Full Text Version of Sample Scripts

Script 1—Friends or Family

[After greeting and relationship-building]:

As you know, I have been working with the Campaign for a U.S. Dept of Peace for the last ____ [months/years]. I don't know that I have ever told you how involved and committed I am and the reasons for that. I would love to share that with you and then give you an opportunity to donate [and/or] get involved in this cause if it is something that interests you. Is this a good time for that?

[If they say no, see if they’re open to setting a time to talk about it and do so. If not, thank them and close the conversation. If yes, continue]

Great! I don't know if you are aware of the success we are having and the importance of this movement. We're active in all 50 states and have state coordinators in 24 states, plus Congressional District Team Leaders in more than half of the districts in the country. So far this year, we've more than doubled the number of Congressional offices visited.

On Mother’s Day, for example, we did an action where we met with members of Congress and their staff, and delivered pies to over 200 offices and to all 67 cosponsors of the Bill on Capitol Hill. For Father’s Day, the Student Peace Alliance—which is organizing at colleges and high schools—asked everyone to write letters-to-the-editor supporting a Department of Peace and in them we asked for what every father wants for their children--a world with far less violence. And this isn’t happening just in the United States. There are 24 other countries organizing for ministries and departments of peace and they are counting on the United States to lead.

[Add in what you've been doing locally - City Council resolutions, outreach to other groups, tabling, other press coverage, what it was like to meet with your member of Congress, etc.]

We are being compared to social movements such as women's suffrage and civil rights. People are very clear, all over the world, that the current levels of violence are unacceptable and our institutions are not set up to address the root causes of violence. That’s the focus of our campaign: to reduce and prevent violence by addressing root causes and providing funding for programs that have proven, effective track records at doing this—programs that reduce child abuse, domestic violence, youth violence and gang involvement. Other programs are now showing how we can reduce recidivism rates—the rate at which people released from prison commit new crimes and then return to prison. National costs of incarceration in the US are between $30,000 and $40,000 per person per year; for youth offenders, it is closer to $80,000 to $120,000 per year. We cannot afford NOT to invest in cost effective programs that improve recidivism rates.

I really believe it's time to build on what is working to reduce violence at every level of our society. Our country has invested trillions of dollars and some of our best minds in perfecting our ability to wage war. We want to begin focusing some of our best minds and money on investing seriously in peace. And we have an opening in history that has not been present before to do just that.

I’ve been so motivated to work in this campaign because I really see that. Every time I learn about another program that works, I can see how incredibly close we are to having a world that I used to think was impossible. I'm not saying we'll have some utopia, but we can get really good at identifying conflict and resolving it before it erupts into violence—in our homes, in our neighborhoods, in our country, and in the world.

So that's why I'm involved and what we’re doing, and I'm hoping it's something you'd like to support to. Would you like to become a Peace Partner - one of our monthly donors? Or make a one-time donation or get involved in other ways?

[If they say yes or maybe, talk to them about donation levels]:

Since we're asking for 1% of the federal discretionary budget to establish and fund the Department of Peace, we're inviting our network to consider giving 1% of their net monthly earnings. Some people give even more, others give $15 per month—it’s really a matter of what your own personal perfect monthly level is. We want you to really feel good about what you're giving.

You can also become a Guarantee Fund member. These are people who donate at least $1,000 per year for a set number of years they choose. Visionary Circle members commit to giving at least $1,000 per year until the bill is signed into law and the first Secretary of Peace is sworn into office.

Completing the Donation
[If you’re online, and you have started a Personal Donation Campaign , go to your Profile Page to find your campaign and let them donate through there. Alternatively, you can use our Donation Page and enter their information for them OR take down their information, and go online to complete their donation later (make sure you shred any personal information after you have entered online). If they are not prepared to donate at that moment, you can use the "Tell A Friend" page in your Personal Donation Campaign to send them an email with a link which will allow them to give later on. If you choose this option, set a time to follow up and make sure they donated.

If you are meeting in person and you have a brochure or a printed donation form (PDF), you may have them complete that donation form and you can send it in for them (with a check or their credit card information) or enter it through the website for them. Make sure you shred any personal information after you have entered online.

Or you could offer to mail a brochure or donation form to them if they want some time to think it over. They may want to talk to their partner, and need a week to talk again. In both cases, let them know you will follow up with them in a week. 

If they say no, thank them for talking with you; see if they want to get involved in the campaign in other ways. Again, thank them for giving you the opportunity to share and talk with them.]

Script 2 - Current Volunteer

[After greeting and relationship-building]:

I'm calling to check in with you around how things are going for you in the campaign, and specifically to talk about the donor campaign that's going on, called Invest in Peace. Is this a good time to talk?

[If yes, continue. If no, set a time to talk later.]

I don't know if you're aware of what's been going on locally and nationally lately. Would you like to hear an update?

[If yes, continue. If no, they already know about what's going on, skip to next section/topic.]

Great! The movement is really growing and we're having exciting success. We're active in all 50 states and have state coordinators in 24 states, plus Congressional District Team Leaders in more than half of the districts in the country. So far this year, we’ve more than doubled the number of Congressional offices visited. On Mother’s Day, for example, we did an action where we met with members of Congress and their staff, and delivered pies to over 200 offices and to all 67 cosponsors of the Bill on Capitol Hill. For Father’s Day, the Student Peace Alliance—which is organizing at colleges and high schools—asked everyone to write letters-to-the-editor supporting a Department of Peace and in them we asked for what every father wants for their children--a world with far less violence. And this isn’t happening just in the United States. There are 24 other countries organizing for ministries and departments of peace and they are counting on the United States to lead.

[Add in what you've been doing locally - City Council resolutions, outreach to other groups, tabling, other press coverage, what it was like to meet with your member of Congress, etc.]

We are being compared to social movements such as women's suffrage and civil rights. People are very clear, all over the world, that the current levels of violence are unacceptable and our institutions are not set up to address the root causes of violence. People are beginning to understand that we can’t afford NOT to invest in cost effective programs that improve recidivism rates. We’re really helping raise awareness of how important it is to reduce violence at every level of our society and to begin focusing some of our best minds and money on investing seriously in peace. And we have an opening in history that has not been present before to do just that.

I’ve been so motivated to work in this campaign because I really see that. Every time I learn about another program that works, I can see how incredibly close we are to having a world that I used to think was impossible. I’m not saying we’ll have some utopia, but we can get really good at identifying conflict and resolving it before it erupts into violence—in our homes, in our neighborhoods, in our country, and in the world.

How long have you been involved in the campaign and what was it that inspired to you get involved?

[Let them answer; this can help them reconnect with their own vision and why the campaign is important to them.]

Well, we’re all continuing to work together in this. For the last couple years, our whole focus has been on building the grassroots network. We’ve been so successful at that, that now we’re actually at risk of outstripping our capacity to support the network. We don’t want to slow our growth, so we’re all working together to build a fundraising base that can sustain the movement financially from here on out. That’s the whole idea behind this Invest in Peace campaign. We’re going to be doing it every year to bring in more monthly donors. There are two really easy ways to participate in Invest in Peace. You can either become a monthly donor or increase your giving if you already are one, and you can call your friends and family and other volunteers you know and have the same conversation with them that I’m having with you! What do you think about getting involved in this effort? 

[If they say no, thank them for their time and commitment to the campaign. Share the new activity coming up in the region and how much you’re looking forward to seeing them there. If they say yes or maybe, continue:]

Great! Since we’re asking for 1% of the federal discretionary budget to establish and fund the Department of Peace, we’re inviting our network to consider giving 1% of their net monthly earnings. Some people give even more, others give $15 per month—it’s really a matter of what your own personal perfect monthly level is. We want you to really feel good about what you’re giving.

You can also become a Guarantee Fund member. These are people who donate at least $1,000 per year for a set number of years they choose. Visionary Circle members commit to giving at least $1,000 per year until the bill is signed into law and the first Secretary of Peace is sworn into office.

Completing the Donation
[If you’re online, and you have started a Personal Donation Campaign , go to your Profile Page to find your campaign and let them donate through there. Alternatively, you can use our Donation Page and enter their information for them OR take down their information, and go online to complete their donation later (make sure you shred any personal information after you have entered online). If they are not prepared to donate at that moment, you can use the "Tell A Friend" page in your Personal Donation Campaign to send them an email with a link which will allow them to give later on. If you choose this option, set a time to follow up and make sure they donated.

If you are meeting in person and you have a brochure or a printed donation form, you may have them complete that donation form and you can send it in for them (with a check or their credit card information) or enter it through the website for them. Make sure you shred any personal information after you have entered online.

Or you could offer to mail a brochure or donation form to them if they want some time to think it over.They may want to talk to their partner, and need a week to talk again.  In both cases, let them know you will follow up with them in a week. 

Thank them for talking with you. If they want to also start enrolling people in Invest in Peace, tell them about the campaign, the National Coaching Calls , and the website tools. Either way, also share the new activity coming up in the region and how much you’re looking forward to seeing them there.]

Congratulations on having the courage and commitment to share the campaign and fundraising with others!