by Haley Limo

This month, I’d like to build on Liliana’s article, “Your Marketing Budget is an Investment.” Just as investing in your marketing strategy is essential for success, so too is investing in your development strategy.

The saying, “You have to spend money to make money,” holds true, but why is it that many are reluctant to spend on development, especially when it directly drives revenue? After more than a decade in major gift development, I’ve seen firsthand that successful development teams consistently invest in both their strategy and the ongoing training of their staff.

Ask yourself:

• Are you sending your development team to fundraising conferences each year?
• Are they enrolling in relevant online courses?
• Are they staying up-to-date with best practices through reading and learning from more experienced fundraisers?

The most successful development officers I’ve worked with are always investing in their own growth. They read, write, and seek mentorship from others who have been in the field longer than they have.

Do you bring in an outside fundraising consultant annually, or at least every couple of years, to ensure your team is up to date on the latest techniques? Just as you prioritize continual education for your medical professionals and client directors, it’s equally important to invest in the training of your development team.

It’s common to see PRCs eager to send their medical staff to the latest conferences, hire consultants to audit client practices, and invest in director training. Yet, when it comes to investing in development practices, there often seems to be hesitation, particularly from boards and Executive Directors.

Just as your nurses need ongoing training to maintain their skills, your development team requires the same level of investment. Simply giving someone the title of “Development Director” doesn’t automatically equip them to succeed.

The average tenure of a development director at a nonprofit is just 18 months. High turnover is often a result of lack of support and education.

Development support can be as simple as finding fellow development directors for your director to meet with regularly to build community and teamwork. The best motivation and growth can be found in idea sharing.

(Personally, I have found any book by Jerry Panas to be some of the best training you can find!)

As budget season approaches at your center, be sure to allocate funds for consulting and training. Better yet, sit down with your development director and ask them what resources they need to be successful.

Practical Tip: Take advantage of the development resources Heartbeat offers, including our ongoing Finding and Fostering Major Gifts training!

Nov. 20, 2024

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Heartbeat International is proud to announce that statistics show more than 6,000 lives have been saved through the Abortion Pill Rescue® Network (APRN), a remarkable milestone achieved even amidst intense opposition. While abortion activists deny the effectiveness of Abortion Pill Reversal (APR) and some state attorneys general have sought to discredit or silence this life-saving network, thousands of children are alive today because their mothers chose hope and sought help.

All major studies show that using progesterone to counteract an in-progress chemical abortion can be effective. Progesterone is bio-identical to the hormone a woman’s body naturally produces to sustain pregnancy, and it has been safely used with pregnant women and their babies since the 1950s. To date, statistics show over 6,000 women have had successful abortion pill reversals, and that number grows higher every day.

These 6,000 children—enough to fill 200 kindergarten classrooms—represent lives that the world once counted as abortion statistics. Now they thrive and are loved and adored by their families.

“Today we celebrate 6,000 children, all made perfectly in the image of our God!” said Christa Brown, Senior Director of Medical Impact for Heartbeat International. “Imagine what our world would have lost if just one of them were not here. We are thankful for each of them and their brave mothers who, at one point, felt there was no other way and sadly started an abortion. Quickly, with deep regret, they realized the value of the life they carried and wanted a new plan—and the APRN was there to help.”

The success of Abortion Pill Reversal relies on science and the compassionate care of the APRN's dedicated network of nurses, physicians, and pharmacists. When a woman takes the first pill in a chemical abortion regimen (mifepristone), the process can be interrupted by administering progesterone, allowing the pregnancy to continue. This reversal treatment is backed by decades of safe use of progesterone for pregnancy-related complications.

Despite this, abortion activists and some public officials continue to question abortion pill reversal, even taking legal actions against Heartbeat International and some pregnancy help organizations in an attempt to block access to help for women who regret starting a chemical abortion. However, these efforts have not deterred the network from answering calls for help in all 50 states and 93 countries.

“Each life is precious and filled with promise and potential that, if not for the expedient work of the APRN, might not have had that second chance,” said Jor-El Godsey, president of Heartbeat International. “What a joy to celebrate this milestone of so many lives saved that they would overflow a concert hall!”

For the mothers who call the APRN, the opportunity for reversal is more than just a medical intervention—it is an act of redemption. Many express profound gratitude for the network that gave them a second chance to choose life.

For more information about the Abortion Pill Rescue Network or to learn how you can support this work, visit HBI.Life/APRN.

Listen to our leaders -- Christa Brown and Tammy Stearns -- describe the importance of this advanced SonoSim technology.

All of us in the Abortion Pill Rescue Network strive to serve each caller with dignity, honesty and respect. Often our experienced nurses on APR hotline notice trends before clinics and medical practices do because the volume of our calls is higher. We want to share what we are seeing to help you, as you may notice the same.

This past month, a number of women contacted us with very similar stories which caused us to take notice. When that happens, it may be a coincidence or something a bit more devious.

Because each ended their communication with us in a seemingly scripted way, we suspect these callers may be media hoping to gain information. One of the benefits of being in the Network is that our experienced team recognizes these trends and can typically filter those that do not have an authentic need before they are ever connected with you.

If you receive a direct call to your clinic or practice and are unsure if the caller is authentic, here is some information that might be helpful.

Most Common Types of Fake Clients

• Reporters – For example, mainstream news organizations, larger blogging platforms (National Abortion Federation blog, Abortion Rights, Carefem, etc) as well as independent bloggers and podcasters
• Organizational Plants – For example, Open Democracy, Center for Reproductive Rights, Reproductive Freedom of All (formerly NARAL), Planned Parenthood, Freedom Socialist Party, National Abortion Federation
• Time Wasters – Some social media groups have been known to organize to make legitimate sounding calls and chats in order to tie up resources for extensive timeframes as a form of protest against our work

Why Do They Bother? 

For some reporters, who are abortion activists, they may see this as a way of helping the cause. 

For some bloggers, it can mean a blow-up in website visits, since abortion and reversal are controversial topics.  For example, if they can get a link from a pro‐choice website such as Jezebel.com, it can mean between 7,000 and 14,000 views of their work. This also translates to a financial gain for them.

Some are bored and enjoy harassing those they disagree with. Some are angry at those who they feel are against them, especially if they have an abortion as part of their past. Some have read untrue things about abortion pill reversal and feel they are helping women in need by tying up valuable resources.

How would we know?

Some fake clients appear very real, and some real clients can seem quite fake. Creating a checklist of things to watch for can be helpful as you navigate assistance for women in the most complicated of situations. 

The key is to treat every client as if they are a legitimate client because they very well may be. Each is unique and deserves honesty and respect.

However, the typical APR caller is eager for help and wants to connect with the medical help she needs to continue her pregnancy. Typically, an authentic caller does not want to waste time because she understands the life of her child is at risk.

If you have a number of red flags, you can be more alert to avoid time being wasted.

Fake callers might:

• Ask questions outside of the norm, particularly about controversial subjects and spend significant time speaking about those or asking for more information on those topics.
• Speak obviously from a script or several callers in a row with same script.
• Use words or phrases that are outside of the norm for a typical caller.
• Propose unlikely scenarios, especially involving something that was recently in the news.
• Encourage you to say or do something that would be immoral or illegal.

What actions can we take to avoid time-wasting fake callers?

• Be sure all staff is trained well about what abortion pill reversal is and what help is available through your clinic or practice.
• Ensure that only medical professionals assuming care for the client offers medical advice.
• Include a clear statement on the consent regarding what help she is requesting such as “I certify that I am seeking information for personal use only, and I agree not to use any information received for any commercial, publication, or research purpose.”
• Have a clear statement on your intake and consent that states that you do not consent to being videotaped or recorded.
• Always provide honest answers. If you do not know, say so and then try to seek the answers she needs.

Please remember as you strive to serve, this is not a time for fear. Anyone who calls for help should be treated with high value and provided accurate information. Above all, we honor the caller’s choices as they navigate the most challenging moments of their lives.

We are here for you. If you have additional questions, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Additional Resources:

• [Webinar] Identifying Fake Clients
• [Webinar] How to Identify (and use) a Media "Hit" Piece
• [Affiliates Only] Pregnancy Help Center Defense Tools

Big news from Heartbeat International! The Maternity Housing Coalition has hit an incredible milestone with over 200 affiliated maternity homes across the U.S., supporting more than 40% of all known homes nationwide. Watch this celebratory video featuring President Jor-El Godsey and Director Valerie Harkins as they highlight the creativity, diversity, and passion driving this movement forward. You won't want to miss it!

The Maternity Housing Coalition (MHC) is a program within Heartbeat International that supports and unites maternity homes across the United States. These homes provide safe, stable housing and support services for pregnant women and new mothers, helping them during and after pregnancy. The coalition offers resources, networking opportunities, and guidance to ensure that maternity housing ministries can thrive and grow. Through this effort, Heartbeat International aims to foster innovation and excellence in providing long-term, holistic care for women and families in need, supporting them beyond pregnancy and into family stability. If you are interested in learning more, go to MaternityHousing.com.

The Coalition is changing lives. View the most recent Impact Report here.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Heartbeat International is proud to announce the partnership with EveryLife, the first and only pro-life diaper company, to launch a diaper drive dedicated to supporting mothers in need in states where abortion is on the ballot. The drive will run from October 4-7, providing ways for individuals to tangibly support the pro-life movement and help new families flourish. 

To provide essential supplies to struggling families, Heartbeat International will facilitate a donation process where supporters can contribute $55 for a box of diapers and wipes. This donation provides a month's supply of diapers and wipes to mothers who chose life for their babies. 

We are proud to collaborate with eight state pregnancy help coalitions to provide key baby supplies for families throughout the nation over four impactful days. These state coalitions include:

• Arkansas Pregnancy Network
• Colorado Pregnancy Care Alliance
• Florida Pregnancy Care Network
• Maryland Coalition of Medical Pregnancy Clinics
• Alliance for Life (MO)
• Women's Health Network (MT)
• The New York State Coalition for Life
• Pennsylvania Pregnancy Wellness Collaborative

With a goal to provide boxes to 1,000 moms in these vital states, Heartbeat will cover $50 of each order to further its mission to reach and empower those in need. 

"We are thrilled to partner with EveryLife once again to promote a campaign that empowers individuals to support life," Heartbeat International president Jor-El Godsey said. " This initiative not only raises crucial funds but also strengthens our network of pregnancy help for families during critical times, specifically in states where abortion is on the ballot this year. " 

Join us from October 4-7, 2024, to make a meaningful impact on the lives of families and children. Together, we can champion the cause of life and move toward a future where abortion becomes unthinkable. 

Donations for the Diaper Drive can be made here.

Press inquiries for Heartbeat International can be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Unveiling the Bias: Manipulative Tactics in the Documentary "Preconceived"

The documentary Preconceived positions itself as an exposé of crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs), aiming to reveal what it describes as deceptive practices by these organizations. However, a closer examination of the film's production techniques and narrative choices suggests that it employs manipulative tactics to advance a biased viewpoint. By analyzing the use of lighting, the imbalance in representation between pro-abortion activists and pregnancy center representatives, and the strategic application of music, we can uncover how the filmmakers influence audience perception. Additionally, the personal stories highlighted in the documentary further reveal an underlying bias that merits critical scrutiny.

Imbalanced Representation

The documentary also displays a significant imbalance in the number of pro-abortion activists compared to representatives from pregnancy centers. By giving more screen time and narrative focus to critics of CPCs, the film limits the opportunity for pregnancy centers to present their perspectives fully.

Several pro-abortion advocates, including politicians, authors, and activists, are prominently featured:

• Dr. Mitchell Creinin: A paid consultant by Danco LaboratoriesLaboratoriesLaboratoriesLaboratories (manufacturer of mifepristone), former medical director for Planned Parenthood, and a researcher at UC Davis often cited for his incomplete study on APR.

• Erin Maye Quade: A pregnant state politician from Minnesota who criticizes pregnancy centers for their practices and outreach strategies and now acts as Advocacy Director for Gender Justice. She is a contributor for Designed to Deceive.

• Jenifer McKenna: A Ms. Magazine author known for her critical stance on CPCs, provides commentary throughout the documentary. She is also a co-author of Designed to Deceive.

• Tara Murtha: Director of strategic communications at Women's Law Project. She is also a co-author of Designed to Deceive.  

• Maleeha Aziz: A former PHO client featured in the video and now Deputy Director at Texas Equal Access Fund with an expressed goal to "Defund CPCs" on the website.

• Kate Hoeting: Strategic Communications Manager for Catholics for Choice.

• And many others...

In contrast, representatives from pregnancy centers or pro-life organizations include Heartbeat International, Stanton Healthcare and influencer Christine Yeargin. The limited inclusion of these voices contributes to a one-sided narrative, reducing the complexity of the issue to a simple dichotomy of right versus wrong. 

Strategic Use of Music

Music in film subtly influences the viewer's emotional state and can reinforce the intended message of a scene. Preconceived utilizes this tool to further its critical perspective on CPCs.

Throughout the documentary, segments featuring pregnancy centers or their representatives are often accompanied by music that evokes skepticism or unease. This choice of soundtrack primes the audience to question the credibility and intentions of these organizations before they even speak.

Conversely, scenes with pro-abortion activists or clients sharing negative experiences with CPCs are underscored with empathetic or neutral music, fostering a sense of trust and alignment with their viewpoints.

Highlighting Bias Through Personal Stories

The documentary centers on the stories of two clients, one of whom is Maleeha, a woman who visited a pregnancy center in Texas over eight years ago. Her narrative is a cornerstone of the film's critique of CPCs. However, it is noteworthy that Maleeha is now an active abortion advocate, serving as the Deputy Director at the Texas Equal Access Fund (TEA Fund).

While Maleeha's experiences are valid and contribute to the broader conversation, her current role as an abortion activist may influence her perspective on her past interactions with CPCs. The film does not sufficiently disclose this potential bias to the audience, which is essential for a balanced understanding of her testimony.

Moreover, the documentary presents Maleeha's story alongside that of Maria, a client who chose to continue her pregnancy after visiting a pregnancy center. While Maria expresses love for her child, the film emphasizes her struggles, subtly suggesting that her choice led to hardship. This portrayal contrasts with the positive light cast on Maleeha's life post-abortion, reinforcing the documentary's biased narrative.

Manipulative Use of Lighting

Lighting is a powerful tool in filmmaking, capable of shaping the audience's emotional response to the subjects on screen. In Preconceived, this technique appears to be employed selectively to cast certain individuals and organizations in a negative light.

For instance, when interviewing representatives from pregnancy centers or pro-life organizations, the filmmakers often use dim or harsh lighting. A notable example is the segment featuring Heartbeat International. The interview is set against a dark backdrop with an American flag conspicuously placed behind the subject. This setup creates a somber and somewhat ominous atmosphere, subtly influencing viewers to perceive the organization with suspicion or distrust.

In contrast, interviews with pro-abortion activists and critics of CPCs are presented with warm, well-lit scenes that evoke feelings of comfort and credibility. This disparity in lighting not only affects the aesthetic quality of the film but also serves as a visual cue that guides the audience toward a predetermined judgment about the people and organizations featured.

Conclusion

Preconceived employs a combination of manipulative filmmaking techniques to advance a particular viewpoint on crisis pregnancy centers. Through selective lighting, imbalanced representation of voices, strategic musical choices, and the highlighting of personal stories with underlying biases, the documentary shapes a narrative that may not fully encompass the complexity of the issue.

Critical consumption of media requires awareness of these tactics. By recognizing the methods used to influence perception, viewers can engage more thoughtfully with the content and seek out additional perspectives to inform their understanding. The conversation surrounding reproductive rights and pregnancy centers is multifaceted, and it is essential to consider all sides to foster a more comprehensive and empathetic dialogue.

The fight is already at your door.

For a few, it’s already come through your shattered window. For others, it’s a barrage of negative, even vile, reviews on your website. For some the fight arrives via the mail being named in a lawsuit by the state’s highest law enforcement officer, the attorney general, for trying to help women change their minds about an abortion they no longer want. Still others are experiencing the fight in the form of so-called consumer protection actions calling the good work of pregnancy help “dangerous” for women.

Wherever your pregnancy help center (PHC) is you are maliciously and persistently being referred to as a “fake clinic” by a government-supported institution.

Pericles, an Athenian statesman, who lived around the time of Esther, Ezra, and Nehemiah, said, “Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you.” The increasingly polarized politics of our day is taking a keen interest in pregnancy help. Some of that interest is positive where Life State legislators are standing with you and for you orienting their state programming to help women have alternatives to abortion.

Pregnancy help has been made controversial

Pro-abortion politicians are taking cues from their Big Abortion friends. The most “progressive” Abortion States have already moved to allow every abortion throughout all nine months and are passing laws to protect every abortionist. They’ve leveraged marketing campaigns beyond their state not only to invite but to subsidize abortion tourism. After all, this is what is demanded by radical progressive ideology and also serves the avarice of their Big Abortion profiteers.

But Big Abortion profit still suffers at the hands of its most consistent competitor over the last half-century – the Pregnancy Help Movement.

As our friends at Charlotte Lozier Institute routinely report, U.S. PHCs reach more than a million women each year who might otherwise pursue abortion.

Let me be clear. It’s not that you may be speaking about something controversial, or that a particular practice or procedure in your PHC is clearly controversial. Your very mission to help women have alternatives to abortion is being deemed controversial. Even dangerous.

Just look at the campaign by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts against PHCs. Not to mention consumer alerts published by attorneys general in Arizona, California, Minnesota, and New Jersey. These go beyond the charge of fake clinics to describe your work as a potential health danger to women.

This is propaganda masquerading as politics. These are not politicians for the people, but political operatives serving Big Abortion.

Abortion is on every ballot

This election year is all about abortion. Even if the word doesn’t appear on the ballot in your state it is very much a part of what is being decided by the voters.

Big Abortion is spending big money to get more of its friends into office. This is to keep a stranglehold on Abortion State politics, but also to create beachheads in Life States. It is also to directly, or indirectly, keep advancing abortion through the executive branch.

Biden and Harris are, inarguably, the most strident pro-abortion administration in the history of the U.S. This is not especially surprising. However, what might be surprising to many of your supporters is how Vice President Harris has been both vocal and active in her opposition to PHCs in particular.

We all know that, then California Attorney General Harris was the original name in NIFLA v. Becerra. The California law attempted to force pro-life PHCs to refer for abortions. But too few know that Vice President Harris addressing the Democratic Attorneys General Association Conference said, "You are taking on, rightly, the crisis pregnancy centers; launching public education campaigns… to combat misinformation and disinformation, which often creates a situation that is ripe for predatory practices."

Did you catch that? You are the ones who need to be combatted.

What levers can an anti-PHC president pull to damage our work and favor abortion friends? Maybe it’s not just what levers, but how many? They’ve already tried to use every angle in the executive alphabet soup agencies to override abortion constraints in Life States. Surely they will spare no expense in waging political war against pregnancy help.  

Passivity portends persecution

With abortion on every ballot, we fail to engage in this election at our peril.

Our movement was birthed out of those who gravitated away from protesting abortion politics in favor of a compassionate outreach providing loving life-affirming alternatives. Over the decades many in our movement felt the pressure externally and internally to avoid being overtly “political.” Some quickly hoisted the coveted 501c3 IRS designation as a shield against having to get involved in public pro-life activities.

And now politics – especially the progressive abortion agenda – is highly “interested in you.” Abortion politicians are not just engaging in politics for the right to abortion. They are now leveraging their political positions to directly attack pro-life activity. The most striking proof of this is seen in the weight of the Department of Justice against a sidewalk counselor and the egregious sentences against rescuers.

German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller’s poem warned us of remaining silent, “First they came.” Is it possible that pregnancy help work will soon be next?

After all, the State of Colorado is already attacking the licenses of those who prescribe Abortion Pill Reversal (APR) for a woman desiring to save her baby from an abortion she no longer consents to. As noted already, other states are promoting inflammatory misinformation about PHCs.

Standing by in the name of being apolitical will only help empower, and perhaps embolden, the politicians who are aligned against us.

Impacting politics without being “political”

Yes, we are 501c3 organizations and, as organizations, would risk our charitable status by directly supporting candidates for elective office.

There are many ways we can, and must, engage this election season (and every other until life is respected in law and cherished in our culture). We can, and must, exercise our voice in this season.

Each PHC has built a network of supporters who value pregnancy help because they recognize how vital the work is for the community and the culture. It’s possible that all of them are not pro-life. But all of them have demonstrated their support for life-affirming pregnancy help in helping women have a choice other than abortion.

Extolling a particular candidate will expose us to IRS scrutiny but also unsettle some supporters. Yet, extolling the importance of pregnancy help and identifying how abortion amendments and policies will only increase the need in the community gets to the very grassroots of the issue. Your supporters should be concerned for how this election could impact your community.

Just ask Minnesota and Pennsylvania where elections resulted in alternatives to abortion funding being slashed. Check in with Michigan and Ohio where abortion amendments are serving to undo every common-sense legislative protection for women and their babies.

Supporters must vote with more than just dollars

We can’t just welcome our donors' dollars without making them aware of the larger threat to the ministry they love and support. It will not do just to tell them another good client story when this election can deeply affect how well, and how many, clients we get to serve in the future.

PHCs can no longer stand apart from the larger pro-life battle. Supporters can’t continue to think that this is, or even can be a non-political ministry. Apolitical, maybe, if that phrase allows for lobbying about and for pregnancy help. But non-political posturing will surely keep us on the sidelines separate from our pro-life colleagues who are battling in the political realm.

They must know what we are facing. They must know what may happen if Big Abortion continues to prevail. They must know that “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

The very least thing they can do is to vote for our shared value for life. Of course, there is much more they can do politically to encourage others in their sphere. But the easiest of these is to exercise the stewardship of our citizenship in this country by voting for the greatest protections of life we can gain. No, no politician is perfect on this issue. Some, including those at the top of the ticket, are far from it. But some are farther from it than others. Much farther.

While voting is the least of the actions we can take among many, the greatest is prayer.

Prayer is our strongest weapon

We should always look to invite the God of the Universe into our fallen situations. With the issue of abortion, alone, we have turned against God’s authority and invited the culture of death.

That’s why we must remember God’s words from 2 Chronicles 7:14. “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Yet, we are not without clarity on who we are and what we are called to. We remain mindful that the good work of pregnancy help has always been a work of the Gospel of Life inspired and anointed by the Holy Spirit.

No one election will undo that calling. Indeed, no political election can undo that calling. God will always champion His creation for His purpose and plan. Just like the Gospel is not just a work confined within the walls of any church, the Gospel of Life is not just what happens within the walls of the PHCs.

A spiritual mentor told me, “If you’re going to pray for potatoes, you should have a hoe in your hand.” In that way we must be like those in Nehemiah’s time who “did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other” (Nehemiah 4:17).

We must properly position ourselves before God in this critical time. With pregnancy help in the crosshairs, we must appeal to heaven for His mercy. After all, He holds all of these ministries in His hands. Maybe that shattered window also brought a new financial partner, who generously covered the cost of the damage and more. Maybe the lawsuits by the attorneys general spread awareness of Abortion Pill Reversal and resulted in more lives being saved. Maybe the consumer protection alerts are setting the stage for better protections for pregnancy centers, tipping the hands of these state officials just enough to reveal their clearly unlawful viewpoint discrimination. That’s the power of a God whose ways are so much higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9).

While politics is increasing its interest in pregnancy help, the Lord has been keenly interested in this life-saving work all along. Let us pray that we may be effective allies in His good work.

Jor-El Godsey 
President, Heartbeat International

Resources

1. https://www.heartbeatservices.org/gotv