Lack of funding and resources are common pain points for animal control and welfare organizations, so any help – be it in-kind, monetary, or volunteer hours – is always welcome. This webinar discusses how organizations can maximize these through effective fundraising.

Outlining the steps to jumpstart fundraising initiatives is Julie Bank. Julie has worked in private non-profit and public animal welfare agencies for over three decades. She is currently a faculty member teaching Development and Fundraising at the University of Florida Veterinary School and is the principal of JBankConsulting providing planning, programming, operational, and administrative support to non-profit and municipal entities.

Specifics of her presentation include:

• Debunking and working through misconceptions about fundraising in government entities through proper planning, strategy, transparency, and patience.
• How fundraising is relationship-building and underlines the importance of trust and communication between the agency and the donors.
• Unpacking the benefits of asking for support from the community, understanding the motivations of people to help, and overcoming fears of asking for help.
• Things to review before fundraising in terms of the organization’s optics, mission and work, processes, and relationship with the community.
• Guidelines when building the fundraising infrastructure
  • Reviewing the existing policy and its stipulations on fundraising, or lack thereof.
  • Fostering relationships with stakeholders to communicate the need for and goals of fundraising.
  • Coordinating with the budget department to determine the impact on the budget allocation.
  • Creating a written plan, policies, and procedures for the fundraising initiative.
  • Itemizing the programs and beneficiaries that the funding is for.
• The reasons why everyone must be involved in and responsible for fundraising efforts and the importance of formalizing the expectations by integrating it into the org chart and job description.
• The value of capturing data and utilizing a database to track donations and donors, incorporate fundraising into metrics, and demonstrate how fund-raised monies address existing challenges.
• A rundown of the different donors to tap in fundraising efforts, the types of donations that may come, and the types of giving and gifts.
• Having an understanding of the existing financial infrastructure, getting the fundraising goals to align with existing finance processes, and delineating where donations must be spent.
• Creating the policy, processes, and mechanisms to accept donated funds and the benefits of creating donation categories to determine which specific items/services/programs donations are to be spent on.
• Leveraging partnerships and potential partners to maximize fundraising gains.
• How creating a non-profit can make the fundraising process easier and guidelines on operating a 501c-3.
• How to identify the right people for the board, the board’s role, and the need for regular interactions between the board and the organization they are raising funds for.
• A case study illustrating Maricopa County’s Friends of Animal Care and Control fund and friend-raising efforts and outcomes.
• Ideas on how to effectively market fundraising efforts and strategies for success to observe and implement for maximum results.

Questions from the webinar attendees are about:

• Community members providing volunteer hours instead of money donations.
• Overcoming the argument that fundraising is a conflict of interest and that fundraising in government entities is prohibited.
• Utilizing Amazon wishlists and GoFundMe campaigns for fundraising.
• Calculating the value of donated service hours.
• Incorporating an opt-in for licensing renewals.

Other Webinars with This Presenter

• Jan  26: Yes, You Can Fundraise! Fundraising for Animal Welfare Government Agencies (this webinar)
• March 16: Fundraising Tactics, Tips and Ideas for Municipal and Non-Profit Animal Welfare Agencies

Resources and Handouts

• Handout: Positive Communication
• Handout: Guidelines for Exceptional Service

Audience Comments

• “Ideas for fundraising campaigns and categories for people to donate to rather than a general fund.” — Michaela
• “I knew it already, but appreciated that Ms. Bank emphasized the importance of research to prepare a strong case to seek approval for fundraising, and all the issues to be addressed in the proposed plan. I am working on an animal-related project (not fundraising), and need to convince someone of the need for research, planning, and preparation: you cannot simply tell sad stories and show disturbing photos and expect the result you want.” — Mária Zulick
• “Julie’s enthusiasm and how clear and concise she made everything, and how she has answers to all the questions I never actually even knew to ask, got me excited about fundraising, and I usually feel dread about it. But wow! I actually feel confident about it! I can’t wait to replay this webinar, memorize all the info, and put this stuff into action. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS WEBINAR!!!!” — Nancy
• “Learned a lot about fundraising. Thank you.” — Rose
• “Great training, learned more about the process I should go in asking for help. Thank you!” — Scott

Click here to view and register for other upcoming Animal Welfare webinars on the JCH Platform

The National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA) was formed in 1978 for the express purpose of assisting its members to perform their duties in a professional manner. We believe only carefully selected and properly trained animal control personnel can correct community problems resulting from irresponsible animal ownership. NACA’s purpose is to preserve the Human/Animal Bond by insisting on responsible animal ownership.