Good morning and congratulations!
This may not be a quick and easy answer, but I think one important change to make when thinking about funding an organization is to switch from a mindset of fundraising to development. We consider all of our events and fundraiser really as friend-raisers. The real work happens behind the scenes, cultivating those folks into regular donors and growing their commitment to your organization over time. I read something that really stuck with me: for every donation, reach out to that donor 3 times. First, the thank you. An email generated by your CRM is great, but there is nothing like a hand written note, too. Then maybe an update on the animal they helped. Then perhaps a newsletter. Then the next ask. For larger donors, personal relationships are important. A call, a check in, remembering their pets, etc can all go a long way to cement a relationship.
I know this all takes a ton of time and is so easy to say, as a retired person! So baby steps as you grow! And perhaps reach out to a local recent retiree organization, if your area has one, for folks with recently retired skills and with time to write those notes, layout that newsletter, etc. We've also had luck with college students who might be in graphic design or even looking for community service credit.
Best of luck!
------------------------------
Diane Metz
Board of Directors, Volunteer, and Foster Mom
Orange Street Cats, Inc.
Albany NY
------------------------------