A Community Cats Grants Program Update: Group 13 Seized the Moment!

We are very proud to share that another group of organizations has successfully completed their fundraising in order to receive a matching grant from Community Cats Podcast!

Finding new fundraisers can be a challenge. Fortunately, the Community Cats Grants Program provides resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities to help organizations brainstorm and find what might work best for them.

So what fundraising ideas did Group 13 come up with?

Many organizations opted for an online fundraiser, leveraging Facebook and other fundraising platforms to solicit donations. Feline Advocates Coming Together (FACT) in New York put together a “Stop the Suffering” campaign, accepting donations via Facebook, Venmo, and PayPal, while Bastrop Cats Anonymous TNR Society in Texas coordinated $5 Fridays using Giving Grid to personalize the experience for donors.

Photo Credit: Karen Fox

Photo Credit: Feral Change

Other organizations opted for in-person events. The Animal Shelter of Sullivan County in Tennessee took advantage of the fall season and sold pumpkins! Between staff and volunteers, they had about a dozen people available to manage the event. Hoping for the best, they advertised the event, appealing to their community. And they were not disappointed. In the end, they raised about $5,000!

Camp Companion in Minnesota hosted a pet walk, inviting people and pets to come out for an afternoon of fun. Just six people managed to pull off the event, aptly named “Together We Save.” Meanwhile, Feral Change in California organized a Halloween-themed cat toy crafting event at a local bar. How did it go? “Everyone had a great time and encouraged us to hold more events like this!”

Photo Credit: Emma Feline Foundation

Emma Feline Foundation in Puerto Rico coordinated a food truck event, bringing together multiple vendors who agreed to offer discounted meals to folks who had purchased tickets. The community was able to enjoy delicious food and learn more about the organization’s important work to help cats.

One of the largest fundraisers was the Black Cat Event, organized by Friends of Felines Kansas (FOFKS). Their fundraiser turned into an educational community event, where everyone in animal rescue had a seat at the table–from other local rescues to local animal control! Children had the opportunity to learn about TNR and complete activities to earn badges. From face painting and body tattoos to games and photo ops, FOFKS managed to raise all the money they needed for the grant, and more!

But not every event needed a handful of volunteers. Second Chance Pet Adoptions in California organized an online auction and decided to supplement their earnings by placing a QR code in their adoption area at the local Petco. And that one small change had some pretty big results! Altogether, they raised more than $2,300, with a good portion of funds coming from the QR code which made it simple for the public to find their organization and donate from their mobile device.

Operation Fancy Free in West Virginia decided to celebrate their nine-year anniversary by asking folks to donate just $9. Every $9 donation would earn donors one entry into a drawing to win one of nine gifts. Their aptly named Cat O’Nine Palooza was relatively simple to organize but had some major return on investment bringing in nearly $2,000 for the organization.

From homemade cookie sales to yard sales, organizations found unique ways to bring their supporters together and raise money for their ongoing work.

Photo Credit: P. Gorby

For instance, North Country Pet Adoption Services in New York rallied their volunteers to create knitted cats that could be “adopted” for a small donation. It was a new idea, but overall they were quite proud of the number of folks who came out to support them, not to mention how great it was to get the word out about their TNR program.

One of the most creative fundraisers came from Homeless Tails in New Jersey. They decided to capitalize on the photos they’d been taking of their work throughout the year and made custom photo books for their donors. “We only made 3 books, all for very special donors. The books are not for sale. And they include pictures and stories of rescues, some of whom these donors knew personally. The books were created to have a very personal message, something they would really appreciate.” Their creativity paid off. The photobook was so impactful, that one of their individual donors quickly became their first corporate sponsor.

So what advice do these groups have for others who are fundraising? Dana from Homeless Tails says, “Don’t give up! Continue the good work. Lots of cats out there need help.”

And if you do find yourself in the Community Cats Grants Program, be sure to participate! Michele from Camp Companion got a lot out of the monthly check-in calls. As she explained, “it brought home to me how large of a movement TNR is and that our piece of that puzzle is something great.”

The monthly check-in calls offer an opportunity to connect not only with Community Cats Podcast but also with other organizations in the group. Michele’s advice to future grantees? “Take advantage of the ideas and education from others across the nation walking the walk. The Community Cats Grants Program provides that platform.”

At least 11 organizations say their fundraiser will definitely become an annual or recurring event, with several others considering ways they might incorporate or update pieces of their fundraiser to fit future strategies.

“This campaign renewed our focus,” said Judith from Animal Protection Network in Ohio, “ we became more aggressive with respect to fundraising. We are not experienced in this ‘art’ and we put aside our hesitation because we had the matching grant to tout as the propellant. Gave us a strong purpose that all people could relate to.”

All said and done, Group 13 raised over $40,000 for their TNR programs. In return, each organization will be awarded a $1,000 grant to use for the spay/neuter of community cats.

Congratulations to all grantees in Group 13

The Community Cats Grants Program is open to all grassroots nonprofit organizations who can commit to organizing a brand new fundraiser for their organization, with a goal of raising at least $1,000 in order to receive a matching grant of $1,000 from Community Cats Podcast. Learn more about the grants program and apply online. 

Apply now! Applications for Group 15 are due by February 28, 2022. Organizations selected for the grants program will be notified by March 25, 2022.

Starting in 2022, the Community Cats Grants Program will have two grant cycles per year. Applications for the spring/summer cycle are due by February 28. Applications for the fall/winter cycle are due by July 31.

Questions? Start by watching our short webinar here (scroll to the very bottom of the page). More questions? Email us at grants@communitycatspodcast.com.