club. We hope it will encourage you to continue toimpact your campus and help you to strengthen the vision of what you canaccomplish at your school and in your community.

Please know that our full-time team at SFLA is here to help you every step ofthe way as part of this nationwide movement to abolish abortion.

Since abortion became legal in 1973, over 56 million babies have been killed.That is one-fourth of our generation lost. This is our battle, and with your help,we will abolish abortion in our lifetime.

For Life,

Kristan J. Hawkins

President



WELCOME

Table of Contents

CLUB CHALLENGES 26

Legal RightsRecruitmentRetentionMeasuring Your EffectivenessUninvited Pro-Life GroupsCounter-Protesting

CREATING A NETWORK 35At School

In the CommunityWisdom of Pro-Life Experts

TRANSITIONING LEADERSHIP 38Growing New LeadersPassing on the LegacyAfter Graduation

A WORLD WITHOUT ABORTION 41SFLA FellowshipsFurther Training

SFLA LEADERSHIP FELLOWSHIPS 47

Contact Students for Life of AmericaWe have Regional Coordinators all over the nationwhose sole purpose is to help you start and maintainyour student group. Email [email protected] nd out who is in your area to help!

PRO-LIFE HISTORY 4TimelineLessons from History

WHAT YOU CAN DO 6On Campus ActivismResourcesAcademic

Community Engagement

EVENT PLANNING 10Planning Your YearAdvertising Your EventPre-Event ChecklistPost-Event ChecklistRapid Response

PUBLIC RELATIONS & MEDIA 16Sample Press ReleaseSocial Media

Media TipsResponding to Negative MediaCommunity Media

ADVANCED FUNDRAISING 20

Fundraising ProposalMethodsFundraising LetterEvent Ideas



PRO-LIFE HISTORY

Why start a pro-life strategy manual with history?

While most pro-life people know basic abortionfacts and can explain the effect of Roe v. Wade,

most are unaware of the history surrounding the

abortion battle. In order to effectively move

forward in ending abortion, you must critically

examine the history of the ght for life. One

must be aware of what strategies and tacticsfailed and succeeded in the past in order to learn

from mistakes instead of repeating them.

1870-1890: • Supported by the American Medical Association, theComstock Act bans the dissemination of informationon abortion or birth control. (LA Times, “Timeline ofAbortion Laws and Events”)

• In an 1875 speech called “Social Purity,” feminist and

suffragist, Susan B. Anthony, spoke out againstabortion. Other feminists also openly opposedabortion. (Life and Work of Susan B. Anthony by Ida

Husted Harper, also visit FeministsforLife.org)

• In 1890, abortion was outlawed except ifnecessary to preserve the life of the mother.(“Timeline of Abortion Laws and Events”)

1960s:• Abortionists Lawrence Lader and Dr. BernardNathanson helped found the National Association forthe Repeal of Abortion Laws, now called NARAL

Pro-Choice America. Nathanson later renounced

abortion and admitted to falsifying statistics in order togarner sympathy for the pro-abortion cause. (AbortingAmerica by Bernard N. Nathanson)

• News coverage of Sherri Finkbine provided an

emotional face for the quest to legalize abortion. While

pregnant, she took thalidomide, a drug later found to

cause severe birth defects. She requested a therapeuticabortion and was denied. (TIME, Oct 5, 1983, “Abortionand the Law: Thalidomide)

1970s Pre-Roe:• New York, Alaska, Hawaii and Washington repealedbans on abortion after viability, allowing abortion upto 24 weeks. (“Timeline of Abortion Laws and Event

• In 1971, the Comstock Act was repealed.

1970s Post-Roe• Nellie Gray began garnering support for a Human

Life Amendment. She organized the rst National

March for Life. (St. Louis Review, “84-year-old NellieGray is the ‘Mother of the March for Life’”)

• The Human Life Amendment and Bill wereintroduced.

• National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) wasstarted as a deliberately non-religious group.

1980s:• After the 1984 election, Congress and the WhiteHouse were both majority pro-life. Congressworked to pass a Human Life Amendment and aHuman Life Bill (in case the Amendment failed

during ratication).

• Pro-life activists divided their support between

the bill and amendment. They actively lobbiedagainst each other, resulting in the failure of both.This created a general disillusionment with thepolitical process amongst pro-lifers.

• The pro-life movement turned to the grassrootslevel and began opening Pregnancy Help Centers

(PHCs).

January 22, 1973

The Supreme Court handed down Ro

v. Wade & Doe v. Bolton decisions.

Abortion became legal through all nin

months of pregnancy,for any reason,

in the entire United States!



PRO-LIFE HISTORY

1990s• Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRCs) continuedto spring up, allowing pro-lifers to support pregnantwomen in their communities.

• The Supreme Court reafrmed Roe in PlannedParenthood v. Casey ( 1992), BUT upheld that some

restrictions, like parental notication and informed

consent laws, are constitutional, thus opening the

door to incrementalist pro-life legislation, Pro-lifedivision followed over this legislative tactic.

• Violence against abortion facilities andabortionists by a few fringe anti-abortionists ledto fear, mistrust and stereotyping of the pro-lifemovement.

• Operation Rescue created the “rescue” – a tactic

of peacefully blocking access to abortion facilities bylinking arms, while a few sidewalk counselors sendthe abortion-minded women to PRCs. As a result,Congress passed the Freedom of Access to ClinicEntrances Act (F.A.C.E.), which made “rescues” afederal crime, and they essentially ceased.

• Sidewalk counseling and prayer vigils became the-

main form of clinic pro-life activism.

Lessons Learned From Pro-Life Historyo As Abraham Lincoln said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” Inghting by the pro-lifecommunity is counter-productive. So much so that division among pro-lifers thwarted an opportunity toend abortion.

o Life and death issues can unite people of all backgrounds,races, nationalities, religions, etc.

o In order persuade politicians, we must break through party barriers. Abortion is not a conservative vs.liberal or Republican vs. Democrat issue – it is a human rights issue!

o Effective changes start at the grassroots level. What you do is valuable!

1988American Collegians for Life is started!

In 2006, the group is renamed Students

for Life of America.

2000s:• After 21 years in litigation and three hearings by thSupreme Court, NOW v. Scheidler (2006) afrmed the

free speech rights of pro-life activists and sidewalkcounselors. Ruling against NOW’s claim that all pro-

were responsible for criminal activity perpetrated byfew people.

• Colorado, Massachusetts and Montana implemente

“buffer” or “bubble zone” laws, which restrict the ar

where pro-life demonstrators can be outside ofabortion clinics.

• States continue to pass laws restricting abortion suas parental notication, waiting periods and ultrasou

requirements. Congress passed a partial-birth aborti

ban, which the Supreme Court upheld in Gonzales v.Carhart (2007). This ban restricts one type of late-terabortion (D&X), forcing abortionists to createalternative methods for aborting older unborn babie

• In 2009, Gallup released polling results that, for therst time, more Americans identify themselves as

“pro-life” – 57%!

• Planned Parenthood, in reaction to the economic

hardships of smaller, mostly private, abortion facilitiesstarts building “mega-centers,” instead of neighborhoclinics.

• Texas legislators passed HB 2, banning abortion at 2weeks, when the preborn child can feel pain, andrequiring abortion facilities to meet the same basichealth and safety standards as other ambulatory surg

centers. The national attention brought by theopposition’s tactics showed America how radical andout of step the pro-abortion movement is.



WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Every club and school is different. Hosting an event at a public high school will often look very

different from hosting an event on a private college campus. However, whether you’re

homeschooled, at a university, high school, community college or private college, these areideas to help you generate events for your school. There are four main ways that students

impact their community and their schools. The rst is Activism! You need educate your school.

FlyeringFlyers are effective ways of getting truth out to your school. Post a series of fetal development yers on your

campus and “grow a baby” for everyone to see the miracle of life. Post facts about Adoption, Planned

Parenthood or Post Abortion Healing. Check out studentsforlife.org for free, customizable, downloadable yers.

Topic CardsHand out postcards on your school. Get the information about abortion and resources directly into people’shand. Make your own club handouts or check out Students for Life’s free topic cards about planned parenthoodmyths about safe sex, hard cases and more.

TablingYour group should schedule regular tabling events to help create a visible, consistent public presence at yourschool. Tabling may involve a display of abortion statistics, pregnancy resources, a variety of pro-life materials,and even fetal model displays. Poll or survey tables are also effective. Ask your campus to answer the question

“Should Abortion Remain Legal?”

DisplaysHost a Cemetery of Innocents or the Planned Parenthood Project on your campus. Displays are great at stir-

ring up sustained and productive conversations on campus. Contact your Regional Coordinator for help.

If there is an idea you like but you know

won’t work at your school or in your

community, don’t be afraid to try the event while switching up the elements you know won’t work. Be creative, be courageous, be

willing to try new events.Visit

studentsforlife.org for more event ideas.

Activism



WHAT CAN YOU DO?

44% of abortions in America are obtained bycollege-aged women (age 18-24). Too often,

pregnant and parenting students feel forced to

choose between continuing their education or

dropping out to raise their child. It is up to us,

the students, to encourage our administrationand our peers to identify, advertise, improve, and

expand resources for pregnant and parenting

students on our college campuses.

Resources

Whether its organizing a diaper drive, hosting a baby shower, or posting iers with

information about local Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRCs), your pro-life group

can make a signicant difference in the lives of pregnant and parenting students. While our

Pregnant on Campus Initiative is designed for college campuses, many of the individual

projects are suitable for high school clubs as well, so look through the event ideas below.

Survey Your CampusOur survey was designed by Students for Life of America (SFLA) and Feminists for Life (FFL) with theintention of aiding you in expanding pregnancy resources on your campus and in your community. Bycompleting this survey, you will be able to effectively identify and promote the local and national

resources for pregnant and parenting students and create a personalized Pregnant and Parenting Resource

Guide for your school. The information you gather will also be added to our national pregnancy resourcessite. Visit www.pregnantoncampus.org

Pregnant On Campus Initiative (PONC)In September 2011, the Pregnant on Campus Initiative was launched as the long-awaited answer to the needfor pregnant and parenting outreach on college campuses. Through this initiative, students bring hope andhelp to college campuses by identifying, improving, and expanding resources for pregnant and parentingstudents on their college campuses and in the surrounding community. By committing to both simple andchallenging projects, you can shape your communities to be supportive, life-afrming environments for

• Baby Shower

• Pregnant Athletes• Campus Support Groups• Pregnant and Parenting Assistance Fund• Resident Advisor Kits• Free Pregnancy Tests• Babysitting• Help local PRC

• Pregnancy Resource Website

• Diaper Decks• Lactation Room• Community Baby Shower Drive• Diaper Drive• Meals for Moms



WHAT CAN YOU DO?

You can also engage you school in the academic sphere. Too often pro-lifers are silent in the

world of academia. Your group has the perfect opportunity to engage your school in this arena.

SpeakersBring in a professional respect speaker who can talk to your school about the links between breast cancer andabortion, adoption, planned parenthood, pregnancy resources, perinatal hospice, For a list of speakers visithttp://studentsforlife.org/resources/speakers/

DebateA well hosted debate can often be the best way of getting a new audience to hear your message. You can teamup with the secular club at your school to host a debate and get all of their members to hear the truth. Makesure you have someone defending the life position who is a good debater. http://studentsforlife.org/pro-life-apol-

ogetics

Panels or Speak OutsBring in a panel to speak on a particular topic. Invite women from your local post abortion healing ministry toshare their experiences with your campus. Host a panel highlighting the different resources for pregnantwomen in your community.

EditorialSee if you can get a pro-life article into your school paper. Ask questions of the community about where the

pregnant women on campus nd help? Or challenge the stereotype that you can’t be pro-life and a feminist.

Papers or Classroom PresentationsDon’t be afraid to write about or present about abortion. If your teacher tells you can’t write about or presenton this topic, this is viewpoint discrimination, and you should contact SFLA immediately. Check out http://high-school.studentsforlife.org/term-paper-topics/ for term paper topics

You and your school group are a part of the

pro-life generation and will play a key rolein abolishing abortion in our nation. Never give

up! Stand strong in the face of adversityand you will change your school culture, and

ultimately bring a culture of life to America.

Let’s do it!

Academic



WHAT CAN YOU DO?

You must be willing to engage in your community as well as your school . Not only do you need

to be building bridges to the resources in your community, there are places in the community

that need young people to take a stand.

Sidewalk CounselingGet your club members out to the sidewalk of your local abortion clinic to offer help and resources. Join yourlocal 40 Days for Life or begin hosting one. If you’re intimidated by the idea of sidewalk counseling, ask an SFLArepresentative for training or start by just going out to pray on the sidewalk

Volunteering with Pro-Life organizationsHelp your local PRC (Pregnancy Resource Center) to get their message on to your school and into thecommunity. Host a fundraiser or a diaper drive to help with their lifesaving work. Many times PRC’s needvolunteers to help with their fundraising banquets and events.

Pro-Life Campaigns and Ballot MeasuresGet involved in local pro-life campaigns and ballot measures. Help phone banking or door knocking as a club.Prove to your community that young people do notice when candidates vote pro-life.

Marches, Rallies and WalksMost communities have a Life Chain Sunday in the Fall and Marches or Rallies in January commemorating the

anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Show up as a club to tell your community that you have not forgotten.

LobbyLearn how to lobby. Go to the capitol to tell your legislators what you think. When important legislation is

going through your state government, call and write your representatives. Be a voice for the voiceless.

Be sure to attend your local

SFLA Regional Leadership Summit andthe National Students for Life

Conference! For more information on our

National Conference, visit

salive.org

Community Engagemen



EVENT PLANNING

When planning an event make sure that you know what you want out of that event.

Every event you host should serve not only as an event for achieving your mission, butalso as a means for recruitment, retention, fundraising and advertising your club’s

presence on campus. Let’s face it, events take work. You want to get the most mileage

out of your work possible. You want to work smarter, not harder! Here are a few tricks

to maximize your event potential.

Always Invite People to the Next EventNever have an event without inviting people to come to the next event. Strategize ahead of time to ensure

that you have a segue into your next events. Are you tabling at the freshman fair? Don’t just have a tableannouncing your club exists. Have an event or meeting to invite the interested freshmen to. Are you havinga pro-life movie night? Take the time at the beginning of the movie to invite people to your next meeting or

event.

BrandingMake sure your club is well branded at the event. As simple as it sounds, it’s important people who attendthe event know that it’s put on by your club. Make sure you have a banner or poster with your club nameprominent. Start each event by introducing the club and saying that the “Students for Life at Sesame

University welcomes all to the event and would love to talk to anyone interested in the club after the event.”

Bring FoodDon’t forget to have food at your event. Our society becomes a community around food. Just look at some

of the holidays we love most, Thanksgiving: food, 4th of July: food. People like food. Whether its candy,popcorn or pizza, have a little something for people to enjoy.

DelegateUtilize the event to draw on less involved members. Events take work. Learn to delegate. Small tasks like

yers for events, or helping to table before an event, or greeting people at the doors of the event or perfect

ways to draw in the members of your club who have been hanging back or aren’t involved.

Vision CastingRemember and remind people of the big picture! You

want your club to be a movement. Movements needdirection. At every event set the vision for where you areheaded next or what you hope to accomplish on yourcampus. Instead of just saying “thanks for coming to ourevent everyone” remind people why they need to come

join you. “Thank you for coming to our event, we areexcited about the change that our club is bringing to this

campus. Our mission is ___(your club’s vision)___ andwe want you on board with us. Come join us!” Don’t be

afraid to get a little enthusiastic in your invitation!!



PLAN YOUR YEAR

One of the key aspects of a successful group is planning ahead! Before the school year,

or as your group is forming, sit down with your adviser and other club leaders to plan

your year. This is simply to create a structure and should be exible. Ask your Regional

Coordinator for a Plan Your Year Guide to help!

How to Make a Plan

1. Use your SFLA Plan Your Year Guide or another calendar to mark the following dates:• Freshman Orientation• First day of class• All major holidays, breaks, or school events (football games, homecoming, etc.)

• Exam week • Last day of class

2. Next, ll in all national pro-life events and campaigns, such as:

• Respect Life Chain Sunday• National Day of Silent Solidarity• Pro-Life Cupcake Day• Fall and Spring 40 Days for Life Campaign• March for Life• Students for Life National Conference

• Students for Life Regional Leadership Summit

• Pro-Life T-shirt Day• National Pro-Life Chalk Day• National Community Baby Shower Day• National Adoption Day• Elections

3. Now that you have an idea of what your year will look like, propose a few meeting times. Do you

want to meet twice a month? What day of the week works best for the majority of members? Whattime? Go ahead and mark your meeting times on your calendar so that everyone can plan ahead.

4. Next, plan recruitment events for the beginning, middle, and end of the school year. Have a tablingdisplay or event specically aimed at recruiting new members. Plan to attend club activities fairs for

incoming freshmen! (See pages 29-30 for information on how to recruit.)

5. Most importantly, set goals for events. We recommend that your group has at least one event per

month. This can include a yering campaign, a baby item drive or baby shower, a fetal development

display, etc. Propose at least two days per month for possible events and ask your members whatbest ts with their schedules. Solidify those dates as soon as possible so the group can plan.

When deciding on events, use your vision a

mission statement to guide your discussio What events can you do that will help yoaccomplish your goal? This keeps your gro

focused and makes event planning easier

If you want to host a speaker, show a pro-lmovie, or nd more ideas on exciting pro-

events, visit studentsforlife.org.



ADVERTISING YOUR EVENT

Advertising may be hard for some of your groups. Be sure to stress the importance of good

advertising to your group when planning your next event.

Pick a Cool NameNames and titles of events are important! Give your event a name or title that will catch peoples’ interest. At

many schools, saying “Pro-life speaker” won’t get people to your event, but saying “Women’s Rights Speaker” will

get people.

For more information on SFLA’sEvent-in-a-Box resources for high

school and college students visit

studentsforlife.org

Double Check the DetailsEvery piece of advertising you make must have ALL the correct details. Please double check before you print,post, or share about your event, make sure all the correct information is available. Changing event details is a sureway to lose credibility and people’s interest in your event and club. Details You need: Time, Date, Place, What,

Why, and Who is putting on the event

Trendy FlyersCreate trendy, cool yers. Think of advertising as the face of your group. It’s a good idea to print double the yers

you will need for an event to have them on hand in case your yers get torn down or vandalized. SFLA offers a

number of yers that your group can download, customize and print to t your needs. Visit highschool.stu-

dentsforlife.org/yers or college.studentsforlife.org/yers and click on the yers for a high resolution and

printable image. Print these out and use them at your school!

Create a Facebook EventTake advantage of the relationships that group members have. Have everyone in the group add their personal

friends to the invite list. Be sure to also invite community members and other local organizations. Be sure toinvite like minded clubs or groups at your school to your events.

Be CreativeChalk around your school the day of the event announcing the time and location. Tag the corner of all thewhiteboards in the different classrooms with a small announcement about your event. Table during the morningof your event or in the days leading up to it and give people a handout with the event details.

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PRE-EVENT CHECKLIST

Before your event, print off and run through this checklist to make sure that you are ready to

rock!

Post-Event Checklist

Did You…?

• Reserve space or a room

• Check IT/AV needs (e.g. video, microphone)

• Conrm volunteers

• Notify volunteers of expectations

• Assign someone to take photos/video

• Notify speakers of expectations, schedule, location, and contact information

• Conrm food orders

• Check access to buildings, rooms, etc.

• Assemble materials (e.g. handouts)

• Create displays

• Create a Facebook event

• Post announcements on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

• Post yers around campus

• Advertise in the school newspaper

•

Don’t Forget to Bring....

• Signs and banners (for rooms, tables, or display)

• Displays (e.g. fetal models, display boards)

• Handouts (e.g. literature, freebies)

• Sign-up Sheets

• Clipboards

• Pens

• Tape

• Scissors

• Cash (if needed for change)

• Computers• Chargers for computers and phones

• Camera

• Food/ Drinks

• Bins/boxes for material donations

• Secure box or le for monetary donations

• Transportation



POST-EVENT CHECKLIST

Great job with your event! Now it’s time to pack up and celebrate another successful event. Here

are some items to remember.

Post-Event Checklist

Did you… ?

• Thank attendees for coming

• Make your nal announcements (e.g. next meeting/event, group contact information, before you leave)

• Clean up space or room

• Take down displays (e.g. tables, display boards, yers)

• Walk through your event area to make sure that everything is picked up and returned to order • Return any borrowed or rented items

• Return keys of buildings or rooms

• Thank speakers and volunteers (in person, card, email)

• Bring donations to the designated recipient (e.g. PRC)

• Deposit cash or hand over to the appropriate person

• Post photos/videos on social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, blog)

• Post on Facebook (“Thank you for coming!” –or- “Tonight we collect X number of items!”)

• Celebrate!!

What Worked / What Didn’t WorkEvent Evaluation Form

Event: ___________________ Organized by: ___________________

Date: ___________________

Notes: ____________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________ ________________________________

Event will be (Circle one): continued revised retired

Take Time to Evaluate Your Events



RAPID RESPONSE

As pro-life activists we need to be prepared for how abortion supporters may respond. We

should not only be prepared how to respond to questions and comments from a philosophicalstandpoint, but also from physical standpoint. These instructions will help you better prepare

yourself and your team from the threat of theft, vandalism or even physical abuse.

Beforehand• Make sure you have the phone number and contact info for campus security & Students for Life headquarters• Make sure you have a device that records video along with a separate device for pictures, have them fully

charged.• Let SFLA know if you’re hosting an event that may draw protesters.

During Your Event• Be aware of your surroundings, and be on the look-out for the unexpected.• Always have several people at the display at all times with at least one person not engaged in dialogue with th

purpose of keeping an eye on everything.

If You Are Harassed or Your Event is Vandalized• If you or your team member is in any physical danger, remove yourself from the situation immediately. Your

safety is our NUMBER ONE CONCERN!

• Roll video tape as soon as possible (horizontally), get the camera pointed at the action (unless it needs to be

undercover for some reason).

• CALL CAMPUS SECURITY - have someone WHO IS NOT videotaping make this phone call. Do this onspeaker phone and make the call nearby the camera taking footage so we get the conversation recorded aswell.

• CALL US - Let us know what is going on so we can give advice and seek legal guidance if needed.• Take pictures - keep the video tape rolling but now is a good time to photograph a heated debate, attempted

theft, physical abuse, vandalism or just how the scene looks at the moment. The more pictures, the better

• Once campus security arrives - take notes and listen to instructions. In most cases do what campus securitysays unless you are asked to leave or move your display - seek SFLA guidance.

• Keep video tape rolling during campus security discussions, undercover style if needed - we need to recordthe conversation to ensure equal treatment.

Remember your safety is our number one concern.

We are here for YOU!

Contact SFLA for Help!

If your event is vandalized call us.

We want to help! 540-834-4600

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PUBLIC RELATIONS & MEDIA

The PR and media coverage you receive can make or break your group. It can help increase your

membership and spread your message or it can result in a loss of support. The public’s opinionof a subject is based more heavily on perspective rather than truth. Because of a few fringe

individuals, the media and general public see pro-life groups as violent, mean and angry. To ght thi

(inaccurate) image, you must ensure that any coverage your group receives is good coverage by

acting with professionalism, courtesy and kindness.

NewspapersSince dialogue and exposure are keys to changing your school for life, you want to reach as many people as youcan through your school’s publication(s). Campus newspapers will often publish a blurb about upcoming events

for free if you send them a press release and pictures. The best way to nurture a working relationship with anewspaper is by building relationships with the staff. Know WHO to send it to, HOW to send it (usuallyembedded in email, not attached) and WHEN to send it. Deadlines are crucial! Know them, and stick to them.

Know school reporters and invite them to your events. Don’t let the newspaper ignore your group. If theyrepeatedly ignore your events. Call the editor and ask why you haven’t received coverage (they may be unaware).You can also submit editorials as a follow-up to your events and as is appropriate with related current events. Thisallows you to stir up debate, and control the conversation using your own words.

Make sure your events are newsworthy – well attended, unique and provocative!

Sample Press Release

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SOCIAL MEDIA

Use every aspect of technology to your advantage, for recruiting, fundraising, networking andactivism. While an exorbitant number of social networking sites exist, the main ones your group

should focus on are: Twitter, Facebook, blogs and group websites. Particularly focus in onFacebook and Twitter. Learn how to use them effectively.

Using Social Media Effectively• Create a Facebook group for your club members to use internally. Create a Facebook page to be your public

face to the school and community.

• Photos and graphics get the most play on social media. Use as few words as possible – more people access

social networks on their phones than any other means – no one wants to read a novel on a phone.

• Keep your Facebook and twitter accounts active. Choose a PR ofcer for your club to post new and relevant

posts on your Facebook and twitter accounts.

Be Aware of Your AudienceAre your friends mostly pro-choice?

Then don’t post content that is beggingthe question that abortion is killing an

innocent human being. Post content thatproves the preborn is a person worthy olife.

Are you friends mostly apathetic aboutabortion but they know that abortion

kills? Post content encouraging them toget active.

• Ask members to share your pro-life group posts, FB event pages, etc.Have a week when every member

changes their prole pictures, or ask

everyone to share the same image opost.

• Post a short, inviting message on theFacebook pages of other groups oncampus to tell them about upcomingevents.



MEDIA TIPSINTERVIEWS

Being interviewed can seem a little intimidating. Whether you are getting ready for a radio, TV or

newspaper interview you’ll want to spend some time preparing talking points that express yourmission and vision. Your goal during any interview should be to inject two or three key message

points into the interview answers.

Before an Interview• Contact SFLA if you need help• Understand the story angle and the interviewer’s background• Practice your talking points with a friend or your Regional Coordinator

Do Your ResearchBefore you accept a media request, do your research on the organization and the reporter to see the leanings of

the outlet, Look up the reporter on the internet to see the type of articles they’ve written and what they’ve writ-ten about abortion in the past.

Stick to Your Talking Points The reporter will want to ask you tough questions and try to trap you, you can avoid falling for this by stickingclosely to your talking points. When there’s a question you don’t want to answer, say, “That’s not the real issue, thereal issue is (insert talking point here)” If it is a recorded interview, it is most important to stick to your talkingpoints, repeat them, even when you feel ridiculous doing so. They are only going to pick and choose short

soundbytes – force them to use the points you wanted to get across.

Keep it ShortDon’t be afraid of silence, once you’ve made your talking point, stop. Allowing an awkward silence betweenquestions is a media tactic - Reporters have admitted in the past that some of their juiciest stories have comewhen they’ve just sat silently and their subjects felt pressure to talk to ll the silence.

Never Let Your Guard DownAlways assume everything is on the record, even when it’s been agreed upon not to be. Just because the camerais down or the recorder is off does not mean the interview is over. Keep your own recording of the interview soyou can prove if you’ve been misquoted.

Don’t Be Afraid to Turn Down an InterviewIf you know a media source is unfriendly, don’t let them trip you up and put pressure on you to do an interview.It’s best to simply refer them to a prior statement or write a concise statement that has the talking points youwant to get across, they will be forced to include them in their story. You do not have an obligation to answertheir questions, your obligation is to protect your organization and put it in the most positive light.

Contact SFLA for HelpIf you have any other questions on handling media, contact your Regional coordinator at Students for Life ofAmerica [email protected] or 540-834-4600.

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RESPONDING TO NEGATIVE MEDIA

While its easy to panic when your club is the object of negative media, remember, that if responde

to rightly, even negative media can end up as good publicity for your club!

Ways to Respond• Call the writer and ask what happened. It’s not always the writer’s fault, sometimes the editor changed things in the article to make it negative.

• Write a letter to the editor about the mistakes.

• Cite the faulty article in your letter, and only correct the major fallacies.

• If the mistake was on TV, ask them to air a retraction or conduct another interview.

• Their resistance to correcting an error can sometimes be overcome if several people write letters complaining about the coverage.

• Make a note of media sources that refused to give you fair coverage. Don’t invite them to future events.

• Remain respectful and cordial.

Control Who Covers Your Event

You can control who covers your events if you are in a room or public structure. If there is a media source that isnot friendly to your organization, tell them that only invited media is allowed at the event. They may not like you

for refusing them entrance, but they won’t have pictures or skewed interviews to use in a story.

COMMUNITY MEDIA

Don’t be afraid of community media. It can prove a very powerful tool for getting your name in

front of possible donors and new members. As with on school media, make sure your events are

newsworthy. Off campus media is much more competitive than on campus.

• Give reporters and their photographers plenty of advanced notice of your events• Send out media alerts at least one month in advance• Keep them updated with reminders at two weeks and one week before an event• The day before the event, call media sources you have alerted and see if they plan on coming• At your event, set-up a press tent where media know they can check in and get information• Each media guest should get a media folder with information about the group, its ofcers and the event.

• Put a group member in charge of signing-in media, pointing out media representatives for interviews and

highlighting ideal picture locations1



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ADVANCED FUNDRAISINGMethods

Your level of passion for the cause will determine how much money your group fundraises. Let yo

passion for the cause and your group inspire potential donors to invest in you and your group.

Develop Your Fundraising TeamDesignate one group ofcer such as the Treasurer or Fundraising Coordinator to establish and lead a Fundraising

Committee. The members of the Fundraising Committee should be focused on fundraising activities, not planningactivism events. However, all general members should assist with the fundraising efforts as decided upon by the

Fundraising Committee.

Budgeting Before you fundraise, determine how much it will cost the group to fulll its mission on campus. Construct a

budget. Use your group calendar (that should list the events planned for the year) to develop your budget. Createan itemized budget for each event, and use those totals to create your total annual budget.

Anticipate unexpected and additional costs. More than likely you will forget to budget for some aspect of the event, so make the budget as detailed as possible. Your annual budget should also be inated with the

anticipation that unforeseen events will come up during the year.

Throughout the year, refer to your budget before and after each event. After the event, ll in the actual costs. If

there were additional purchases not included in the original budget, add them to the document for reference nexyear.

Create a Donor ListCreate an Excel spreadsheet to record all contact information for potential and actual donors.

• Write out the names of your friends, family, church members and neighbors. Then add the names ofpro-lifers in your community. Have each group member do the same.

• In addition to basic contact information, include notes about their personal life, such as children’s names,

personal hobbies, occupation, etc. This information will help you establish rapport with donors.• List conservative and pro-life alumni from the university and your group.• As your group members graduate, make sure to transfer their contact information into your donor

database. Alumni will have a vested interest in seeing your group thrive.

• List conservative and religious organizations in your area. Approach these organizations about mailing aletter on your group’s behalf using their mailing list.

• Consider approaching those who have recently donated to conservative political campaigns in your area.• Visit your local Board of Elections ofce and ask for the campaign nance report for a conservative local

council member or state representative. Ask for the reports for the year leading up to their previouselection. These reports are open to the public. You will have to pay a small fee for copies. Most likely thepeople who donated to their campaigns will have similar values and will be willing to donate to you. Beginforming relationships with these potential donors by attending your local conservative meetings and events.

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ADVANCED FUNDRAISING Proposal

Fundraising Proposal

When you meet with a donor you will want to be prepared. A fundraising Proposal is the perfectway to do that! If you are meeting in person your Fundrasing Proposal should be nicely typed and

presented in a clean folder with your group’s name, logo, and contact information.

$15,000 Club Rock Star Sponsor 15 Students to attend National Marchfor Life, National Students for Life Conference.All expenses Paid

$1000 Club HeroSponsor Flights for 3 Students to AttendNational March for Life and National Studentsfor Life Conference

Join UsInvest in Jones High School Pro-Life students and send us to DC for the training we need toempower and equip our members. We are changing the conversation about abortion at our school!

Contact us at [email protected].

Transform Our School

At pro-life lobby days, marches, and community events, seeing students is no longer a novelty.Today, it’s the norm. Young people, now more than ever, consider themselves pro-life.

Jones High School Students for life is playing a pivotal role in this revival and expansion of thepro-life movement at your local school, growing from a club which started with 3 dedicatedmembers to 15 active and passionate students. We know that the majority of abortions are

performed on high school and college-aged women and that Planned Parenthood targets ourgeneration. We are the voices of the pro-life generation to our peers and our friends.

However, as our club has grown, our needs for funding to host successful events and train our clubmembers has also increased. We need your help to send our club members to the National Marchfor Life and the National Students for Life Conference in D.C. this January.

Currently, Students for Life at Jones High School is hosting a bake sale and a car wash to raise moneyfor our members to head to D.C. However, we only have the funding to cover 2 of our 15 member’s

trips. We want all of our members to be equipped and trained for the upcoming school year.

$100 Club Benefactor Sponsor 2 Students Food for trip to AttendNational March for Life and National Studentsfor Life Conference.

$50 Club Supporter Sponsor 1 Student Registration Fee to theNational Students for Life Conference

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ADVANCED FUNDRAISINGSchool Funding

Student Government

Designate one group ofcer such as the Treasurer or Fundraising Coordinator to establish and lead a FundraisingCommittee. The members of the Fundraising Committee should be focused on fundraising activities, not planningactivism events. However, all general members should assist with the fundraising efforts as decided upon by theFundraising Committee.

If you are at a public high school your school may not have club funding, but it’s always good to ask. If you are at aprivate high school, college or university, the most important thing to remember in applying for funding from your

Student Government Association (SGA) is to gure out the timeline for when all of your information is due. Ofte

there are packets you can pick up or download online from the Activities Ofce or from SGA that can help you in

this process. Most often your applications will be due at the very beginning of the semester, so make sure to comback from summer prepared and submit the application on time. Your SGA may only let you apply at two timesduring the year (in August or September and January).

The next important aspect to applying for funding is guring out what should be included in your application. Mak

sure to submit a detailed plan on what you intend to do for the semester as well as your projected budget. It willhelp the SGA gure out who should get more funding or not by looking at different events you will be hosting an

how much you will be spending throughout the semester. This means that you will need to prepare before you mewith the person who will be in charge of the club budgets for the year.

One other aspect you need to consider is asking how much the pro-abortion/Vox groups are getting on campus.If you go to a state college or university, by law you have to receive the same amount of funding as these groups.

there is a discrepancy, and the SGA or Student Activities ofce refuse to remedy the situation, they might be liableand your group could win a lawsuit. If you go to a private college or university, it may be harder to nd this

information out. Just ask the SGA or Activities Director what kind of funding “similar” groups are receiving such aVOX/pro-abortion groups or other ministry or politically-based groups.

If you do not receive the exact amount of funding you request, don’t worry. There are always ways to nd more

funding for events throughout the year, such as asking other clubs to co-sponsor events with you or holding afundraiser for your group on campus.

The most important aspect to getting funding is being organized and prepared to turn in your nding information

the day that it is due. Make sure to go online over the summer or before school starts to download all of the

Direct Solicitation and Church Solicitation• Pinpoint donors for in-person meetings. Using your Donor List, determine the donors from which you

would likely reap a high pledge by an in-person meeting. Send the donors an introductory letter aboutyour group. A few days later, call them and schedule a meeting. When they ask why you would like tomeet, tell them that you would like to ask for their advice and discuss working together in the future.Securing the meeting is the hardest part.

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ADVANCED FUNDRAISINGDonors

Prepare for the in-person meeting by researching your donor and memorizing details that may come in handy

when building a relationship with them. Carefully assess which group members would be best suited to attendthe meeting. If a group member has a personal relationship with the donor or similar interests, bring him/her

along. For example, if you know the donor is an avid golfer, bring a fellow golng guru. The stronger connection

and more rapport you can build with your potential donor, the more likely he or she is to donate to your group

Tackle the in-person meeting by bringing your Fundraising Proposal, dressing professionally and arriving ve

to ten minutes early. Bring no more than three people to your meeting. If possible, bring a male and femalegroup member to the meeting. Throughout the meeting, express how highly you value the donor’s opinion andinvolvement with your group.

Accept money, goods and services. If the donor owns a restaurant, ask him/her to donate food for a big eventor a percentage of sales one evening. Ask a doctor for medical supplies to use as props for activism events

(doctor’s masks, scrubs, instruments) or ask for a donation of time as a guest speaker at a group meeting orevent. Additionally, a physician can also be an invaluable resource for advising your group on medical topics.

Contact local churches and ask if you can collect money after each service for a week or two. Or see if theywould take up a special offering for your group. Whenever people donate, collect their contact information soyou can thank them and update them on upcoming events. Ask churches for goods and services, as well. Theymay provide helpful items such as candles (for a vigil) or crosses (for a Cemetery of Innocents display). Send letters to your home church asking if they would donate and/or post a blurb about your group in the bulletin askinfor donations.

Fundraising Tips:

• Listen intently to the donor

• Ask them for input on yourproposal and what they would like

to see your group accomplish

• Make them feel invested before

you make “the ask”

• After you make “the ask”, do not

speak. No matter how awkward,

wait for them to respond rst

Other Items For Potential Donors• Reports on past successful events

• Emails, quotes, and campus newspaper articlesabout your group (positive and negativeresponses may appeal to your donor)

• Activism Calendar for the rest of theschool year with the description of planned

events • Stories of babies saved or mind’s changed

2



ADVANCED FUNDRAISINGMailing

Direct Mailing

Sending out a letter (snail mail or email) asking for club funding can also be an effective fundraisinstrategy. Below is a sample “Ask Letter.”

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ADVANCED FUNDRAISINGEvents

ReceptionThis is good if you want to try to raise a little bit of money. 9 times out of 10 you can get the event to pay for itseand have a little more left over. It works even better if you can get a venue, such as a home, rooftop deck, back roof a restaurant, and/or food and drink donated. These types of events work best if you have some kind of headlin

or keynote speaker (which could be a politician, local celebrity, pro-life celebrity, etc.)

Banquet or GalaThis is good if you want to try and raise a nice chunk of money. This involves a lot of work as most of the moneywould come from table sponsors and sit down dinners are pretty expensive. If you are thinking about doing thisyou should rst make a list to see if you could get several of the tables sponsored. If you can’t, then this is probab

not the right avenue for you. But at the same time you could always partner with another organization to make i

happen.

Bake SaleThis is a fun and easy way for your group to get funds. Have each person in the group bake something for the saleand then get members to take shifts selling the baked goods at your school. Everyone loves a little treat. This woualso be a great way to get your church or parish to partner with you. Host a bake sale after church.

5k Walk or RunThis is a fun way to get lots of people involved in what you are doing. 5k walks/runs are very popular and hostingone for your group, maybe even at your school, is a great fundraising event for your group. If you had a cool t-shir

sell, that would bring in extra money also. Another idea is to partner with a local PRC that is already hosting a wor run, ask if it could be a partnership and you both take half the funds.

For more help with putting an event together, contact your Regional Coordinator.

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CLUB CHALLENGES

It can be easy to get discouraged when you face difculties at your school. When you are

tempted to give up, shut up or sit down, remember why you are ghting this ght. We want tohelp you! Please contact us. You are not alone! Students for Life of America has an expert team o

professionals to help students, wherever you live! Our team is available to you! We are here to

help you by offering one-on-one support for your group.

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“Students for Life of America has been such an instrumental part of my pro-life story. I couldn’t have

walked this journey without their help. I’m grateful for the many people working for Students for Life of

America. But there’s one person who stands out from all the rest who has encouraged and supported ou

club every step of the way - and that person is our Regional Coordinator for SFLA.

I truly don’t know if our club would be thriving - or for that matter, even in existence - today if it wasn’t f

her on-campus help, in-person training, wise advice, and much-appreciated support over the past two yea

When I rst started the club, I was entirely alone. I didn’t know any pro-life teachers or students at my

college, and I was blocked by aggressive pro-abortion activists at every turn. But my Coordinator believed

in me, encouraged me, taught me how to recruit students, prepared me for pro-life leadership, and never

let me back down - even when I faced opposition.

Now, looking back on these past few years serving as president of LCC Students for Life, I can say it’s

been one of the greatest and most rewarding adventures of my life thus far. I’m overwhelmed by a ood

of memories from these past two years. Hearts changed. Lives saved. Breathtaking, beautiful stories of

hope. Miracles. Literally thousands of people have been educated, impacted, inspired, and moved. And

with every heartbeat I thank Students for Life and my Regional Coordinator for standing with me and

never letting me give up.

As I’m transferring to a new University this fall, my goal is to start a pro-life club there and continue my

work in pro-life ministry. As long as I live, I know I’ll continue to be active in the pro-life cause for so long

as abortion exists. I’m so grateful that Students for Life reaches out to student groups with Regional Co-

ordinators. This coming year, I’m looking forward to getting to know my new regional coordinator and I’m

excited to learn from her and work alongside her to abolish abortion once and for all!”

Sierra McClain, LCC Students for Life President

Get One-on-One Support from your SFLA Team!Check out our team page to nd the SFLA team member nearest you: www.studentsforlife.org/staff



LEGAL RIGHTS

As the pro-life student movement has grown, discrimination by public school administrations has

ecome more frequent. Students trying to start a club or host events as an active club are constan

eing censored by their principals, teachers, and other school ofcials.

This includes:Denying acceptance of your club on any grounds, including but not limited to:• It’s too “offensive”• It’s “religious”

• It will “disrupt the learning environment”

Forcing your group to be a committee in a religious orconservative club, instead of its own independent club.

Making your club undergo more approval requirements thanother clubs.

Prohibiting your club to participate in the same activities as other clubs, including:• Flyering

• Tabling

• Literature distribution• Hosting speaker• Fundraising

Restricting you from accessing student activities funds that are available to other student groups.

Bottom Line: If you attend a public school, neither your administration nor your stude

government can censor you or place higher standards on you in any way.

If you are facing any of the above

situations, or you suspect you are being

discriminated against, contact Students

for Life of America immediately [email protected].

We have free legal counsel readily

available for students to ensure your

rst amendment rights at your school.



LEGAL RIGHTS

Document Everything• Keep logs of every conversation you have with your

school ofcials concerning your club. Include the date,

who was present, and the outcome of the meeting.• Keep any emails sent to you from your administration

concerning your club.• Keep a photocopy of all documents you turn into your

administration.

• After meeting with administrators, send a follow-upemail to conrm what was discussed and decided.

Always Attend Meetings with your

Administration in Pairs• You can take a fellow member or your adviser, but

always have at least two people representing your club

in every meeting.• If you do not have someone to attend the meetings with

you, reschedule.

• One person should be taking notes in any meeting.

Ask for the Denial in Writing• Whether it is for starting your club, hosting an event,

or yering, have the administration give you their denial

in writing. This can be a letter or an email. You can sendthem a letter or email asking for permission once againand place a time constraint on the reply. For example:

If you are experiencing

discrimination at at privateschool, SFLA can also work with

you to change the heart of youradministration. Contact us at

[email protected].

If you think you are experiencing discrimination, at your public or private school, please follow

the directions below and contact Students for Life of America immediately [email protected].



RECRUITMENT

Always RecruitEvery opportunity is an opportunity to recruit new members. Whether you are tabling, hosting an event, orenjoying weekend festivities, you should always be on the lookout for potential members. Talk about just howawesome your group is, and always invite people to come to your next events. Throughout the year, your

group should also mark in your calendar specic events for recruitment- like activities/club fairs or tablingdays.

Don’t StereotypeTake off your blinders. You may have a “type” that you look for when recruiting. While it is helpful to targetthose groups who are prominently pro-life (e.g. Christians, political conservatives), keep an open mind! You

may be surprised by who is pro-life and wants to get active. Invite everyone and anyone. Some people may beon the verge of embracing pro-life values, but they are waiting for someone to challenge them or tocondently answer their hesitations.

Contact InformationGet contact information! How can you follow up with interested peers if you have no way to reach them?!

You should have sign-up sheets at ALL of your events. If a student expresses interest in your activities orstrong support for your cause, right away ask them to provide contact information (e.g. email, phone). Youcan even exchange phone numbers right then and there, or add them on Facebook.

Be VisibleIf your peers do not know that your group exists, you have major problems! You need to be a visible

presence at your school. Flyering, chalking, big events/displays, regular tabling, writing or advertising in theschool paper— all of these things are going to put your group on the map. Don’t be afraid to cause a stirfrom time to time. Controversy breeds interest. Mix it up—be creative, be funny, be bold. Use your displays

a conversation starter!

Be AccessibleIf you want people to join, they need to know how to contact your group for more information. Your groupemail and Facebook page should be on all of your yers. You can even chalk this information! At the beginning

and end of every event, announce how students can contact you and where they can go for moreinformation. Make sure that you regularly check your group email and Facebook page inbox to respond to

questions and inquiries promptly. Ask members to share your pro-life group posts, FB event pages, etc.Have a week when every member changes their prole pictures, or ask everyone to share the same image

or post. Post a short, inviting message on the Facebook pages of other groups on campus to tell them aboutupcoming events.

Whether you are starting a student group, or your group has been around for years, one

word that is going to be your rally cry for every event, tabling opportunity, and activities

fair— recruitment! Even if you have 2 dozen active members, it should always be your goal

to GROW. If you aim to change hearts, save lives, and activate others to defend Life, you

need to get together your team of passionate pro-lifers. So go out there, and recruit, recruit,

recruit!

Tips &Tricks



RECRUITMENT

Tabling is a great opportunity to engage your peers, recruit new members, and educate your

school. Your group should schedule regular tabling events to help create a visible, consistentpublic presence at your school. Create a table display that represents your group- who you

are, what you do, and how students can get involved. This table may involve a display of group

pictures, abortion statistics, group t-shirts, a variety of pro-life materials, and even fetal model

displays. The main purposes of this table are simply to present students with information aboutyour group and to recruit new members.

Tabling

When Tabling• Your table should be well organized, clean, and attractive.

• Keep small piles of materials on the table, and have extra materials underneath your table to restock ifnecessary.

• Pregnancy help and post-abortive healing materials should be in the outermost corners of the table(closest to your passerby). This allows for students to discretely grab these materials without theembarrassment of obviously reaching across the table.

• Your sign-up sheets should be easily accessible as well so that students can provide their contactinformation.

• Group contact information and next event information should be available (preferably as a handout).• Always, always, always collect students contact information if they express interest. Make sure that they

sign-up before they leave!

• Anyone who approaches the table should ideally walk away with information about the group. Providean informational handout about your group for each student.

• Snacks, freebies, and rafes are a great way to attract attention! High School students can’t resist fresh

cupcakes. It’s like honey and bees.

• Do not sit behind the table. Stand to the side or in front of the table. This makes it easier for you totalk to passersby and anyone who approaches the table.

• Do not have personal food or drinks on the table. This is a turn off for some people, and it can lookcluttered. Also, drinks could potentially spill!

Before Tabling

• Reserve space in a high trafc (popular)

location at your school. Request tables,during club fairs and other school activities.

• Schedule time periods for your members tobe at the table. There should be at least 2members at the table at all times.

• Gather Supplies: Sign-up Sheet, Pens, Displaymaterials, Pro-life literature, Candy



S I G N U

P / A T

T E N D A N C

E S H E E T

F i r s t N a m e

L a s t N a m e

P h o n e N u m b e r

E m a i l A d d r e s s

S c h o o l Y e a r



RETAINING MEMBERS

Retention is a crucial part of your group’s success. Not only do you want to create an active

group at your school, you want your pro-life club to last!

Build RelationshipsThe most important factor to retaining members is developing relationships. Core team members shoulddevelop personal relationships with other group members so that each member feels welcomed and valued. Bygetting to know each person, the ofcers will be able to identify individual passions and strengths. These

relationships will build community, and they will help bolster a positive attitude among your members.

Have SocialsWhen a person gives her time and helps the club succeed, she deserves recognition. Building a bond betweenclub members will increase their commitment to the group. Be sure to thank members and to get to know

them on a more personal level. One good way to do this is to have socials! Assign someone within the club tohost and plan the event and use that time to get to know your group members. You can play games or make

ice cream sundaes! But remember, this is not a time for business. Keep the social focused on celebrating your

members and having fun! Leave the event planning and strategizing for a meeting. Socials should take place at

least twice a semester.

DelegateAnother good way to keep members involved is to delegate responsibility. When members have responsibility,they take ownership of the group and become more invested. Delegation requires leaders to come preparedto the meeting with an idea of what needs to be accomplished. Assign tasks to members according to their giftsand areas of interest. For example, if a student is good at math, ask her to help the treasurer with the budget!

One common mistake when delegating is trying to delegate to anyone willing. The better technique is to usethe personal relationships developed to assign tasks to the appropriate individual with the ability to get thejob done. Your goal is to develop future leaders and activists by having individuals invest increasingly greater

amounts of their time into something of which they will eventually take partial ownership. Once they beginto feel responsible, members will become more committed to your group’s success. If your club can develop theright culture and events to retain and develop members, it will always be growing and achieving greater success.



MEASURING YOUR EFFECTIVENESS

Every once in awhile, it helps to step back and assess your group’s progress. Ask the question:

Is your campus actually changing as a result of your presence and actions? It is important thatyour club has vision and mission statements. Your potential, current, and future members need

to know exactly what your Students for Life group is all about! Your vision and mission

statements need to be written down and kept with your club documents.

VisionThe following questions can help you develop a vision:• What do we want to accomplish short term and long term?• Where do we want to be a year from now?• How do we want to impact our high school and community?

• What kinds of activities are appropriate for our group?

Write a short paragraph explaining what you want the group to become and share it with your club. Use it as a

reference as you plan events and measure your success. Establishing a common vision is important so that youcan keep your group on track and everyone on the same page. You do not want your group to becomedisillusioned because the group is not what members expected it to be.

Mission StatementAs you are planning your vision, write out a mission statement to give your group a steady focus. The missionstatement tells people how your group aims to achieve your vision. Here is a sample mission statement:

“The mission of Jones High School Students for Life is to establish an active pro-life cultureamong the youth of our community by educating our peers on life and by actively promoting

the right to life for all persons (preborn and born).”

SMARTS Goals S - Specic: State exactly what you want to accomplish (Who, What, Where, Why)

M - Measurable: How will you demonstrate that your goal has been met?

A - Achievable: You can pull it off. It is reasonable for your group to attempt?

R - Relevant: How does the goal help you accomplish your mission and vision?

T - Time-Bound:Set a target date. Include deadlines, dates and frequency

S - Stretch: Does this goal stretch you to try something new? Is it too easy?

Celebrate!Make sure that as you evaluate your clubs progress you take time to celebrate your victories.! Remember

to celebrate the victories, no matter how small or insignicant they feel to you! If you are a brand new club,

and you’ve only had a chance to become ofcial and get word out about your group, celebrate that! If you’ve

brought in a speaker, showed a movie on campus, tabled, yered, or did a club apologetics training, stop and

acknowledge your success! You and your campuses are different because YOU stood for life!!!



UNINVITED PRO-LIFE GROUPS

At many schools, being pro-life is not the most popular position to take. Sometimes outside sup-

port is welcomed, and you should develop personal and working relationships with outside pro-life organizations. Utilize their resources and expertise in the movement. Work with them and co

ordinate your efforts on campus to make a larger impact for life. However, some outside groupsmay use tactics or proclaim messages that your group wants to avoid. They may come onto cam-

pus with extreme ideas or condemning approaches and undermine your group’s strategic plan fo

your campus.

Ways to Respond:• Tell them you would love to discuss their ideas and information at a later date. Perhaps invite them to a grou

meeting, so they can share their ideas.

• Kindly let them know that a pro-life group exists on campus and takes responsibility for getting the pro-lifemessage to the campus.

• Begin to form a relationship with them, and explain to them what you are doing on campus and how you havpositively changed your campus.

• If they continue to come uninvited to campus and begin to alienate students against your pro-life group, themost important thing to do is keep your pro-life group active. Do not let an outside group silence you. If youstop doing activities, others will assume that the pro-life message is wrong or something to be embarrassedabout.

• Host your own pro-life activities in another location on campus at the same time to show that your group isnot involved with their organization. Or, wait a few days for most of the negative reactions to fade away and

then plan your own event with similar content but presented in a more positive manner

• If the group is interfering with your event, ask them to leave. Be kind, but rmly explain that the event is open

to invited groups only or if they want to stay they will have to abide your group’s rules and goals.

• If they refuse to leave and make a severely damaging impression, then submit an article to the campus paperdisassociating your group from them. Avoid being too harsh with your response. You don’t want to give the

impression of a fractured movement. Conclude the article by clearly articulating your group’s pro-life position

Get One-on-One Support from your SFLA Team!Students for Life of America has an expert team of professionals to help students,

wherever you live! Our team is available to you! We are here to help you by

offering one-on-one support for your group. Check out our team page to nd

the SFLA team member nearest you: at www.studentsforlife.org/staff



COUNTER-PROTESTING

There will be times where you must respond to pro-abortion group happenings (VOX, NOW,

etc.) at your school or in your communities. Offering a counterpoint to their efforts will keepyour events pertinent and cutting edge. Keep in mind that you want your group to inuence

campus dialogue more than VOX or the other pro-abortion groups. It’s generally better tostay on the offensive instead of the defensive.

Choose Wisely“Answering” or counter-protesting them too often may come off as reactionary, so choose which events to

protest and make it effective.

Be CourageousWhile we want to be respectful and willing to dialogue with our opponents, we must not forget that our

number one goal is to defend innocent human life. When an opposition group hosts an event that directlysupports abortion you must make it known that you disagree with their position! The average student is not

well-versed in all aspects of our issue; they will likely nd some of the pro-abortion arguments logical. Your

group must be there to share the pro-life position at all times.

Ways to Protest:• Show Up! Get out there in person. If Planned Parenthood’s President is showing up in your community or

on your campus, get your group out there with signs and messaging to expose the number of abortionsPlanned Parenthood commits every day.

• Make Signs! Signs do the talking for you and will get you more media exposure.• Create a handout exposing the event or speaker. Give them to people walking into the event. Even if the

person won’t talk to you, your handout can give them information long after they walk away from you.• Alert the media that there is another opinion on the event taking place. If you’re out protesting as a group

choose a media spokesperson for your club. Don’t be afraid to walk up to media that show up to cover

the event and insert your position into the dialogue. (See Media Tips pg. 18)

• Write a letter to the editor of your school or community newspaper. Expose the evil and challenge themto create real help for women.



CREATING A NETWORK

There will be many opportunities for your group to work and interact with other groups at

your school. Do not neglect these occasions. All group members should be involved in at leastone other organization at your school. Strive for a variety of groups among your members to

help your group build multiple alliances. By participating in other student organizations, you

help other active students put a face with the pro-life group.

Advantages to Working With Possible Allies at Your School:• Potential members for your group. If enough of their members get involved, they may develop a sub-com-

mittee within their organization dedicated to assisting your pro-life efforts on campus.

• You will develop a network of support, providing you a database of names to call on when you need aloud voice on campus. Example: Protesting pro-abortion practices in the health clinics.

• Use the popularity and name recognition of other groups when advertising your events to lure more students.

• If you co-host an event, they may help cover a percentage of the costs or double the funding from student government.

• You can coordinate your activity calendars. If both groups plan to host pro-life activities, plan strategically to deliver the desired message. This allows each group to focus on a different aspect of the

issue, and helps alleviate overlap or counterproductive events.

• Use members of other organizations to help plan and participate in targeted events. Planning a prayer

vigil? Involve the religious groups. Passing out Pro-Life Voter Guides? Ask the College Republicans to assistyour efforts.

CO-HOST EVENTS WITH CAUTION!You want to show that you are willing to have civil dialogue. However, too much

positive interaction may lead to the misconception that your groups do not have

fundamental differences. Remember these differences are NOT small. We are talking

about the right to life! Find common ground, but don’t compromise.

At School



CREATING A NETWORK

Ideas for Working with Possible Allies on Campus• Many groups host Take Back the Night, to raise awareness about domestic violence against women. Participate in the event to show that pro-lifers care about women in need.

• Host a Pregnancy Resource Forum to advertise PHCs and show what they have to offer

• Host a debate on abortion, infanticide, embryonic stem-cell research or euthanasia. If possible, let them choose who represents their position.

• Bring in guests who will interest and attract their members, such as speakers from Feminists for Life, Silent No More and Democrats for Life.

• Develop personal relationships with their group members to give them a face to the pro-life movement. The more you get to know these members individually the easier it will be to have open, honest, and respectful dialogue about the issue. The goal is to love and convert them. You

Participate in Student GovernmentEncourage group members to run for Student Government to ensure your group receives adequate funding.

It is important to have allies, including your group members, on Student Government to ensure that yourgroup has a voice when student government creates new policies.

DON’T GET DISTRACTED!

Make sure that you stay on track

with the events in your pro-life club.

Don’t get so distracted co-hosting

events so that everyone likes you that

you forget your mission and vision. Remember, you’re the only group on

campus dedicated to abolishing

abortion. If you’re not speaking up

for the women and children hurt

by abortion, who will?

At School



CREATING A NETWORK

Building Relationships with the community is very important. There are many pro-life

organizations and individuals in your local community who are willing to assist your group. Yourimpact for life is exponentially increased as you network, share ideas and collaborate with otherpro-lifers.

Finding ResourcesYour club needs to build relationships with the community in order to know what resources are available tothe women you reach out to on campus. Remember if you can’t point a woman in crisis to the places that cansupport her in your community then you will have trouble saving lives.

Who to Network With

• Students for Life of America – national and statewide• National and regional pro-life organizations

• Other student pro-life groups• State Right to Life chapters• Local churches and youth groups• Local and state political parties and pro-life members• Pregnancy Help Centers (PHCs)• Local bloggers

• 40 Days for Life Campaign

Widsom of Pro-Life ExpertsFor years, the same people worked tirelessly, using an endless array of tactics to ght abortion and save lives.

As a result, they have vast amounts of invaluable, untapped wisdom, and insight. But, these people will not be

around forever. It’s your turn to inuence the movement. You have the unique opportunity to learn about the

pro-life movement’s failures and successes from those who experienced it. Find pro-life experts and ask them

questions or invite them to speak to your group. Ask them for advice on events and ideas. Use them as anadvisor or mentor

SFLA’s William Wilberforce and Thaddeus Stevens Leadership FellowshipsThe Wilberforce Fellowship for college students and Stevens Fellowships for high school students have beendeveloped to raise the next generation of pro-life leadership. These Fellowships trains college and high school

pro-life activists to be leaders at their schools (and beyond) and helps network those student leaders with amentor in the national pro-life movement to help further develop their skills. Simply put, the SFLA Leadership

Fellowships are the training you need for a future in the pro-life movement! For more information on either

fellowship visit studentsforlife.org

Benets of Networking

• Money• Locations to host events• Pull with city ofcials and state legislators

• Supplies• Pregnacy Resources• Presence at events• Media attention• Speakers

• Post-abortion healing seminars/literature

In the Community

For more information aboutSFLA’s fellowships, see page 47



Successful leadership transitions are crucial to your group’s long term ability to impact

your school. You are building a movement and a legacy that will last long after yougraduate. The key is to start early! Be on the look-out for upcoming leaders from day one.

Finding Future LeadersOnce an ofcer knows he or she will be transitioning or graduating, they should begin to plan for a

replacement. The transitioning ofcer should identify the potential leaders and begin working with them

throughout the year in order for the transition to happen well. The transitioning ofcer should be training

the new potential leaders for an extended amount of time before the transitioning ofcer has nished his

or her time, in order to see that the new leadership is condent and ready to assume the leadership role.

Delegate TasksAs a leader, you must know the importance and value of delegating tasks. Delegation take a great deal of

trust and time up front, but in the long run, you will have members who have input and buy-in because ofthe trust you have placed in them through delegation. This not only builds up the clubs membership, butyou will also have more committed members.

ElectionsElections should take place in the spring semester. At the end of the fall semester, announce theelection date and give a brief description of each position that will need to be lled. Invite members to

begin thinking about a position for which they may want to run, and highlight the value the current ofcer

and the position has brought to the club. Most clubs work best by electing certain positions and allowingthe executive board to appoint the rest of the positions. Your club can decide what works best for your

group. The president should be elected rst, and then the other roles. This way if someone runs for

president and is not elected, he or she is not prevented from seeking another position.

Candidates In the spring semester, current ofcers should focus on encouraging their replacements to take on more

responsibilities and begin thinking about taking over a leadership role. Current ofcers should help

potential ofcers realize their capacity to make an impact and nominations should be taken a week before

the election.

TransitionThe new ofcers should receive their ofcial responsibilities on the last day of classes, but begin to

transition them into the role before the end of the school year. A transition time allows for new ofcers

to learn and slowly take over the role from the current ofcers, which helps make a smooth transition.

Celebrate!!!Find time as a club to celebrate the new ofcers and thank the ones who are graduating or moving out of

a position. This is a fun time to socialize as a group and get to know members better.

LEADERSHIP TRANSITIONS



PASSING ON THE LEGACY

School groups present a special challenge for continuity because of the turnover rate. In college

and high school members rarely stick around for more than four years, and often serve in

leadership position for much shorter periods of time, which means there can be problemspassing on valuable knowledge and experience. Make sure that you’re not losing critical

information every time an ofcer leaves.

Binder No matter how well you train your next set of leaders, next year, you’ll be gone. We’ve created a President’sBinder to help you keep track of all of your key club information and pass along knowledge to new leaders. Filled

with valuable tips and tricks as well as space for you to personalize your binder with clubs events and your

mission statement, this binder will help you to maintain continuity between graduating classes. Contact your

Regional Coordinator for you clubs free President’s Binder.

President’s Binder!!!Contact your Regional Coordinator. for you clubs free President’s Binder.

Transition Timeline8-12 months before transition: Announce election period and begin watching for potential leaders to begindelegating tasks. Mentally start gathering documents and getting organized (i.e. are all of your documents on a

USB drive, etc.?)

6-8 months out: Begin intentionally allowing one or two potential leaders to shadow you. Bring them to everymeeting, leadership conference; do your homework together, whatever it takes!

6 months out: Allow leaders that have been shadowing you to take charge of your position in a few meetings or

events. This is crucial because it allows them to learn with the comfort zone of you still being around and available

to help if needed.

4-5 months out: Hold elections and once new leaders are ofcially elected, begin to go over leadership

paperwork (past missions, visions, strategies, what worked, what didn’t work, events, fundraising techniques,

ofcer duties and job descriptions, etc.).

3 months out: Work specically with new leader(s) on their weaknesses and strengths; invest in their leadership

abilities. This is where leaving a legacy really comes into play!

1-2 month out: Slowly let go of the reigns and let new leaders lead the group with the comfort zone of you still

being around. This will help new leaders to really gain trust from all of the members before you are gone. This isvery important because a leader without followers is only taking a walk – help them to maintain followers!

0-2 weeks out: Hold a recognition/celebration ceremony to acknowledge departing ofcers and celebrate the

clubs successes as well as to welcome new ofcers!



AFTER GRADUATION

Graduation isn’t the end, it’s a beginning! First of all, congratulations to all graduating seniors on

this monumental achievement! We know that you have worked hard to be where you are today.

Whether you are a high school student and decide to continue your education through college,or you are a graduating college students pursuing other paths, we hope and pray that you are

successful.

High School StudentsWe have a gift for every graduating high school senior! To prepare you for college and the challenges that will

come with it, we’ve put together a special package so that you can brush up on your pro-life skills! The gift

includes a crash course on basic abortion facts and statistics, advice on how to defend your views, and helpanswering the tough questions like abortion in the cases of rape, incest, and health of the mother. Our gift will

also include two books! Students for Life by Scott Klusendorf and John Ensor as well as Why Pro-Life by Randy

Alcorn!

To receive your special pro-life graduation gift, simply go to highschool.studentsforlife.org/senior-crash-course/

College StudentsWe are so proud of the work you have done so far, but this is only the beginning. You are the pro-life leaders oftoday and you are about to enter every eld of the nation. It’s up to you to be a pro-life voice at your grad

school or new job. You’ve put hours and

hours of your college life into protecting and

defending the preborn and their mothers.With Allies for Life, you can keep doing that inyour new community. Get connected with thepro-life movement and use what you learnedin college to help women in need and savebabies. Show that we are the pro-lifegeneration and we will not rest until abortion

is abolished.

Sign up today to become an ofcial “Ally for

Life” and part of the Students for Life alumninetwork to stay connected with the pro-lifemovement post-graduation: college.stu-dentsforlife.org/2014/04/29/become-an-ally-for-life/



ENVISIONING THE END

The time has come for our movement nally to abolish abortion in America.

It’s time for us to throw all of our chips out there on the table, work harder than never before, to put the nal

nail in the abortion industry’s cofn.

But in order to transform our nation, the rst thing we must do is: Envision what our nation, what our

world, looks like without abortion

Envision not imagine. Envision. Don’t say oh, abortion is terrible, but abortion will never go away, there is noway this is going to happen.

Envision means we will make our plans for post-Roe America now– to support and establish the structures, on

campus and in our community, Envision a nation, where every woman facing a unplanned, crisis pregnancy knowsthere is a place she can turn to for help.

Start with your school. Set all obstacles aside. What would your school look like if your club hadinnite resources to share the truth about abortion and to help women? What would it look like?

This is possible.

If we do these things, acting as if we know the time and place of when abortion will end, abortion will endregardless of whether Roe and Doe are overturned. Because then the day will come, when no women feels theonly option is abortion.

Your club and the 800+ active and growing Students for Life groups across the nation should have a vision and aplan for your group. You need to nd out what women and families need on your campus and in your community

and then pick a couple of projects to begin creating a culture of Life.

You need to set the standard on your school in your church, in other pro-life organizations, and in your

community. You need to have the hope, compassion, love, joy, and passion to abolish abortion in your lifetime.

Start living like abortion has already been made illegal. It’s up to you to make sure that sacred young woman,sitting next to you in class, knows you love and care about her. If not you, than who?

Abolishing abortion begins with envisioning its end!

What would your school look like if you had innite resources

to share the truth about abortion and to help women?

What would it look like?THIS IS POSSIBLE!



Students for Life of AmericaOFFERS

FREE TRAINING to your group!

WE CAN TRAIN YOUR GROUP IN ANY OF

THE FOLLOWING TOPICS:

Pro-Life ActivismApologetics: Dialoguing about Abortion

Developing Your LeadersEmbracing the Controversy of Abortion

Fundraising for your GroupRecruiting and Retaining Members

Planning Your Year Planned Parenthood’s Abortion Business

AND MORE!

Email us at [email protected] or contact your Regional

Coordinator to request a FREE training from SFLA!





One time 20% OFF ONLINE promo code: ADVANCEDRFL



Traveling to Washington, D.C. for the March for Life or San Francisco fo

the Walk for Life? Don’t forget the SFLA East Coast and West Coast Natio

Conferences. The East Coast National Conference is the largest pro-life

conference in the world. Register NOW for this life-changing experience

www.SFLALive.org



Students for Life FellowshipsAre you a leader or ofcer in your pro-life group?

Do you aspire to work in the pro-life movement full-time?

Do you want to be mentored by a national pro-life leader?

If you answered “Yes” to all of these questions, then you should consider applying for one of the

SFLA Leadership Fellowships!

THE MISSION

The mission of the Students for Life of America Leadership Fellowships is to raise up the nextgeneration of pro-life leaders. We want to train high school student pro-life activists to be leaders attheir schools (and beyond) and to network those student leaders with their counterparts in thenational pro-life movement to help further develop their skills. Simply put, a SFLA LeadershipFellowship is the training you need for a future in the pro-life movement!

“The Wilberforce Fellowship is a great

opportunity to experience what is going on

in our Movement. It provides an excellent

“behind-the-scenes” look at the effort that

many good-willed people are putting forthin an attempt to achieve justice for preborn

children. You will have the opportunity to

inuence and be inuenced by people of all

ages, while focusing on the improvement of

your leadership skills. I am thankful for my

Wilberforce experience, and suggest that

justice-seeking students seriously consider

applying for it. ” – Shea Hasenauer, 2010-

2011 SFLA Wilberforce Leadership Fellow

“I feel so blessed to have been able to par-

take in this fellowship, and I am so thankful

to Students for Life for making it happen. It

has helped me get a realistic glimpse into the

movement which I hope to eventually work in

and it has given me the training, knowledge,

and connections I need to really be able to

make a difference in my community. If you

ever hope to help lead the pro-life movement,

or even if you simply want to improve yourleadership skills, this fellowship is for you!” –

Kaitlynn W., 2013-2014 Stevens Fellow

THADDEUS STEVENS LEADERSHIP FELLOWSHIP - HIGH SCHOOL

WILLIAM WILBERFORCE LEADERSHIP FELLOWSHIP - COLLEGE



Documents

Advanced Strategy Guidebook