Animal Welfare Professionals

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  • 1.  Question about your new fundraising initiatives during COVID

    Posted 10-16-2020 11:46 AM

    My humane society is undertaking a business transformation plan. I have been tasked with connecting with other fundraisers to ask them to describe what new initiatives they've tested in the past year, either before or during the COVID pandemic. I hope that you will take the time to share your experiences with me.

    The questions include: What new tactic did you try? Did it work, or was it a flop? What were any known or anticipated positive effects; and are there any known, anticipated or possible risks and challenges from the new initiative?

    An example is a humane society in upper NY State. They cancelled their walk event due to COVID, and tried a telephone-type media event instead. They spent about $35K on a media buy and internally created a social media campaign. This took about 6 weeks of preparation by two staff.

    Known Pros: Raised a similar net revenue with much less time investment, and reached as many donors.
    Anticipated Pros: Participants are better prospects for additional gifts.
    Possible Con: Reduced relationships over time; risk of losing "connection."

    You can share with me here in the forums, or email me at michellet@ottawahumane.ca. Bonus: if you share with me, I will share the business transformation plan with you when it is complete. Thank you!


    #FundraisingandDevelopment

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    Michelle Tribe
    Senior Manager: Development
    Ottawa Humane Society
    michellet@ottawahumane.ca
    613-725-3166 ext. 413
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  • 2.  RE: Question about your new fundraising initiatives during COVID

    Posted 10-17-2020 05:00 AM
      |   view attached
    We will be covering this topic at today's Online Fundraising Day run by the Community Cats Podcast.  For info. go to www.communitycatspodcast.com.
    Recordings will be available too.  Attached is the schedule.

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    stacy lebaron
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    Attachment(s)



  • 3.  RE: Question about your new fundraising initiatives during COVID

    Posted 10-19-2020 05:30 PM
    We are volunteer-based (majority of volunteers are with FT jobs/school) , with a single paid position of the Wildlife Rehab manager/vet tech, so maybe not fully comparable with organizations that can invest more time in marketing/promotion and have professionals doing so.
    Having said that, here's ours: 

    1. Participating in virtual "Strut Your Mutt" Best Fiends event is a flop vs last year when we had a pilot for a live one
    2.  Having a "Chalk Art" event at the local farmers market - with distancing measures - a success!  Fundraising-wise, it made for our participation in two regular live summers events: Community Dog Show and Antique Market. For these, it's many fees, investment in our kits we sell, and other staff, and tons of preparation and volunteers.
    For the chalk art in the local community park near/on the Farmers Market day, we didn't need any permit, and only had to invest in chalk kits. We had several artists donating their time to start/show, and people and kids loved it. It was ticket-based, but we've got lots of significant donation and  life memberships. All it took an idea and a volunteer with connections in art world. People have been so tied of virtual everything so we think that's why it felt fresh and attracted supporters and others.
    3. We going to have a Go Fund Me instead of our Annual Open House at the WildLife Rehab Center. Will see how it goes.

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    Natalia Lebedeva
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