Animal Welfare Professionals

What are some ways your group has been successful with fundraising and donations this year? It seems like most rescues are hurting. I know we are. Just wanted to see what other groups are doing successfully. :)

What are some ways your group has been successful with fundraising and donations this year? It seems like most rescues are hurting. I know we are. Just wanted to see what other groups are doing successfully. :)

Hi, Michele.  You are right that every nickel is harder to win! Our on line campaigns are still generating recent, but we aren't always reaching goals and they need a lot of shepherding.  So, we continue our approximately monthly  in person fundraisers that are actually more friend-raisers,  and focus hard on developing relationships with our friends and donors, old and new.  The fundraisers have small financial goals (upcoming bowling event is $4000, a wine tasting at a winery is $2000, etc), it's really about a monthly touch-base with donors and friends so they are ready for our bigger pleas.   As a relatively small group with a budget of around $250k, we still take a very hands on approach to development and try to follow the rules to connect with your people three times for each donation.  Be it an event, a newsletter, an emailed update, or a personal call for the big donors.  Development is a slow process that is invaluable.  Fundraisers are only one piece of development.  

What are some ways your group has been successful with fundraising and donations this year? It seems like most rescues are hurting. I know we are. Just wanted to see what other groups are doing successfully. :)

What are some ways your group has been successful with fundraising and donations this year? It seems like most rescues are hurting. I know we are. Just wanted to see what other groups are doing successfully. :)

Donations are definitely going down in all sectors. It can be really challenging, so you're not alone. We do four appeal letters each year to our mailing list, and make sure to feature a heartwarming story about an animal and lots of pictures. We also have a fee-waived adoption event and vendor fair in the summer, and this year are having a concert and dance party in the fall with a local band. We also do one-off events like Cat Trivia and Cat Yoga (we are a cats-only operation). It all depends on how much money you're looking to raise, but with some ingenuity and a good team, there are ways. If you don't have a big team I'd try the appeal letter (maybe you're already doing that?) And always share many many pics of the animals...that's what the people want to see! 

What are some ways your group has been successful with fundraising and donations this year? It seems like most rescues are hurting. I know we are. Just wanted to see what other groups are doing successfully. :)

Donations are definitely going down in all sectors. It can be really challenging, so you're not alone. We do four appeal letters each year to our mailing list, and make sure to feature a heartwarming story about an animal and lots of pictures. We also have a fee-waived adoption event and vendor fair in the summer, and this year are having a concert and dance party in the fall with a local band. We also do one-off events like Cat Trivia and Cat Yoga (we are a cats-only operation). It all depends on how much money you're looking to raise, but with some ingenuity and a good team, there are ways. If you don't have a big team I'd try the appeal letter (maybe you're already doing that?) And always share many many pics of the animals...that's what the people want to see! 

What are some ways your group has been successful with fundraising and donations this year? It seems like most rescues are hurting. I know we are. Just wanted to see what other groups are doing successfully. :)

I'm the volunteer President of the Board of Purrfect Match Cat Rescue based in West Tennessee.  We're a smaller non-profit with a $250K budget.  In 2022 our board created a Fund Development Strategic Plan with the goal to expand our revenue sources from primarily FaceBook posts seeking small/medium contributions to a more well-rounded fund raising program.  Our plan is to institute ONE new avenue of revenue each of the next 5 years.  In 2023 we focused on grants.  We received 7 grants from foundations across the US totaling over $60K in NEW REVENUE.   We will continue seeking grants in 2024.  Our 2024 focus is expanding our social media presence.  We qualified for Google Ads for Non Profits and get $10k a month to create campaigns on Google. Our Facebook and website are connected to these campaigns.  In addition, we are starting an Instagram presence and it is connected to our FaceBook posts.  In 2025 we will continue both of these programs and add corporate fund raising and Donor Advised funds locally.  In 2026 we will add Planned Giving as by then we hope to have greatly expanded our donor base that will give us more opportunity to promote bequests and gifts of stock/IRA contributions.  As a totally volunteer-driven organization, we feel that we can handle one new program a year and still continue to strengthen the ones we have put in place in past years.   We purposely DO NOT do any special events as we don't have the volunteer bandwith it takes and the ROI is usually not enough for the time and expense they take to be successful.

Donations are definitely going down in all sectors. It can be really challenging, so you're not alone. We do four appeal letters each year to our mailing list, and make sure to feature a heartwarming story about an animal and lots of pictures. We also have a fee-waived adoption event and vendor fair in the summer, and this year are having a concert and dance party in the fall with a local band. We also do one-off events like Cat Trivia and Cat Yoga (we are a cats-only operation). It all depends on how much money you're looking to raise, but with some ingenuity and a good team, there are ways. If you don't have a big team I'd try the appeal letter (maybe you're already doing that?) And always share many many pics of the animals...that's what the people want to see! 

What are some ways your group has been successful with fundraising and donations this year? It seems like most rescues are hurting. I know we are. Just wanted to see what other groups are doing successfully. :)

That sounds like a very well thought out approach Bruce. I had not heard about the Google Ads program so will be looking into that. Our most stable source of funding is a "per animal" sponsorship or plea. It is definitely getting harder. 

I'm the volunteer President of the Board of Purrfect Match Cat Rescue based in West Tennessee.  We're a smaller non-profit with a $250K budget.  In 2022 our board created a Fund Development Strategic Plan with the goal to expand our revenue sources from primarily FaceBook posts seeking small/medium contributions to a more well-rounded fund raising program.  Our plan is to institute ONE new avenue of revenue each of the next 5 years.  In 2023 we focused on grants.  We received 7 grants from foundations across the US totaling over $60K in NEW REVENUE.   We will continue seeking grants in 2024.  Our 2024 focus is expanding our social media presence.  We qualified for Google Ads for Non Profits and get $10k a month to create campaigns on Google. Our Facebook and website are connected to these campaigns.  In addition, we are starting an Instagram presence and it is connected to our FaceBook posts.  In 2025 we will continue both of these programs and add corporate fund raising and Donor Advised funds locally.  In 2026 we will add Planned Giving as by then we hope to have greatly expanded our donor base that will give us more opportunity to promote bequests and gifts of stock/IRA contributions.  As a totally volunteer-driven organization, we feel that we can handle one new program a year and still continue to strengthen the ones we have put in place in past years.   We purposely DO NOT do any special events as we don't have the volunteer bandwith it takes and the ROI is usually not enough for the time and expense they take to be successful.

Donations are definitely going down in all sectors. It can be really challenging, so you're not alone. We do four appeal letters each year to our mailing list, and make sure to feature a heartwarming story about an animal and lots of pictures. We also have a fee-waived adoption event and vendor fair in the summer, and this year are having a concert and dance party in the fall with a local band. We also do one-off events like Cat Trivia and Cat Yoga (we are a cats-only operation). It all depends on how much money you're looking to raise, but with some ingenuity and a good team, there are ways. If you don't have a big team I'd try the appeal letter (maybe you're already doing that?) And always share many many pics of the animals...that's what the people want to see! 

What are some ways your group has been successful with fundraising and donations this year? It seems like most rescues are hurting. I know we are. Just wanted to see what other groups are doing successfully. :)

We looked into the Google ads grants and were accepted. We decided to bow out because of the feed back we got from a dozen or so other cat rescues. For us small rescues, the Google ads grants brought not donations, but more cats. These shelters stated that they became the "drop off point" from unwanted cats, even if you were not accepting new inflow. We are more a hospice than a true rescue and don't accept the sick or disabled cats from other than our TNR partners and local animal services. We decided the few donations that might come in was not worth the trouble. I hope this helps.

That sounds like a very well thought out approach Bruce. I had not heard about the Google Ads program so will be looking into that. Our most stable source of funding is a "per animal" sponsorship or plea. It is definitely getting harder. 

I'm the volunteer President of the Board of Purrfect Match Cat Rescue based in West Tennessee.  We're a smaller non-profit with a $250K budget.  In 2022 our board created a Fund Development Strategic Plan with the goal to expand our revenue sources from primarily FaceBook posts seeking small/medium contributions to a more well-rounded fund raising program.  Our plan is to institute ONE new avenue of revenue each of the next 5 years.  In 2023 we focused on grants.  We received 7 grants from foundations across the US totaling over $60K in NEW REVENUE.   We will continue seeking grants in 2024.  Our 2024 focus is expanding our social media presence.  We qualified for Google Ads for Non Profits and get $10k a month to create campaigns on Google. Our Facebook and website are connected to these campaigns.  In addition, we are starting an Instagram presence and it is connected to our FaceBook posts.  In 2025 we will continue both of these programs and add corporate fund raising and Donor Advised funds locally.  In 2026 we will add Planned Giving as by then we hope to have greatly expanded our donor base that will give us more opportunity to promote bequests and gifts of stock/IRA contributions.  As a totally volunteer-driven organization, we feel that we can handle one new program a year and still continue to strengthen the ones we have put in place in past years.   We purposely DO NOT do any special events as we don't have the volunteer bandwith it takes and the ROI is usually not enough for the time and expense they take to be successful.

Donations are definitely going down in all sectors. It can be really challenging, so you're not alone. We do four appeal letters each year to our mailing list, and make sure to feature a heartwarming story about an animal and lots of pictures. We also have a fee-waived adoption event and vendor fair in the summer, and this year are having a concert and dance party in the fall with a local band. We also do one-off events like Cat Trivia and Cat Yoga (we are a cats-only operation). It all depends on how much money you're looking to raise, but with some ingenuity and a good team, there are ways. If you don't have a big team I'd try the appeal letter (maybe you're already doing that?) And always share many many pics of the animals...that's what the people want to see! 

What are some ways your group has been successful with fundraising and donations this year? It seems like most rescues are hurting. I know we are. Just wanted to see what other groups are doing successfully. :)

We looked into the Google ads grants and were accepted. We decided to bow out because of the feed back we got from a dozen or so other cat rescues. For us small rescues, the Google ads grants brought not donations, but more cats. These shelters stated that they became the "drop off point" from unwanted cats, even if you were not accepting new inflow. We are more a hospice than a true rescue and don't accept the sick or disabled cats from other than our TNR partners and local animal services. We decided the few donations that might come in was not worth the trouble. I hope this helps.

That sounds like a very well thought out approach Bruce. I had not heard about the Google Ads program so will be looking into that. Our most stable source of funding is a "per animal" sponsorship or plea. It is definitely getting harder. 

I'm the volunteer President of the Board of Purrfect Match Cat Rescue based in West Tennessee.  We're a smaller non-profit with a $250K budget.  In 2022 our board created a Fund Development Strategic Plan with the goal to expand our revenue sources from primarily FaceBook posts seeking small/medium contributions to a more well-rounded fund raising program.  Our plan is to institute ONE new avenue of revenue each of the next 5 years.  In 2023 we focused on grants.  We received 7 grants from foundations across the US totaling over $60K in NEW REVENUE.   We will continue seeking grants in 2024.  Our 2024 focus is expanding our social media presence.  We qualified for Google Ads for Non Profits and get $10k a month to create campaigns on Google. Our Facebook and website are connected to these campaigns.  In addition, we are starting an Instagram presence and it is connected to our FaceBook posts.  In 2025 we will continue both of these programs and add corporate fund raising and Donor Advised funds locally.  In 2026 we will add Planned Giving as by then we hope to have greatly expanded our donor base that will give us more opportunity to promote bequests and gifts of stock/IRA contributions.  As a totally volunteer-driven organization, we feel that we can handle one new program a year and still continue to strengthen the ones we have put in place in past years.   We purposely DO NOT do any special events as we don't have the volunteer bandwith it takes and the ROI is usually not enough for the time and expense they take to be successful.

Donations are definitely going down in all sectors. It can be really challenging, so you're not alone. We do four appeal letters each year to our mailing list, and make sure to feature a heartwarming story about an animal and lots of pictures. We also have a fee-waived adoption event and vendor fair in the summer, and this year are having a concert and dance party in the fall with a local band. We also do one-off events like Cat Trivia and Cat Yoga (we are a cats-only operation). It all depends on how much money you're looking to raise, but with some ingenuity and a good team, there are ways. If you don't have a big team I'd try the appeal letter (maybe you're already doing that?) And always share many many pics of the animals...that's what the people want to see! 

What are some ways your group has been successful with fundraising and donations this year? It seems like most rescues are hurting. I know we are. Just wanted to see what other groups are doing successfully. :)

We looked into the Google ads grants and were accepted. We decided to bow out because of the feed back we got from a dozen or so other cat rescues. For us small rescues, the Google ads grants brought not donations, but more cats. These shelters stated that they became the "drop off point" from unwanted cats, even if you were not accepting new inflow. We are more a hospice than a true rescue and don't accept the sick or disabled cats from other than our TNR partners and local animal services. We decided the few donations that might come in was not worth the trouble. I hope this helps.

That sounds like a very well thought out approach Bruce. I had not heard about the Google Ads program so will be looking into that. Our most stable source of funding is a "per animal" sponsorship or plea. It is definitely getting harder. 

I'm the volunteer President of the Board of Purrfect Match Cat Rescue based in West Tennessee.  We're a smaller non-profit with a $250K budget.  In 2022 our board created a Fund Development Strategic Plan with the goal to expand our revenue sources from primarily FaceBook posts seeking small/medium contributions to a more well-rounded fund raising program.  Our plan is to institute ONE new avenue of revenue each of the next 5 years.  In 2023 we focused on grants.  We received 7 grants from foundations across the US totaling over $60K in NEW REVENUE.   We will continue seeking grants in 2024.  Our 2024 focus is expanding our social media presence.  We qualified for Google Ads for Non Profits and get $10k a month to create campaigns on Google. Our Facebook and website are connected to these campaigns.  In addition, we are starting an Instagram presence and it is connected to our FaceBook posts.  In 2025 we will continue both of these programs and add corporate fund raising and Donor Advised funds locally.  In 2026 we will add Planned Giving as by then we hope to have greatly expanded our donor base that will give us more opportunity to promote bequests and gifts of stock/IRA contributions.  As a totally volunteer-driven organization, we feel that we can handle one new program a year and still continue to strengthen the ones we have put in place in past years.   We purposely DO NOT do any special events as we don't have the volunteer bandwith it takes and the ROI is usually not enough for the time and expense they take to be successful.

Donations are definitely going down in all sectors. It can be really challenging, so you're not alone. We do four appeal letters each year to our mailing list, and make sure to feature a heartwarming story about an animal and lots of pictures. We also have a fee-waived adoption event and vendor fair in the summer, and this year are having a concert and dance party in the fall with a local band. We also do one-off events like Cat Trivia and Cat Yoga (we are a cats-only operation). It all depends on how much money you're looking to raise, but with some ingenuity and a good team, there are ways. If you don't have a big team I'd try the appeal letter (maybe you're already doing that?) And always share many many pics of the animals...that's what the people want to see! 

What are some ways your group has been successful with fundraising and donations this year? It seems like most rescues are hurting. I know we are. Just wanted to see what other groups are doing successfully. :)

This is why we decided not to pursue Google Ads. Every time we do any PR event (such as being featured on a local news station recently), we receive many more requests to take in cats and no apparent increase in donations or adoptions. It's common that even when I wear one of our t-shirts out in public , someone approaches me about cats that need help. 

We looked into the Google ads grants and were accepted. We decided to bow out because of the feed back we got from a dozen or so other cat rescues. For us small rescues, the Google ads grants brought not donations, but more cats. These shelters stated that they became the "drop off point" from unwanted cats, even if you were not accepting new inflow. We are more a hospice than a true rescue and don't accept the sick or disabled cats from other than our TNR partners and local animal services. We decided the few donations that might come in was not worth the trouble. I hope this helps.

That sounds like a very well thought out approach Bruce. I had not heard about the Google Ads program so will be looking into that. Our most stable source of funding is a "per animal" sponsorship or plea. It is definitely getting harder. 

I'm the volunteer President of the Board of Purrfect Match Cat Rescue based in West Tennessee.  We're a smaller non-profit with a $250K budget.  In 2022 our board created a Fund Development Strategic Plan with the goal to expand our revenue sources from primarily FaceBook posts seeking small/medium contributions to a more well-rounded fund raising program.  Our plan is to institute ONE new avenue of revenue each of the next 5 years.  In 2023 we focused on grants.  We received 7 grants from foundations across the US totaling over $60K in NEW REVENUE.   We will continue seeking grants in 2024.  Our 2024 focus is expanding our social media presence.  We qualified for Google Ads for Non Profits and get $10k a month to create campaigns on Google. Our Facebook and website are connected to these campaigns.  In addition, we are starting an Instagram presence and it is connected to our FaceBook posts.  In 2025 we will continue both of these programs and add corporate fund raising and Donor Advised funds locally.  In 2026 we will add Planned Giving as by then we hope to have greatly expanded our donor base that will give us more opportunity to promote bequests and gifts of stock/IRA contributions.  As a totally volunteer-driven organization, we feel that we can handle one new program a year and still continue to strengthen the ones we have put in place in past years.   We purposely DO NOT do any special events as we don't have the volunteer bandwith it takes and the ROI is usually not enough for the time and expense they take to be successful.

Donations are definitely going down in all sectors. It can be really challenging, so you're not alone. We do four appeal letters each year to our mailing list, and make sure to feature a heartwarming story about an animal and lots of pictures. We also have a fee-waived adoption event and vendor fair in the summer, and this year are having a concert and dance party in the fall with a local band. We also do one-off events like Cat Trivia and Cat Yoga (we are a cats-only operation). It all depends on how much money you're looking to raise, but with some ingenuity and a good team, there are ways. If you don't have a big team I'd try the appeal letter (maybe you're already doing that?) And always share many many pics of the animals...that's what the people want to see! 

What are some ways your group has been successful with fundraising and donations this year? It seems like most rescues are hurting. I know we are. Just wanted to see what other groups are doing successfully. :)

Donations are definitely going down in all sectors. It can be really challenging, so you're not alone. We do four appeal letters each year to our mailing list, and make sure to feature a heartwarming story about an animal and lots of pictures. We also have a fee-waived adoption event and vendor fair in the summer, and this year are having a concert and dance party in the fall with a local band. We also do one-off events like Cat Trivia and Cat Yoga (we are a cats-only operation). It all depends on how much money you're looking to raise, but with some ingenuity and a good team, there are ways. If you don't have a big team I'd try the appeal letter (maybe you're already doing that?) And always share many many pics of the animals...that's what the people want to see! 

What are some ways your group has been successful with fundraising and donations this year? It seems like most rescues are hurting. I know we are. Just wanted to see what other groups are doing successfully. :)

What are some ways your group has been successful with fundraising and donations this year? It seems like most rescues are hurting. I know we are. Just wanted to see what other groups are doing successfully. :)

What are some ways your group has been successful with fundraising and donations this year? It seems like most rescues are hurting. I know we are. Just wanted to see what other groups are doing successfully. :)

What are some ways your group has been successful with fundraising and donations this year? It seems like most rescues are hurting. I know we are. Just wanted to see what other groups are doing successfully. :)

We are now doing a fundraiser letter once a year, expanded to 3 of the 4 counties in the Northern Neck region we service with our cat rescue/spay/ enter/vaccinate foster to adopt charity. We got property addresses w/value if $250,000+, translating to 10,000 letters w/donation envelope. The backprinting was full color showing our accomplishments  of # of rescues/adoptions; pics of our large TNR rescues and collaborative efforts of reducing euthanasia rate of a high % euthanasia shelter in our region. We have a nonprofit bulk mailing permit to reduce our postage costs. We generate a spring and fall newsletter a/donation envelope. We hold an annual Wine and Whiskers gala w/ appetizers, wine, music, Silent Auction of assembled baskets from retailer/artisan & service providers; and, a "Fund a Need" segment soliciting additional attendee donations for a recent large scale rescue (which we always have!!) we've started doing a story of a rescue weekly on website & FB…we always have stories of horrific rescues from hoarders and evictees. 

What are some ways your group has been successful with fundraising and donations this year? It seems like most rescues are hurting. I know we are. Just wanted to see what other groups are doing successfully. :)

What are some ways your group has been successful with fundraising and donations this year? It seems like most rescues are hurting. I know we are. Just wanted to see what other groups are doing successfully. :)

We just had a unique one - a tattoo fundraiser! This was the first time we've done something like this. It was a couple weeks ago with a local shop and was SUPER successful! We raised over $3200 from it! 

The basics:

• The artists donated their time and talent, so only the cost of supplies and their "rent" for the space was deducted. The shop owner did donate some of the "rent" portion too!
• The tattoos artists designed about 30 (animal-related) tattoo options in advance that people could choose from.
• Each design cost $100-200 depending if the person just wanted black line art, some shading, some color, so on up to full color.

Here's the event page for some additional details: https://www.facebook.com/events/3871324389817401 

And a collage of some of the tattoos from the day, plus our staff participant team photo! 

What are some ways your group has been successful with fundraising and donations this year? It seems like most rescues are hurting. I know we are. Just wanted to see what other groups are doing successfully. :)

What are some ways your group has been successful with fundraising and donations this year? It seems like most rescues are hurting. I know we are. Just wanted to see what other groups are doing successfully. :)

What are some ways your group has been successful with fundraising and donations this year? It seems like most rescues are hurting. I know we are. Just wanted to see what other groups are doing successfully. :)

What are some ways your group has been successful with fundraising and donations this year? It seems like most rescues are hurting. I know we are. Just wanted to see what other groups are doing successfully. :)

What are some ways your group has been successful with fundraising and donations this year? It seems like most rescues are hurting. I know we are. Just wanted to see what other groups are doing successfully. :)