Fund Raising
Seize the New Day
A focused fundraising campaign in September, October, November and December with contributions
sought for the tax year ending December 31, 2011 BUT not to be used until the period beginning January
1, 2012.
1) Communicate with current contributors (personal calls to top half) thanking them for “Next Big
Step” contribution and reporting to them that their money enabled the Coalition to support,
facilitate, initiate or nurture several major projects such as 1) an important study rebutting the
thesis that victims survivors get closure from executions; 2) an ongoing assessment of death
penalty administration in Kentucky by the American Bar Association expected later this year; 3)
organized influence on new lethal injection protocols now enjoined in the Franklin Circuit Court
(i.e. there is no current legal way to carry out executions in Kentucky); 4) outreach to
manufacturer of lethal injection chemicals used in Kentucky requesting discontinuance of sale;
5) outreach to European Union encouraging ban on exports of lethal injection drugs; 5)
assembly of interns at Chase and Brandeis Law Schools supporting research on execution
protocols and legality of death penalty under Kentucky Constitution; 6) serial and targeted
petitions to the governor to declare a moratorium on executions; 7) organization of message
points for use by volunteers in letters to the editor and speaking engagements; 8) two guest
editorials on WAVE TV; 9) guest editorials in the Courier Journal, Lexington Herald Leader; 10)
YouTube video case against the death penalty using numerous witnesses; 11) redesign of state
of the art digital resources including a You Tube Channel, Facebook Page, Twitter Feed and Web
Page....[please add....] THE BOTTOM LINE: WE ARE NOW POISED TO TRANSLATE THE CASE INTO
ACTION through education, outreach and advocacy and utilize the full extent of our resources
allowed by law to actually change the law either thru outright abolition or a Maryland style
restriction (eye witnesses, taped confession or DNA evidence)or implementation of the ABA
recommendations. We are truly at a unique point in history given the ABA report expected and
the groundwork the Coalition has prepared in the last three years. BUT, we need money to
seize the new day:
2) Current message: there has been substantial change in the membership and leadership of the
Kentucky General Assembly in the last year. The ABA report is expected to document that the
death penalty in Kentucky is broken (we think too broken to fix). You contribution will enable
the Coalition to engage employees and contractors to seize the new day. Without changes,
Kentucky is headed toward the day or month or year of mass executions with 34 people now on
death row and whose cases are reaching the end of the road. Right now, there are three
execution warrants on the governor’s desk stalled only by the lack of lethal drugs and the
Franklin Circuit Court injunction.
3) Consider consulting with a Fund Raising professional.
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Ask the 100 clergy participants expected at the November 2011 Conference to raise $100 each
($10,000).
Ask Frank Mascagni to head up a ‘lawyers’ fundraising outreach to improve the justice system by
abolishing the death penalty.
Look at list of private foundations in Jefferson County
Look at a list of political contributors to the Obama Campaign and the campaigns of other
political figures either supportive of abolition or who would attract supporters that are likely to
be.
Experience shows that contributions over $500 cannot be raised without personal contact.
Form ‘callers’ committee.
(in process)
6-9-11
