Mitt Romney To Begin Accepting Campaign Donations For 2012 In April

 Although Mitt Romney hasn't officially announced his candidacy for 2012, there are signs that he will announce sometime in mid April. One major hint is that Mitt Romney will officially start accepting campaign donations for 2012 around the same time: 

"A top Mitt Romney official told supporters on a conference call Thursday that the former Massachusetts governor is eyeing mid-to-late April to begin raising money for his eventual presidential campaign, according to call participants.

Spencer Zwick, Romney's chief liaison to the fundraising community, informed the group of donors and outside advisers that the governor won't launch a full-fledged campaign by the end of next month but would file the paperwork necessary with the FEC that will allow them to begin bringing in the cash needed to post a big number for the second quarter.

As the nearest thing the GOP has to a front-runner, Romney would like to push back the start of the full-blown presidential campaign for as long as possible, but he also must begin putting a more formalized fundraising infrastructure in place.

"If you're going to raise money this summer and fall you have to create a team and do the paperwork soon," said a Republican on the call.

There is no hard date set yet — or at least outside Romney backers haven't been informed of one yet — for either the initial filing of paperwork or an eventual actual declaration of candidacy. The campaign-in-waiting in Boston wants to be flexible about timing so as not to be locked into a day that could be overwhelmed by other news."

While Mitt Romney has an aggressive fund raising goal of raising $50 million by the beginning of this summer: 

"About 100 fund-raisers gathered at Manhattan’s venerated Harvard Club this morning to hear former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney lay out his ambition: Raise $50 million fast.

One Romney fundraiser said the $50 million figure was what the governor wanted to show by early summer, at the time of the first financial filing deadline of what is likely to be his official presidential campaign. 

But others said it was the number Mr. Romney said he would need to be competitive through the full primary season, not what he needed out of the gate."

In order to meet his goals, Romney is set to go on a country wide tour to solicit funds from big donors:

"Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has quietly launched a 15-city push to secure financial commitments from big-money "bundlers," hoping to reveal a fund-raising network that would establish him as the prohibitive frontrunner for the Republican nomination for president.

Mr. Romney and top aides will meet Thursday in New York with nearly 100 donors—many from Wall Street— at the Harvard Club. Attendees are being asked to raise between $25,000 and $50,000 for Mr. Romney within 90 days, in an effort to post large fund-raising totals quickly, one person familiar with events said."

"Finance meetings are also scheduled for March 30 in Los Angeles, as well as in Detroit, Dallas, Houston and Atlanta, people familiar with plans said. Romney fund-raisers are set to converge on Las Vegas on May 16 for a final push ahead of the first financial filing deadline. The Las Vegas meeting will include a marathon phone-a-thon to reach donors, according to one fund-raiser involved in the plan. 

"When the day is done and we're in the thick of a presidential race, money will not be an obstacle for Gov. Romney," said Lewis Eisenberg, a prominent hedge fund manager who will attend Thursday's event. 

"By early summer, the world will know what we've done," another prominent fundraiser said."

USA Today  is reporting today that Mitt Romney's Free And Strong America PAC has raised raises $1.9 million in the first three months of this year:

"Republican Mitt Romney, who is weighing a presidential bid, raised nearly $1.9 million in his federal political action committee during the first three months of the year.

His Free and Strong America PAC gave away more than $400,000 to GOP candidates and conservative causes, according to information released this afternoon by PAC spokeswoman Andrea Saul.

The PAC activity is one sign of Romney's effort to lay the groundwork for a presidential bid. Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, has not declared his candidacy nor started to fundraise for a White House campaign."

Many people are not only eagerly awaiting Mitt Romney's formal announcement to run for President in 2012, but they can't wait to start helping him in any way they can. While there are no campaign offices to volunteer at yet, one of the best ways to help Mitt Romney right now is by donating to his Free and Strong America PAC here.