All volunteer support is virtual. You coordinate best times to meet with them directly.
We are using Google Ad Grant through Google; our consultant helped us with ad design and setting up rules around what data we needed to collect. This helped with tweaking the ads to ensure we were reaching the right audience. He designed reports and taught us how to add/modify ads. We used Tech Soup to get non-profit pricing for Google and then applied for the Google Grant program for non-profits.
Hope this information isn't too confusing. Google Analytics was definitely challenging for a non-techie and the help we received made it easier to understand.
Original Message:
Sent: 03-22-2025 08:46 AM
From: Julielani Chang
Subject: Community Conversations - 11/04/2024 - Building Grant Success in Animal Wellbeing: Strategies for Readiness, Writing, and Reporting
Hi Sue,
I meant to ask if the volunteers help your organization in person or online. Google analytics project is it online? Are you subscribed to Google Workplace?
How about the Giving Tuesday project? Is it online as well?
Thanks
Julie
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Julielani Chang
The Life of Kai: Compassion Connections Inc.
Davis CA
Original Message:
Sent: 03-22-2025 05:48 AM
From: Michelle Van Dusen
Subject: Community Conversations - 11/04/2024 - Building Grant Success in Animal Wellbeing: Strategies for Readiness, Writing, and Reporting
Thank you! We are going to look into this resource.
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Michelle Van Dusen
Board Member
Outsiders Farm & Sanctuary
GA
Original Message:
Sent: 03-21-2025 12:23 PM
From: Susan Aimes
Subject: Community Conversations - 11/04/2024 - Building Grant Success in Animal Wellbeing: Strategies for Readiness, Writing, and Reporting
We had two projects. One was a Strategic Marketing Plan which included our first Giving Tuesday Campaign. It took several weeks to get a couple of volunteers to interview to see if they would be a good fit for our organization. The project itself took 5 weeks of back and forth discussion and planning.
The second project was to help us plan and learn how best to use Google Analytics. This one took almost 6 weeks to get a volunteer response. This was mainly due to the limited volunteers who had the expertise who were available to work the project. The project itself took 6 weeks due to the planning, implementation and review of progress with the changes we implemented. The volunteer who worked this project was amazing, and it helped us learn how to manage this moving forward, as well as, what to do with the data once we collected it.
We did have a few projects we didn't have the best volunteers working on the projects. The key for Marketing type projects is to make sure the volunteers understand non-profit organizations and why our Marketing needs are a bit different. Which is why you need to ask lots of questions when you get an interested volunteer to ensure they are a good fit.
The talent Taproot has available is phenomenal as long as you provide as much information upfront and that you understand what to expect from their efforts. Keep in mind these volunteers are working outside their normal job duties so their availability is sometimes not what you may want.
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Susan Aimes
Founder
Stars and Stripes Dog Rescue
CA
Original Message:
Sent: 03-21-2025 12:06 PM
From: June Thomas
Subject: Community Conversations - 11/04/2024 - Building Grant Success in Animal Wellbeing: Strategies for Readiness, Writing, and Reporting
How big or small were your projects? How long did it take from your submission until they responded?
Thanks,
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June Thomas
President
Coalition of Animal Rescue Transporters, FKA Central Arkansas Rescue Transport
Little Rock
Original Message:
Sent: 03-21-2025 12:01 PM
From: Susan Aimes
Subject: Community Conversations - 11/04/2024 - Building Grant Success in Animal Wellbeing: Strategies for Readiness, Writing, and Reporting
We have used Taproot a few times and have been very pleased with the volunteers who worked our projects. The key is to be very specific about what you are looking for and have a general idea for timelines and deliverables. This helps the volunteer determine if they have the skills and time to be able to dedicate themselves to the project.
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Susan Aimes
Founder
Stars and Stripes Dog Rescue
CA
Original Message:
Sent: 03-19-2025 09:45 AM
From: June Thomas
Subject: Community Conversations - 11/04/2024 - Building Grant Success in Animal Wellbeing: Strategies for Readiness, Writing, and Reporting
Hi Jory - have you used Taproot before?
------------------------------
June Thomas
President
Coalition of Animal Welfare Transporters, FKA Central Arkansas Rescue Transport
Little Rock
Original Message:
Sent: 03-19-2025 09:38 AM
From: Jory Jolivet
Subject: Community Conversations - 11/04/2024 - Building Grant Success in Animal Wellbeing: Strategies for Readiness, Writing, and Reporting
Hi Julielani! Another opportunity I found recently that might be a good fit for you is Causality. They have four deadlines a year. You might also want to look into Taproot - they aren't a funder, but they connect highly-skilled volunteers with nonprofits.
Hope your project is going well!
-Jory
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Jory Jolivet
Grants Specialist
Austin Pets Alive!
TX
Original Message:
Sent: 11-05-2024 10:58 AM
From: Julielani Chang
Subject: Community Conversations - 11/04/2024 - Building Grant Success in Animal Wellbeing: Strategies for Readiness, Writing, and Reporting
Hi Jory,
Thank you for the suggestions. I think a Technology Grant would be the way to go. We did look at Petco Love Lost and got some good information. I am looking forward to the AWS IMAGINE Grant program to see if there is anything there for us. Thank you again.
------------------------------
Julielani Chang
The Life of Kai: Compassion Connections Inc.
Davis CA
Original Message:
Sent: 11-05-2024 10:47 AM
From: Jory Jolivet
Subject: Community Conversations - 11/04/2024 - Building Grant Success in Animal Wellbeing: Strategies for Readiness, Writing, and Reporting
Oh, very interesting! I might check out this Amazon grant opportunity: AWS IMAGINE Grant Program - Nonprofit Cloud Solutions - AWS
In this case in general, I think you'll likely have better luck looking for technology grants that aren't necessarily focused on animal welfare at all. Here are a couple resources that I found by Googling "app development grants for nonprofits:"
I'd also recommend looking into Petco Love Lost - Petco is trying to make Love Lost the gold standard for reuniting lost pets. There may be opportunities for collaboration there, but at minimum I'm sure that it would be helpful to see what they're doing!
------------------------------
Jory Jolivet
Grants Specialist
Austin Pets Alive!
TX
Original Message:
Sent: 11-05-2024 10:33 AM
From: Julielani Chang
Subject: Community Conversations - 11/04/2024 - Building Grant Success in Animal Wellbeing: Strategies for Readiness, Writing, and Reporting
Hi Jory, I am looking for a technology-related grant that might help solve animal welfare problems. I am working with a group of computer science college students interested in developing an app to help find lost dogs. While there are a few mobile apps like PawBoost, Petnow, and Missing Pets, the students are pursuing a slightly different approach to the problem. We joined the Apple Developer program to use their software and as a nonprofit, I was able to defer the membership fee for now but just wondering if there is anything for this type of indirect and outside-of-the-box approach where there is no direct and hands-on engagement with the animals.
------------------------------
Julielani Chang
The Life of Kai: Compassion Connections Inc.
Davis CA
Original Message:
Sent: 11-05-2024 07:52 AM
From: Jory Jolivet
Subject: Community Conversations - 11/04/2024 - Building Grant Success in Animal Wellbeing: Strategies for Readiness, Writing, and Reporting
@Julielani Chang - can you say more about what you mean by 'innovation' grants?
------------------------------
Jory Jolivet
Grants Specialist
Austin Pets Alive!
TX
Original Message:
Sent: 11-04-2024 06:40 PM
From: Maddie's Pet Forum Admin
Subject: Community Conversations - 11/04/2024 - Building Grant Success in Animal Wellbeing: Strategies for Readiness, Writing, and Reporting
Unanswered question from the chat:
"Does anyone know of "innovation" grants that are available for animal welfare sector?" - @Julielani Chang
------------------------------
Maddie's Pet Forum Admin
Maddie's Fund
Original Message:
Sent: 10-30-2024 11:26 AM
From: Maddie's Pet Forum Admin
Subject: Community Conversations - 11/04/2024 - Building Grant Success in Animal Wellbeing: Strategies for Readiness, Writing, and Reporting
Updated 11/4/24 at 3:42 pm PT: Recording now available to watch on-demand!
If you missed our Community Conversation on Monday, 11/04/24 at 11am PT for "Building Grant Success in Animal Wellbeing: Strategies for Readiness, Writing, and Reporting," a presentation by @Jory Jolivet, Grants Specialist at Austin Pets Alive! and @Elizabeth Gamboa, Adoptions Grants Manager for PetSmart Charities, you can watch the recording above.
Grant writing is a crucial skill for organizations seeking funding and support. Join Elizabeth Gamboa, Adoptions Grant Manager at PetSmart Charities, and Jory Jolivet, Grants Specialist at Austin Pets Alive, for a special presentation on a general overview of successfully navigating the grant process in animal welfare. This session will broadly cover four key aspects of grant writing: being grant-ready by learning the essential steps to ensure your organization is prepared, finding grants by exploring strategies for identifying suitable funding opportunities, writing grants with practical tips for crafting successful applications, and tracking grants and reporting to effectively track funding, maintain accurate records, and meet reporting requirements. This presentation will equip you with actionable strategies to help secure and manage grants your organization needs to support its mission.
Maddie's Fund will also be announcing the October grant giveaway winners!
Register for Community Conversations hosted via Zoom: https://maddies.fund/CommunityConvoRegistration2024
If you are unable to make it live on Monday, this thread will be updated with the recording and resources so you can watch and share whenever you'd like. After you watch the recording on-demand or attend the call live, be sure to complete this new November 2024 entry form to enter to win up to a $5,000 grant: https://www.maddiesfund.org/weekly-community-conversations-nov24-giveaway.htm
#EducationandTraining
#FundraisingandDevelopment
#OrganizationalManagement
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Maddie's Pet Forum Admin
Maddie's Fund
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