SARAH PALIN has raised almost a million dollars in the past three months, as she prepares to take a bid at the White House in 2012.

The former Alaskan governor and vice-presidential nominee raised $865,815 in the second quarter of 2010, according to a financial disclosure from her political committee.

In a sign that Palin has learned from the successful campaigning tactics of Barack Obama, most of the donations came in small piecemeal donations – with $659,000 being listed as ‘unitemised’, or relatively minor, payments.

It is understood that Palin (46), who previously only employed a modest political team, has begun to hire more advisers and has begun to splash out on highly thought-of speechwriters as she grooms her public image.

Palin is also thought to be helping to bankroll the campaigns of some Republican candidates running for Congress in this November’s midterm elections, who in turn would help support her bid for the presidency.

The disclosures show she gave $87,500 to a variety of candidates, with most receiving between $2,500 and $5,000 each.

Palin is spearheading what she calls a stampede of “pink elephants” (female Republican candidates) through Washington in November.

Palin is not to the forefront in the fundraising stakes, however – 2008 candidate and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has almost double Palin’s cash on hand and in contributions to other Republican campaigns.