Hi Rebecca, Working with businesses is a critical component to success with supporting the cats in the community and your work. At the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society when we started in 1992 we actually had the President of the Newburyport, MA Chamber of Commerce on our board and she is one of our 5 founders. Our first phone number was the office at the chamber. So instead of thinking about just "the business" that has the cats, think about all businesses and how to engage them. Here is a bulleted strategy.
*With your listing of current businesses that you are providing professional services for them, be professional. Give them regular updates of your actions and what is your plan to reach full sterilization and what the feeding and support protocol is. Share the stories with the businesses - if you trap a litter of kittens, s/n them and put them up for adoption- let the business know and ask them to help find homes for those kittens. Allow/encourage them and their staff members to participate and to adopt the cats if they want. This is especially helpful as the cats age and may need "hospice". The people who work at these businesses to care about the cats- they just need some guidance on how to support them.
*Connect with the neighbors, surrounding the businesses to ensure everyone knows what is going on and how people can support- maybe folks will say they put food out for the cats. Set up specific wishlists for colonies so people can buy food vs feeding if you want to ensure that the cats are in a controlled feeding environment.
*Join your local chamber of commerce, many of have individual, non-profit rates. They often have sub groups, but this is a great way to meet businesses and get their support in general before they call you about a situation. Have your listing of low cost s/n resources handy at all times. We played a very big role in the local chamber and became a leader working with social service non-profits that way. This also gets you in the "door" with banks and they all have local charitable funding to give out. So it is an easy way to get access to local foundations.
*Funding/fundraising- These businesses may not want to give you cash, but rather product or services. The MRFRS has a FurBall(it is a lot of work), but most of these businesses after 30 + years still support our FurBall with gift certificates etc. The FurBall last year almost reached $200,000. If this seems overwhelming you might want to see if they will take a donation can(also a great way to connect with the community). Our donation can program brings in $10,000 a year but it does a lot more by getting our name out into the community. We got a $45,000 bequest once because the lawyer suggested our group to a family that the will asked each child to select an animal welfare org. One kid was from out of town so the Lawyer suggested our group. The Lawyer told the family- "I see their cans everywhere and they seem to do great work for cats here in the downtown." So the businesses are actually "friendraising for you". Grocery stores are great- I know people don't carry cash much anymore. So we just need to make sure there are QR codes on everything(make it unique so you can track the source of the donation to the donation can program).
*Don't forget your elected officials. They like to be kept informed too. I had the Mayor of Newburyport call me up one day and ask if we were relocating cats from the Waterfront to our Barn Program- she wanted the cats to stay. (We weren't removing them, btw). The Mayor of Fitchburg used to attend our monthly Community Cat meetings on a regular basis. So be open and over communicate vs under.
Good luck and happy to share and discuss more. Businesses can be your best friends, supporters and advocates.
Below are a couple of resources you might find interesting.
We cover fundraising and working with businesses in detail during our Community Cat Program Management Certification Course at the University of Pacific Course that is offered September 2026.
MRFRS Video- They Dared to Care
Here is a link to the building plans for the feeding stations we had in Newburyport back in the day.
Here are some pictures of what the auction looks like MRFRS FurBall
This is a podcast with Tara from the Feline Fund in Michigan, but she is also President of the Troy MI Chamber of Commerce.
Thank you all for Turning your Passion for Cats into Action.
------------------------------
Stacy LeBaron
Head Cat
The Community Cats Podcast
Warren VT
978-239-2090
------------------------------