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Creative Fundraising Strategies for Animal Welfare Agencies

Michael Barrett, Sr. Director of Grants Management, ASPCA

October 13, 2009

Pacoima, California

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Your website: the difference between a SHOUT and a whisper

• Update your site regularly• Photographs of adoptable animals• Short stories about individual animals• Special projects – community outreach, dog training, raids & rescues

• Donations – make it easy!• Link on every page• Credit card option (PayPal)• Justgive.org• Charitynavigator.org• Networkforgood.org

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Submit a complete application

• Did you include supporting documentation as requested in the funder’s instructions?• Photographs• Vendor quotes• Project budgets• Other financial data• Annual budget• Balance sheet• Financial statements• Audited financial statements are preferred, but they are expensive!

• Is your most recent 990 on Guidestar?• Is your profile on Guidestar correct? Does it include financial information?

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Use correct spelling and grammar in all correspondence with your funders

sumtimes i have recievd a aplication 4 suport w/tonz of misteaks that made it dificult 4 us 2 read and also 2 take seriuslee.

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Grant reports – the last stage of the grant and the next step toward future funding

•What outcomes did you achieve?• Funders view their grants as investments•What was the return on their investment?

• How many animals were affected?• Adoption event? – How many animals were adopted?• Tagging? – How many pets were tagged? Did it affect your intake?• Capital improvement or repair? – How many animals benefited from your new run-

in shelter or HVAC system?•What evidence can you provide?• Photographs• Receipts• Financial reports detailing expenditures•Website updates• Articles

• Did you use all of the funds for the stated purpose?• If not, disclose and be prepared to return the unused portion or ask the funder for

permission to use the remainder for another purpose

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Additional Resources

www.aspcapro.org

(ASPCA Professional)

www.foundationcenter.org

(The Foundation Center – has proprietary information plus links to many other resources)

www.cfnps.org

(Center for Nonprofit Success)

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