1} Ask a solid Pro-Life priest to write an introductory letter, on your behalf, addressed to other priests in your diocese asking their assistance in putting up Pro-Life billboards. (Most bishops allow their priests a great deal of leeway in who they invite for presentations and collections)

2} Acquire a diocesan directory from the Chancery office and slowly mail copies of the letter to parish priests.

4} Design your first billboard copy and ask the billboard company to put the artwork together for you. There should be no charge for the artwork, if the billboard company believes you intend to act. Then take the artwork to a copy shop to have it expanded and placed on foam board. The expanded artwork may then be used to demonstrate, at presentations, exactly where the collection is going. (A picture is worth a thousand words)

5} Follow up the parish priests with a telephone call, describing what you intend and asking for permission to make a short (5 to 7 minutes) presentation and door collection at all the Masses. (Initially about 40% said yes. After a few years of actually posting Pro-Life billboards the ratio had climbed to 67%) Our current breakdown, from the yes priests, is 5% second collections, 57% door collections and 38 % direct check. Note: collections are almost always substantially larger than a check. Note again: The priests may want a written request and once again a picture is worth a thousand words

6} After a date is set for a parish presentation, secure enough of your friends or fellow parishioners to collect at all the parish exits. (two people at heavy traffic exits) All collectors should have: A} A basket. B} A copy of the foam board artwork (representing the billboard message the parish is being asked to support) held on top of the basket. C} Return envelopes for those who wish to send in a check. D} An inexpensive Pro-Life hand-out (Optional)

7} It is worth noting that of the eight billboard messages thus far displayed on this web site, one points a finger and seven do not. It should also be decided whether the messages will be primarily spiritual or medical. If Our Lord is with us, who can stand against us ? It is very important to place a Catholic Pro-Life pregnancy center phone number on the billboards. The message is important, but the phone number provides a practical solution to those that need help now.

8} Successful Pro-Life billboard projects make many friends and some enemies. Be sure to keep accurate records.

9} Keep the progress of the billboards project in front of the priests, K/C councils and large contributors. Send copies of the statistics of your billboard spreads (provided by the billboard company), new artwork, results letters from Pro-Life pregnancy centers etc. If this is done many of the same supporters will help at least once/year.

10} Keep a permanent record of known contributors on data base or spreadsheet software. Use other means (church bulletin advertisers, church yearbooks etc.) to continue to build the data base of Pro-Life supporters. When the data base is large enough, consider a begging letter. (Pro-Life printers are a big asset)

11} Don't try to do everything in the beginning. The billboards will pull you along soon enough...

12} Once it is clear that your efforts are going to work, get set up as a non profit tax exempt organization. (A Pro-Life attorney willing to work pro bono is a big asset.)