Animal Welfare Professionals

Updated 2/3/25 at 4:00 pm - Recording now available!

Please note: All views expressed on these calls are not necessarily endorsed by Maddie’s Fund.

We hope to see you on the next Community Conversation on Monday, 2/3/25 at 11am PT for "Maximizing Impact: Budget Strategies for Animal Welfare Organizations."

Join us for a panel discussion on effective budgeting in animal welfare, featuring Alma Torres, Director at Fresno Animal Center; Christine McClintock, Animal Care Manager at Tehama County Animal Care Center; and Kris Watson, Director of San Bernardino Animal Services. This session will take us into the challenges and solutions for financial management in shelters of varying sizes and resources.

The panelists will share their expertise on topics such as optimizing limited budgets, prioritizing to maximize impact, and navigating unexpected financial constraints. Attendees will gain valuable insights into innovative approaches to funding, collaboration opportunities, and the importance of aligning financial strategies with organizational goals.

Whether you're new to budgeting or looking to refine your financial planning, this discussion will provide the tools to make every dollar count.

Register for Community Conversations hosted via Zoom: https://maddies.fund/CommunityConvoRegistration2024

Make sure you are using the latest version of Zoom when you join us!

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 February 2025 entry form to enter to win up to a $5,000 grant: https://www.maddiesfund.org/weekly-community-conversations-feb25-giveaway.htm

#FundraisingandDevelopment
#OrganizationalManagement

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Maddie's Pet Forum Admin
Maddie's Fund
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Thanks to the 153+ people who joined us on today's call! The recording is now available to watch on-demand. Below you'll find a recap of today's call and the resources shared. 

Call Recap

• Welcome from Hosts
  • @Shonyae Johnson, Director of Virtual Behavior Programming, Humane Rescue Alliance
  • @Geraldine D'Silva, Human and Animal Wellbeing Consultant
    
    
• Question of the Day: What percentage of your organization plays a part in the budget process?
  • "100%" - Kathy Johnson
  • "10%" - Nancy Cullins
  • "1% - myself lol " - Brittany Pratt
  • "100%" - Kristen Petrie
  • "10% " - Kirstin Tanner
  • "25-30%" - Adrienne McHargue
  • "100" - Kate Marshall
  • "100%" - April Cannizzaro
  • "25%" - Sally Hubbard
  • "100%" - Christina Urrutia
  • "100%" - June Thomas
  •  "100%" - Julielani Chang
  • "Less than 5%" - Jennifer Ach
  • "50" - Julianne Carmona
  • "10%" - Katie LeVan
  • "Board only" - Janette Martin
  • "2%" - Debra DeVries
  • "1%" - Vicki Prey
  • "Probably 75%" - Jenna Riedi
  • "15-20%" - Katie Lisnik
  • "Roughly 10%" - Ashley Mires
  • "8" - Lisa Lee
  • "10%" - Carma Erickson-Hurt
  • "Board and ED only" - Lisa Weisbrod
  • "We are a small group :)" - Kathy Johnson
  • "75%" - Jan Steele
  • "10%" - Alysia Martinez
  • "Me (ED) and Finance Committee" - Rea Cord
  • "15% or so" - Patricia Burg
    
    
• National Updates
  • If any trainers or behavior professionals are on the call, please take this survey looking at accessible training resources: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeIIoXAZTE-B1S1bBReks4T1ymjzh-c9jZgb0JAv5fs-x_3HA/viewform
  • Community Cats Podcast: The Backyard to the Front Page: Building a TNR Movement February 15 from 2:00-4:00PM ET - hope to see you there! https://www.communitycatspodcast.com/events/from-the-backyard-to-the-front-page-building-a-tnr-movement-presented-by-neighborhood-cats-feb-2025/
  • Mary Flores: Sol Dogs Lodge and Training Center now in Marana, AZ! We just got our occupancy permit for our new campus and will be moving in over the next month. We are going from 20 kennels to 55 kennels so we can help more dogs and the people who love them!!
  • Christina Urrutia G&Cs Advocacy and Rescue Corporation: We have been Helping down in LA with Best Friends helping shelters get dogs out we have helped relocate 10 dogs and are hosting a foster open house to bring in new fosters to help more dogs.
  • Shonyae Johnson: February is Black History Month. For a great resource, check out Gingers Naps on Instagram for Antiracist Animal Advocacy - https://www.instagram.com/gingers_naps/?hl=en
  • Maddie's Monthly Foster Connection is Thursday, February 6 at 12 noon Pacific. Protecting Pups: A Shelter Vet's Guide to Common Infectious Diseases in Dogs with Dr. Rachael Wooten, Medical Director, One Tail at a Time.
    Registration link: https://maddies.fund/MonthlyFosterRegistration
  • Maddie's Fund webcast Tuesday, February 11: How Much Do You Know About Bird  Flu?
    Drs. Cynda Crawford and Julie Levy talk about risk factors for H5N1 avian influenza infection of cats in outdoor and indoor settings; risk mitigation measures for shelters, TNR clinics, and community clinics; and what to do if you suspect a cat might be infected.
    Register here: https://maddies.fund/BirdFluWebcastRegistration021125
  • Maddie's Insights webcast February 13, 2025: Can Trauma-Informed Care Support Behavior Modification Efforts for Dogs? This talk explores the aspects of Trauma-Informed Care for humans which might be applied in dogs, focusing on the assessment of shelter dogs or those presented for problematic behaviors, and the potential for protecting puppies from adverse early experiences. Find out more and register: https://maddies.fund/MIwebcast02132025
  • HASS Webinar February 13 entitled From Intake to Impact: Creating Efficient and Successful Pathways to Placement https://zoom.us/webinar/register/8217386095602/WN_0BSthbn0QoSYpM85mKSBFw
  • Nancy Cullins: Bella Vista Animal Shelter is part of this year's Puppy Bowl on Sunday. The puppy's name is Destiny and she is a Black Mouth Cur. She is a parvo survivor. 
  • Maddie's Fund Monthly Giveaways!  Enter here for a chance to win CA$H:  
    • Open to all who are watching Weekly Community Conversations live or on-demand! Be sure to enter each week you attend!https://www.maddiesfund.org/weekly-community-conversations-feb25-giveaway.htm
    • Maddie's Pet Forum Monthly Giveaway: Maddie's Fund^® is giving away a $3,000 grant each month to one lucky Maddie's® Pet Forum member. You'll automatically be entered to win each month when you start a new discussion, reply to a new post. More info:  https://maddies.fund/mpfmonthlygiveaway
    • In celebration of Maddie's Fund 30th anniversary, Maddie's Fund and Cuddly have partnered to provide $1,000 in prizes monthly, for engaging on a special anniversary-related post on Maddie's Pet Forum. This December, simply comment on this thread telling us how your organization has removed barriers and you'll be entered to win a $1,000 Cuddly prize pack: https://maddies.fund/30YearsGiveawayFebruary2025   
      
      
• Presentation: Maximizing Impact: Budget Strategies for Animal Welfare Organizations  
  • Guest Speakers:
    • @Alma Torres, Interim Director/Deputy City Manager, City of Fresno Animal Center
    • @Christine McClintock, Animal Care Manager, Tehama County Animal Care Center
    • @Kristine Watson, City of San Bernardino, Department of Animal Services
      
  • Key Takeaways:
    • From Kristine Watson: Look for alternative funding sources and don't be afraid to think outside of the box.
    • From Alma: Data helps you identify patterns that can help you establish and measure goals objectively. There will never be enough resources for all that needs to be done, but you can always start by focusing on key items to help build solid foundations of efficiency and effectiveness.   
  • Resources Shared:
    • Human Animal Support Services Budget Calculator - https://www.humananimalsupportservices.org/the-hass-budget-calculator/
    • ASPCAPro List of Grant Funders - https://www.aspcapro.org/grants/other-animal-welfare-funders
    • HumanePro Grant Listings - https://humanepro.org/grant-listings
    • Maddie's University course offerings:
      • Fundraising: Startup and Beyond -  https://university.maddiesfund.org/products/fundraising-startup-and-beyond-part-1
      • Where to Begin? Fundraising Basics - https://university.maddiesfund.org/products/where-to-begin-fundraising-basics
      • Fundraising Fundamentals for Scrappy Organizations - https://university.maddiesfund.org/products/fundraising-fundamentals-for-scrappy-organizations-part-2

      • Fundraising for Survival: Lessons for Any Sized Organization - https://university.maddiesfund.org/products/fundraising-for-survival-lessons-for-any-sized-organization-part-1-of-2

• Highlights from the Chat
  • "Could example budgets be shared?" - Carma Erickson-Hurt
  • "What categories do you use when budgeting?" - Ashley Mires
  • "Christine - just quickly - what kind of budget is needed to care for 2500 animals? I am just curious." - Julielani Chang
  • "This year we are planning for $954,000, because we have a full-time position that is grant funded this year only. Normally closer to $850,000." - Christine McClintock
  • "Our category names are department- based" - Patricia Burg
  • "Christine McClintock will be posting a sample of her budget. Make sure to join us in the forum!" - Shonyae Johnson
  • "Where do you get the large grants? I am new to this." - Katie Jones
  • "Any suggestions for grant sites for non-profits wold be appreciated." - Debra DeVries
  • "Often times, large grants want our staffing expenses to be below 25%... which is much lower than ours and from what Kristine shared, it's also higher than yours. How do you work around this? " - Lauren Carver
  • "Maddie's website has a great fundraising course that has a lot of helpful info, too" - Carolyn Raider
  • "Excellent point regarding safety" - Debra DeVries
  • "How do you suggest forming MOUs with county and city organizations?" - Brittany Pratt
  • "I can send you some of mine!" - Christine McClintock
  • "This can help build the budget to get a good picture of what you need before you search for grants too: https://www.humananimalsupportservices.org/the-hass-budget-calculator/" - Elkie Wills
  • "What is your elevator pitch for why an animal shelter administrator makes six figures?" - Donna Miller
  • "Wow what an accomplishment! 10,000 instead of the normal 6,000 is amazing, good job!!" - Ashley Mires 
  • "For most of my Shelter's history our pet food has been covered by donations of that "broken bag," returned, etc. - food and other pet items. The 2025 Budget was the first ever I had to add Pet Food as a line item as the retail (Wally World, predominantly) has greatly reduced what they give us - now sending BACK to manufacturers, etc." - Rea Cord
  • "How do you go about convincing the board that program expansions and bigger budgeting is necessary?" - Ashley Mires
  • "Great information, Christine!" - Kathy Johnson
  • "Would going to a thrift store be something you might consider especially for leashes, etc." - Stefanie Holzman
  • "Office Cats/Dogs are GRRREAT!  Channel Tony the Tiger!" - Debra DeVries
  • "Our local thrifts store gives us carriers and other donated items." - Carma Erickson-Hurt
  • "We have an animal medical center here and they give out free basic leashes." - Kathy Johnson
  • "If you may know, who would I speak with at an Amazon Distribution center from donations (dog food)." - Terry Ruffin
  • "Kristine, how do you get your employees to understand this?" - Lisa Weisbrod
  • "Just wanted to ask again in case we have time, how do you go about convincing the board that program expansions and bigger budgeting is necessary?" - Ashley Mires
  • "Thanks for all the ideas!" - Janette Martin
  • "Thank you all for your time and this informative meeting." - Brittany Pratt
  • "Thank you so much for the wealth of info!" - Beth Porter, Matchdog Rescue
  • "Thank you so much! Great discussion!!" - Mary Flores
  • "This was eye opening, thank you!!" - Ashley Ko
  • "Thank You!  Excellent Info!" - Debra DeVries
  • "Thank you all for today." - Christina Urrutia

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Sheila Kouhkan
Senior Education Specialist
Maddie's Fund
CA
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Unanswered question from the chat:

"How do you go about convincing the board that program expansions and bigger budgeting is necessary?" - @Ashley Mires

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Maddie's Pet Forum Admin
Maddie's Fund
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I think that depends on the program! Requesting a general increase is always a hard sell. Starting with a proposal for expanding a specific program, and draft everything the same way you would for a grant proposal. How much additional funding do you need, what are possible impacts of expanding the program, what are the ramifications of not expanding the program? Do you have any possible funding sources or is there a way the program can recover some of its costs? What grant opportunities can you apply for relative to that program? 

Most importantly, make sure you have the data to back up your request!

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Christine McClintock
Animal Care Center Manager
Tehama County Animal Services
CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-04-2025 09:58 AM
From: Maddie's Pet Forum Admin
Subject: Community Conversations - 2/3/2025 - Maximizing Impact: Budget Strategies for Animal Welfare Organizations

Unanswered question from the chat:

"How do you go about convincing the board that program expansions and bigger budgeting is necessary?" - @Ashley Mires

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Maddie's Pet Forum Admin
Maddie's Fund
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