Freedom to Marry announces “Win More States Fund” for 2012

Today Freedom to Marry announced the Win More States Fund to raise at least $3 million dollars, every penny of which will be spent directly on the work of winning in five 2012 marriage battleground states: MaineMinnesotaNew HampshireNew Jersey, and Washington.

“Winning marriage at the ballot in even one state will take away the last desperate talking-point our opponents use to disparage the gains we are making across the country,” said Evan Wolfson, founder and President of Freedom to Marry, the campaign to win marriage nationwide.  “In each of our battleground states, Freedom to Marry is taking a lead role alongside local families and leaders, adding talent and resources on the frontlines to do the critical work necessary to win.”

Donations will be channeled strategically into targeted campaigns where and when most needed, supporting grassroots organizing, television and radio spots, new media programs, and more, aimed at winning in these five states. Yesterday saw the first victory in a Win More States Fund battleground when the New Hampshire House of Representatives voted down legislation that would have repealed the state’s two year-old freedom to marry law.  Freedom to Marry was the largest financial investor in the campaign with staff deeply involved, and will continue its work to preserve the freedom to marry in the Granite State.

Freedom to Marry has already raised $700,000 toward its initial $3 million goal – including a kick-off donation of $250,000 from Freedom to Marry supporters Sean Eldridge and Chris Hughes – and, in turn, has already invested $350,000 into ongoing campaigns to defend marriage in New Hampshire and win the freedom to marry in New Jersey.

In addition to these battleground efforts, Freedom to Marry has long invested in public education that creates the climate for changing hearts and minds, as well as the law.  In 2011 Freedom to Marry launched its national persuasion campaign, Why Marriage Matters, raising and spending an initial one million dollars on message development and delivery, including the creation of television spots and videos and deployment of powerful messengers and personal stories.

Click here to learn more about the Win More States Fund and how you can contribute!