Pro-life movement to shake up messaging with big investment from these key players

A New Era for the Pro-Life Movement: Adapting to a Post-Dobbs World

The pro-life movement is entering a new chapter in its fight to protect unborn life and support women facing unexpected pregnancies. With the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, the landscape of abortion policy in the U.S. has shifted dramatically. Now, as the nation approaches the 2024 presidential election, the movement is refining its strategies and amplifying its messaging to address the challenges of this post-Dobbs era. Central to this effort is a $30 million investment through a new initiative called the Pro-Life Venture Fund, a membership-only organization dedicated to building capacity and providing tangible support to women in need. This fund, spearheaded by key figures in the pro-life movement, aims to create a culture of life and innovation, ensuring that the movement remains relevant and effective in a rapidly changing world.

The Pro-Life Venture Fund: A Catalyst for Change

At the heart of this new initiative is the Pro-Life Venture Fund, a groundbreaking effort to mobilize resources and energy behind the pro-life cause. The fund is being led by David Bereit, founder of the influential organization 40 Days for Life, which has become a cornerstone of pro-life activism. Bereit emphasized the need for the movement to go beyond rhetoric and provide real support to women facing unexpected pregnancies. “If we want to say to them, ‘You can do better than abortion,’ we need to say, ‘We will help you,’” Bereit explained in an interview with Fox News Digital. The fund’s goal is to establish a network of organizations and resources that can walk alongside women, offering them the support they need to choose life. This approach seeks to redefine what it means to be pro-life in a world where abortion remains a deeply contentious issue.

Key Players in the Pro-Life Movement

The Pro-Life Venture Fund is not just an idea; it is a collaboration of some of the most influential voices in the pro-life movement. Leonard Leo, Ray Ruddy, and Princeton Professor Robert George are among the key figures behind this initiative. Leo, as the executive vice president of the Federalist Society, played a pivotal role in vetting and recommending conservative judicial nominees, including those who ultimately contributed to the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Ruddy, co-founder of Newsmax, has been a major financial backer of pro-life political action committees and candidates, ensuring that the movement has the resources it needs to advocate effectively. George, a prominent conservative philosopher and legal scholar, has been a influential voice in shaping the moral and philosophical underpinnings of the pro-life movement. Together, these leaders bring a wealth of expertise and experience to the venture, ensuring that the fund is both strategic and impactful.

The Life Leadership Conference: Building a Winning Coalition

In addition to the Pro-Life Venture Fund, the movement is also launching the Life Leadership Conference, a members-only coalition of influencers and philanthropists committed to achieving “genuine victories” for the pro-life cause. This conference is not just about strategizing; it is about building a community of leaders who can inspire and mobilize others to take action. The memo announcing the conference acknowledges that while the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs was a significant milestone, the pro-life movement now faces a new set of challenges. These include efforts to enshrine abortion rights in state constitutions, as seen in recent referendums in states like Arizona, Colorado, and New York. The memo makes clear that the movement cannot rely on old strategies; it must adapt and innovate to remain effective. “The battle over abortion must never be allowed to become simply about making sure the issue is delegated to the right government actors,” the memo states. Instead, the focus must be on providing genuine protection to unborn babies and practical assistance to women in need.

The Political Landscape of Abortion in 2024

Abortion has emerged as a key issue in the 2024 presidential election, with stark contrasts between the two major political parties. Former Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party are advocating for the expansion of federal abortion access, while President Donald Trump has taken a different approach. Trump has supported state-level restrictions on abortion, including a ban on most abortions after 15 weeks, and has framed the issue as one best handled at the local level. This approach reflects a broader theme in conservative politics: the belief that decision-making on contentious issues like abortion should be left to the states rather than the federal government. Trump’s position on abortion has been further highlighted by one of his first executive actions: the pardon of 23 pro-life protesters who were prosecuted under the Biden administration for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. This move was seen as a powerful gesture of support for the pro-life movement, and it underscored the political stakes surrounding the issue.

A Call to Action: Humanizing the Pro-Life Movement

At its core, the pro-life movement is not just about policy or politics; it is about people. It is about the women who feel they have no choice but to abort, the children who deserve a chance at life, and the families who need support to thrive. The Pro-Life Venture Fund and the Life Leadership Conference represent a renewed commitment to humanizing the movement, to making it more than just a set of slogans or talking points. They are a call to action, urging pro-life advocates to think creatively, act boldly, and inspire others to join the fight for life. As the nation looks ahead to 2024, the pro-life movement is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the conversation around abortion and the value of human life. With the right strategies, the right messaging, and the right support, the movement has the potential to usher in a new era of life-saving action and culture-shaping innovation.