Community Cats Grants Equals More Money to Spay it Forward

The First Community Cats Grants group is just about to finish up their fundraisers and raise thousands of dollars to help fund spay/neuter for cats in their communities! I just love how Community Cats Grants Equals More Money to Spay it Forward! I wanted to share a listing of who participated and some of the successful projects that we had.

In this first group we had 14 groups from 12 states participate in a three-month fundraising period. They had a goal of raising $1,000 in new fundraiser to support spay/neuter for cats, which would be matched. I couldn’t run this program without the tremendous help and partnership with Julie Jacobson of Spay Tennessee. This is another example of what collaboration can do to help cats in your community.

Community Cats Grants is a program run by the Community Cats Podcast and the LeBaron Foundation. Groups complete a very short online application and then when they are accepted into the program they are grouped with other successful applicants. Consultation is than done between Julie and myself.

The things that we look for on applications are:

• Strong call to action for TNR assistance on your website along with a phone number for people to contact
• Current listing on Guidestar
• Organizations that are small in size ($100,000 in revenue or less)
• Groups that have the support of their board of directors for a TNR program and fundraising for TNR

Below are some sample new fundraisers that groups did

1. For the Cats Sake in VA  and NAWS Spay Neuter Clinic in MO raised over $1,000 for each group launching a donation can program.

2. We Care for Animals in AZ raised over $1,000 in doing “give back nights” at local restaurants.

3. West TN Spay Neuter in TN raised over $1,000 with a go fund me campaign.

4. Grande Prairie in TX did a matching gift campaign via social media

5. All About Spay Neuter in NY did a “You Caring” online fundraiser and a paint night raising over $1,000.

6. Kitty City in TN They did a challenge donation program amongst their volunteers to raise the matching funds and the goal was reached. One school that a volunteer worked at matched the $1,000 early one, making the fundraiser a success.

We currently have over 40 groups active in the Community Cats Grants program. If you are interested in finding out more or would like to apply feel free to go to the website and submit your information! We accept applications on a rolling basis.