Courage Campaign Gives Deadline for 2010 Fundraising Benchmark, Marriage Equality USA Accepts the Challenge

Yesterday, I posted about Courage Campaign's challenge to its membership and the greater Californian LGBT population to raise enough money to, technically, launch a 2010 campaign by raising $200,000 collectively. The money would go towards testing ballot language through research, polling and focus groups.

Today, they emailed their 700,000+ membership, 83% of whom support a 2010 initiative, informing them of the call to stand by their decision, asking them to commit by raising $100,000 towards the testing.

And, unlike yesterday, a deadline was given - August 13. Here is part of the email:

We are ready to do our part but we can't do it alone. That's why we are asking the Courage Campaign community to raise $100,000 by August 13. And we are challenging our partners in the marriage equality movement to raise the remaining $100,000 as soon as possible.

Are you ready to commit? Time is running out to launch a 2010 initiative. To put marriage equality on the ballot next year, will you help us meet this $100,000 community goal by making a contribution right now? DEADLINE: August 13.

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But if the marriage equality movement is not able to raise the $200,000 necessary -- $100,000 from the Courage Campaign and $100,000 from our partners -- to pay for the research to launch an initiative campaign, then we will have to accept that our movement is not ready to repeal Prop 8 in 2010.

And we will have to wait until 2012 to bring marriage equality to the ballot again. It's as simple as that.

Marriage Equality USA chimed in today in an email newsletter to its membership, accepting the challenge.

...[we] would like to be a part of any collaboration moving ahead and today, we want to see what our collective organizational interest is in participating in this venture and has asked its members to contribute to the $200,000 goal.

In May, Marriage Equality USA polled our members and 64% expressed a desire to go back to the ballot box in 2010, 23% said 2012 and the remainder were undecided. Marriage Equality USA has also just finished organizing over 40 Get Engaged Tour events across California and feedback indicated passion on both sides of the timing debate, but no clear consensus on when to move ahead. What did come across loud and clear is that our community wants our movement to come together and collectively plan how we can WIN a marriage equality campaign in the future.

As demonstrated advocates for the grassroots community, Marriage Equality USA would like to ensure your voices are heard as we move ahead in the next campaign. Whatever you donate today through August 13th will be targeted and offered in support of this collaborative effort.

It will be interesting to see what other organizations join in on this tangible challenge. And now that there is a deadline, how quickly they and the community will hop on board with this goal.