Fundraising
Introduction
This section covers a variety of fundraising ideas – social media fundraising, events, auctions, corporate funding, etc. Grant seeking is covered in the next section. We suggest you start by creating a fundraising plan and deciding which types of fundraising are best suited to your organization.
Fundraising Planning
Here are two good resources for small nonprofits on developing a fundraising plan. They include the main sources of nonprofit funding and the pros and cons of each.
- Nonprofit Funding Sources by Donorbox – This article is helpful for developing a fundraising plan. It reviews the range of funding sources for nonprofits.
https://donorbox.org/nonprofit-blog/nonprofit-funding-sources - Fundraising Plan Template for New Nonprofits – https://getfullyfunded.com/fundraising-plan-template/
Additional Ideas for Fundraising
Aluminum Can Collection
A simple fundraising idea allows donors to help their furry friends and the environment too! Shelters can run aluminum can collection drives and encourage donations via social media. The funds raised from the “Cans for Critters” recycling program run by the Butler County Animal Shelter, KY helps the shelter to house and feed the many dogs and cats in its care.
Aluminum Pop Top Drives
Shelters can set up collection cans in local businesses and libraries asking for donations of aluminum pop tops. After a designated amount of time a volunteer can pick up the cans and turn the tops into recycling centers earning money to help care for homeless animals.
Amazon Wishlist Drives
Companies often ask how they can help the local animal shelter. Suggesting that they host an Amazon Wishlist Drive is a great way to get stocked up on shelter supplies. Don’t forget to reach out and thank the company and its staff via social media. Who knows they might become ongoing partners and advocates helping the shelter in its mission to find loving families for homeless pets. Including cute pictures of shelter animals in posts promoting Amazon Wishlists can tug at the heartstrings and encourage more donations.
Annual Bone Drop
The annual Bone Drop has proved a successful fundraiser for the Animal Harbor shelter, TN. Supporters can purchase a bone for $100 for a chance to win a first prize of $3,000; a second prize of $1,500; or a third prize of $500. Prizes are awarded contingent upon selling 150 bones. The event is held at the shelter and the bones are dropped from a lift truck onto a large target laid out on the ground. The three bones that land closest to the bullseye are the winners. In addition to raising funds, this can be a fun activity that includes music, food, and training or agility demonstrations.
Art for the Animals
Work with a local art studio, art supply shop, or art gallery to host an Art for the Animals fundraising show. For a $5 donation (cash or check only) participants receive a 5-by-7 art board. They are invited to create artwork on the board and bring it back by a set deadline. All entries will be judged in the show and hung in a silent auction for three weeks. Create categories for amateur and professional artists. Host a gallery opening and a closing events where winners can pick up their prizes.
Ask for Shoe Donations
The nonprofit Funds2Orgs supports organizations such as animal shelters nationwide in running shoe drive fundraisers. Supporters are asked to donate gently used and new shoes. Partnering shelters receive a check from Funds2Orgs based on how many bags of shoes they collect. These shoes are then distributed to developing countries.
Be Specific About How Supporters Can Help Shelter Animals
As part of ringing in the New Year the Huntington Cabell Wayne Animal Control Shelter, WV listed six ways that people could help. This type of list will differ depending on the shelter and the time of year. Not everyone can adopt, but there are many other ways they can help. Offering a list of suggestions helps supporters to choose the best way they can contribute.
Buy Nothing Groups Can Help Animal Shelters
The Buy Nothing Project is a global network of Facebook groups that encourage people to share, lend, and donate items with their neighbors. The purpose is to recycle rather than buy new items or discard perfectly good ones that will end up in landfills. The project also aims to create connections between neighbors through sharing, receiving, and giving. Some groups are exclusively for local membership, while others are open to a wider community.
The Buy Nothing project can benefit animal shelters in several ways:
- A shelter representative can join a local Buy Nothing group to request items or find giveaways that the shelter can use.
- Supporters/volunteers who are members of a Buy Nothing group can seek donations to benefit the shelter and keep an eye out for donated items that the shelter can use.
- Some shelters recommend that struggling pet owners join community groups such as Buy Nothing to ask for or accept help from caring neighbors. This can help keep pets in their homes.
For more information on how to join or start a Buy Nothing FB group, visit the Buy Nothing Project page. Search by state and then community to find a Buy Nothing Group in your community.
Chewy.com Wish List
Wish List makes it easy. Shelters and rescues now have the ability to curate a list of items from Chewy’s vast assortment that they need—anything from kibble and litter to more specialized things like bottles and formula for newborn kittens. Then, patrons shop from that exact list, created by the shelter or rescue, and Chewy will deliver those products right to their front door. It is a direct line to local pet-saving superheroes, giving patrons the chance to make a difference by sending their way just the right supplies at the just right time.
Donate Pet Supplies Directly to Animal Shelters and Rescues With Chewy’s Wish List | BeChewy
Coffee with a Cop
Invite local law enforcement and members of the community to Coffee with a Cop to discuss local issues – including animal welfare – and to get to know one another. Provide or ask local businesses to donate coffee and donuts. Promote the event on social media and suggest that attendees make a small donation to the shelter. Ask for volunteers to share information with visitors about the shelter. Inviting local leaders to join in community chats at the shelter is a great way to get exposure for shelter pets.
Comedy to the Rescue
Comedy to the Rescue is an ongoing series of stand-up fundraisers benefiting homeless pets. The nonprofit partners with companion animal charities of all sizes and throughout the country to help raise funds. Animal welfare organizations choose the date and venue and Comedy to the Rescue assists with event planning and promotion and provides the entertainment. For more information email ComedytotheRescue@gmail.com or call (217) 377-2261.
Community Donation Boxes
Invite volunteers to create eye-catching donation boxes and place them in busy local stores that get lots of foot traffic. In larger stores you can post a sign on the strategically placed boxes asking the public to remember shelter pets when they do their shopping. You might want to include a wish list to help them select pet food, accessories or cleaning products used at the shelter. Donation jars set beside the cash register in smaller stores such as delis, pharmacies, or gas stations can prompt shoppers to drop in extra change to help homeless animals. You can also set up boxes and jars at local groomers, doggy daycares, and animal hospitals where you’re sure to grab the attention of fellow animal lovers. From experience, WWLDO shelter partners suggest only placing donation boxes or jars where business owners are willing to count the funds and send the money to the shelter via Venmo, Paypal or some other payment method. This is important because it’s very time consuming traveling around the community to pick up the boxes.
Once in place, it’s a good idea to assign someone the job of checking every so often to make sure the boxes are prominently displayed as they have a tendency to get pushed aside or moved. Posting updates on the status of donation drives around the community – along with images of boxes full of supplies is a great way to remind supporters to be on the lookout for the boxes and to drop something in when they are out shopping.
Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee is a local nonprofit working to bring good people and good causes together by ensuring the excellent stewardship of lasting charitable funds and the wise investment of grants made in 43 counties we serve in middle Tennessee and parts of Kentucky. See:https://www.cfmt.org/about/faqs/
The Big Payback is their annual 24-hour online giving event which happens in early May. To view eligibility information, click here: https://www.thebigpayback.org/nonprofitFAQ
Note: Although only charities in middle TN are eligible, it’s included here due to the number of TN visited shelters. You may want to research your state for similar organizations and opportunities for donations.
Cornhole Tournaments are Fun and Affordable
A Cornhole Tournament is a fun and affordable way to raise money for your shelter while also attracting entries from a diverse population of animal lovers and sports fans. Choosing a popular venue and combining the tournament with other activities can attract more people. For example, the New River Animal Rescue, WV will hold its Cornhole Tournament at Adventures on the Gorge combining it with Wing Night and including live music. Visit Donorbox for more information on How to Run a Successful Cornhole Tournament.
Corporate Matching Gifts
This fundraising campaign is a time-saver because many companies already offer corporate matching gift programs. With corporate matching gifts, when an employee makes a donation, they ask their company to make an equal or greater donation.
Some companies match the amount at a 1:1 ratio, but some go above and beyond, offering a 2:1 or 3:1 match. Some of the legwork is already done, but you’ll still need to mobilize your community members. Reach out via social media, email, or phone and ask them to donate and then submit a match request to their employer. This is a great way to raise a lot of money without asking your supporters to dig deeper into their own pockets.
Corporate Sponsors
Form letter below requesting sponsorship – personalize and make it your own!
We love to partner with corporate sponsors that want to have a presence helping in the local community. Working with the (Shelter Name) will not only promote your business to a diverse audience of animal lovers, it will help bring about a more compassionate community for your family, colleagues, and neighbors.
Creating a corporate partnership program with us demonstrates your brand’s commitment to a world without animal cruelty, where all companion animals find permanent homes and to making the world a better place. Philosophically, every company wants to be a good corporate citizen. Engaging with us turns your desire into action.
Working together, we can develop a strategic win/win program addressing our mutual goals.
Sponsorship levels (detail here amounts to give corporation a choice.)
Let’s talk about creating a meaningful corporate partnership with the (shelter name) to meet your business and philanthropic goals. Join us as a sponsor by contacting (contact name, phone, email).
Sincerely,
(Shelter Contact Name, Phone, Email)
Create a Rock Garden
A rock garden is a great way to honor a beloved pet while raising funds for the shelter. At the Fulton County Animal Shelter, Percy’s Garden is named for one of the shelter pets who persevered despite the odds that were stacked against her. Members of the public are invited to choose a rock in honor of a pet to be placed in the garden. When placing orders pet owners choose a rock color, provide a pet’s name, the silhouette of a dog breed or a cat, and an embellishment such as a heart. The suggested donation for one rock at the Fulton shelter is $50.
Create Shelter Decals
Engage a creative person to design a magnetic or vinyl decal with your shelter logo. Advertise on social media and make them available online or at the shelter for a donation. They can also be given away at events in return for a small donation. The decals are a great way to promote your shelter and animal adoption in the community.
Critters and Crafts Festival
Organize a Critters and Crafts Festival in the local park with all vendor fees benefiting the shelter. In addition to raising funds, this is a great way to educate the community about the work of the shelter. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to bring along shelter dogs and introduce them to potential adopters.
CUDDLY Fundraising Platform and Wish List
CUDDLY is a for-profit company with a mission to save and bring joy to animals by directly supporting animal welfare nonprofit organizations worldwide. The CUDDLY platform enables animal welfare organizations to create product wish lists and fundraising campaigns. Each rescue or shelter is paired with a dedicated Fundraising Consultant. CUDDLY has over 3000 rescues in their network and a donor base of over 250,000. https://cuddly.com/
Dog Beauty Pageant
Invite locals to enter their dog in a ‘beauty’ pageant with categories like most glamorous, best nose, best ears, most talented, etc. Visit the Barking Beauty Pageant for ideas and their guide to running one or create your own. Charge entry fees, look for sponsors who will donate to cover costs and give prizes. Choose people’s choice winners by allowing people to vote ($1 per vote). The Helping Animals Without Shelter nonprofit organization runs an annual Cutest Dog Contest. This year’s entry fee is $15 and the number of dogs competing for the title is capped at 50. The day the winner is announced is a festive event that includes food, kids’ games, face painting, a balloon twister, and dog training demonstrations.
Doggie Daycare or Boarding
If you have space (or can create a space) offer doggie daycare or boarding for residents as a way to raise funds and create community connections. Doggie daycare or boarding by the hour are great fundraising opportunities for shelters located in or near tourist destinations. These services are easy additions as the shelter already has qualified animal caregivers and staff onsite.
Dog Kennel Sponsorship
A unique opportunity for a corporate sponsor to market their business is an annual dog kennel sponsorship. Their company logo will adorn a dog kennel for tens of thousands of visitors to see throughout the year.
For the dogs that come through your shelter, being in an adoption kennel is the last step towards finding a loving family. Corporate sponsorship of a dog kennel will provide the comfort, safe shelter and expert veterinary care that precedes every adoption. You need to determine the levels of sponsorship and cost to the corporation considering it.
Dog Sponsorships
Encouraging followers to sponsor dogs is a great way to help cover shelter costs. It also provides a way for supporters who can’t adopt or foster to help a dog in need. For example, they could cover the cost of spaying/neutering, vaccinations, heartworm medication or preventatives, or transport fees to get a dog to his/her foster home. Be sure to share on social media when supporters contribute in this way to inspire other followers to do the same.
Dollar Donation Wednesdays
Shelters are always in need of funds to help animals and it’s not easy to keep asking. One great way to make the ask less painful for followers is to run $1 Donation Wednesday campaigns on social media. Other shelters host Single Buck online fundraisers. Be sure to make it easy to donate via PayPal or Venmo and create excitement by placing a deadline on the fundraiser and highlighting the amount raised throughout the campaign. Shelters with a lot of followers can raise significant funds with this type of drive.
Donate Directly to Vet
To help with ongoing initial vetting, special medical situations etc. Provide info on your monthly or annual vet bills.
Donuts for No Nuts
Sell donuts in a public space in exchange for a donation for spay/neuter fund. Ask a local donut store to donate donuts.
Encourage Local Elementary Schools to Host a Fundraising Contest
The Pegram Elementary School, TN held a contest between classes to see which grade could collect the most donations for the Cheatham County Animal Control shelter. The winning class visited the shelter and delivered the school’s donations. Students also had the honor of naming a shelter dog. A shelter volunteer serves as a liaison between the shelter and the elementary school. In addition to fundraising events, the volunteer coordinates activities with the students that support and bring awareness to the shelter.
Encourage Supporters to Host Fundraisers
Fundraisers run by individuals or businesses can help add to the shelter’s budget, stock the food pantry, or add to cleaning supplies. Although the shelter won’t be involved in running these events it can help publicize the fundraiser on social media. Be sure to thank the organizers after the fundraiser and post images of what was purchased with the funds. Encourage others to get involved and suggest ideas for good fundraisers such as bake sales, yard sales, or community walks and runs to benefit animals.
Engraved Brick Fundraisers
Bricks R Us has been in business for more than 30 years and works with nonprofits, including animal shelters and rescue organizations to run successful fundraising campaigns. The company offers free support services including a webinar to help guide nonprofits on how to run a fundraising campaign. Bricks R Us offers the following suggestions for engraved brick fundraising projects:
Build a brick courtyard at the shelter that includes bricks engraved with pets’ names and tributes to both shelter pets and supporters’ pets.
An engraved brick walkway leading to the main entrance of the shelter can include tributes to owned and shelter pets and inspirational quotes that help spread animal welfare messages. Supporters will be happy to sponsor bricks that spread messages about the importance of rescuing homeless animals.
A brick memorial wall erected in a high-traffic area in the shelter. For example, the lobby may be a good location for the wall. As adopters are preparing to head home with their new friends they might be encouraged to sponsor a brick in celebration of the adoption. The engraving might include the name of the pet and adopter and the adoption date along with other endearing details.
Facebook Birthday Fundraisers
Ask members of your shelter, followers, donors, friends, family, etc., to consider an online Facebook fundraiser for their birthday instead of gifts. In just a few simple steps, Facebook birthday fundraisers can quickly start reaching friends, raising funds, and getting support for shelter animals. Facebook doesn’t take fees for nonprofit fundraisers so 100 percent of any donations goes to help care for homeless animals. While birthday celebrations are a great time to raise funds for shelters, animal advocates don’t have to wait for their special day to host an online fundraiser. When the Bertie County Animal Shelter, NC posted an urgent plea for funds, one supporter started an Urgent Fundraiser to raise $500 to help the shelter.
Family Pet Picture Day
Your local park or a nice indoor setting make great choices for a Family Pet Picture Day. You can charge a nominal fee such as $5 for a pet-only photo or $8 for a group photo. Ask a local professional photographer to donate time to take photos of pets and their families. This is a great way for him/her to support a good cause while gaining exposure in the community. Be sure to promote the shelter’s Family Pet Picture Day on social media and by posting flyers around the neighborhood. And don’t forget to thank the photographer and encourage followers to support that business.
Five Dollar Fridays
Every single donation big or small helps shelters continue caring for animals. Social media campaigns play a vital role in fundraising efforts. The Animal Harbor shelter, TN hosts Five Dollar Fridays encouraging supporters to skip their Friday morning coffee and instead donate the funds to the shelter. At the Animal Welfare Society of Howard County, MD supporters are invited to contribute to $5 Fridays for a chance to win a $150 Chewy gift card.
Free Pet ID Tags
The Dog Tag Art company donates pet ID tags to shelters and rescues to help track dogs and promote pet adoption. The company has several options and will work with humane organizations to design tags unique to the shelter or rescue.
Give $5, Grab 5 Friends
This easy fundraiser turns donating into a virtual game of tag over social media. Ask your supporters to donate at least $5 to your cause. Then, each donor has to tag at least five people via social media, whether it’s their friends, family, or co-workers. Each person that gets tagged has to match that $5 gift to your campaign and then tag five others.
This idea is extremely scalable. Experiment with increasing the gift and challenge to $10 and 10 people or $20 and 20 people for a true crowdfunding campaign. Keep in mind that most people won’t have experience asking for donations. So, help your supporters tag with confidence by creating a compelling message to include with their posts.
Gracie’s Giveback-Supporting Rescues One Toy at a Time
The American Dog company’s Gracie’s Giveback program is dedicated to supporting rescues and shelters around the U.S. With every purchase of a USA-made dog toy at loveamericandog.com or one of the company’s retail stores, a quarterly donation is made to support homeless dogs. Shelters and rescues can request donations of toys for upcoming events or the enrichment of shelter dogs by submitting an application form.
Go Hollywood
Go all out in your fundraiser efforts by hosting a Go Hollywood Gala. Invite patrons to attend the event dressed as their favorite movie characters. The gala can also include red carpet photo opportunities, food, music and dancing.
Grounds and Hounds Coffee Company
The Grounds & Hounds Coffee company was created with the mission to provide every at-risk pup with a second chance at a full life. Twenty percent of all Grounds & Hounds profits are deployed to its rescue partners who are working to save animals’ lives. To date the company has provided:
- More than 24,214 toys to shelter pups
- 4,200,000 shelter meals to rescue partners
- 22,250 vaccines provided to dogs in need
You can easily apply online to become a Grounds & Hounds Coffee company partner.
Highlight Birthday Donations on Social Media
Many people ask friends and family members to make donations to the local animal shelter in lieu of birthday gifts. Be sure to highlight these gestures on social media as a way to say thank you and to encourage others to follow suit. One precious post by the Onslow County Animal Shelter, NC featured a 1-year-old whose parents asked for donations to be made to the animals at the shelter in celebration of the baby’s first birthday. It’s never too soon to teach kids to give back.
Hilton Towel Donations for Animal Shelters
Hilton Hotels in collaboration with Mars Petcare U.S., and Greater Good Charities will donate more than 140,000 pounds of retired towels, bathmats, washcloths, and other terry products from more than 1,000 Hilton-branded properties to hundreds of animal shelters. In August, 2024 the South Georgia Equine Rescue benefited from a donation of towels and sheets courtesy of the Hampton Inn, St. Simons Island, GA. To participate in the Love With Towels Program, shelters can email responsible_sourcing@hilton.com
Hold an Anniversary Fundraiser
Every year the Shelter Volunteer Network that helps support the Newberry County Animal Shelter, NC runs an Anniversary Fundraiser. Proceeds help fund reduced-fee adoption events held throughout the year to help clear the shelter. This year as part of the fundraiser, the nonprofit published a poster of photos and profiles of dogs who were adopted during the year and thanked supporters for their help in placing the dogs into loving homes. Showing sponsors how their funds help to save lives is a great way to encourage ongoing support.
Host a Cutest Dog Contest or Show
Helping Animals Without Shelter, AL hosts an annual Cutest Dog Contest that includes kids games, raffles, vendors, dog training exhibitions, food, and beverages. The event is held off-site and the contest entry fee of $15 is paid in advance. In addition to a cutest dog category your show can award prizes for other fun categories such as the waggiest tail, best kisser, floppiest ears, biggest ears etc. Instead of prizes you can award certificates or ribbons. These fundraising shows are really all about family fun that includes the dog while helping to raise funds for homeless animals.
Host a Dog Birthday Party
Hosting birthday parties for dogs and inviting guests to bring pet supplies for donation to the local animal shelter is a fun way to help homeless animals. Shelters can share pictures on social media to encourage others to follow suit. Be sure to post a wishlist that can be easily shared with party guests.
Host Birthday Celebrations for Children
If there’s an extra room at the shelter, renting it out for a children’s birthday party is a great way to raise funds while welcoming youngsters and their parents to the shelter. Having volunteers on hand to help with animal-themed decorations, meet and greets with shelter animals, or a tour of the shelter will delight animal-loving kids. Shelters with humane education programs can offer presentations during the party. For parents booking a kid’s party at the local animal shelter is a great way to support a worthy cause while also giving their children a memorable and unique birthday party.
How-To Workshop
Receiving a gift in exchange for a donation is nice, but getting hands-on with a craft can be just as rewarding. Put together an activity workshop that interests your target supporters. Charge admission for your groovy tie-dye event, cooking class, or book-binding workshop.
You can easily turn workshops into a virtual event over Facebook Live or Zoom. This event works because it’s adaptable — anyone with a skill to share can lead the class. You can also reach out to local artists or chefs, like Kitchen Rodeo did for their popular cooking series. Workshops are a fast and simple way to raise money while having a little DIY fun.
Invite Supporters to Craft for the Shelter
Animal lovers who enjoy crafting can use their skills to support homeless animals. The crafts can be donated for use by shelter animals or sold to help raise funds for the shelter. At the Bertie County Animal Shelter, NC one supporter sells her fleece blankets designed with paw prints for $50 each. All the proceeds benefit homeless animals. Other crafting ideas include:
- “Adopt Me” Bandanas for shelter pets or animal-themed bandanas for sale
- Fleece Tug Toys
- DIY Cat Wand Toy
- Catnip Pillows
- Cardboard Tube Tunnels
The Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh offers a roundup of ideas on how to craft for local shelters.
Jordan’s Way
Jordan’s Way was founded by Kris Rotonda as a way to honor his shelter dog, Jordan after she passed away. Jordan spent the first 3.5 years of her life in a shelter being overlooked. The mission of Jordan’s Way is to visit animal shelters around the country sharing meaningful animal welfare stories that inspire people to adopt. Through Facebook Live feeds Kris and the Jordan’s Way team help the shelters they visit to raise money. During these feeds, viewers can watch shelter employees, volunteers, and sometimes even animal control officers and local law enforcement participate in activities like pies to the face, dunk tanks, and ice bucket challenges and donate right from the app or directly to the shelter. A recent Jordan’s Way visit to the Corinth-Alcorn Animal Shelter, MS helped raise $17,000 to benefit the animals. To get the best results from a Jordan’s Way visit shelters must have lots of social media followers and be prepared to consistently advertise the event over a short period of time.
Joyride Harness Paw it Forward Initiative Gives Back to Shelters
Through its Paw It Forward Initiative, the Joyride Harness company donates products to events or organizations for either fundraising efforts or to use for dogs in need. All shelters and nonprofits dedicated to the wellbeing of dogs are invited to complete an online donation form.
Lemonade Stands
Encouraging young volunteers to set up Lemonade Stands in their local community is a great way to raise funds for local shelters. Allowing the youngsters to organize and run the stand while educating their communities about the local animal shelter is empowering them to make a difference for homeless animals.
Lobby Store
Collect donations of gently used or new pet items and set up a small shop area in your lobby. It could be a book shelf or table or maybe a volunteer would build something clever. Either price the items inexpensively, or offer them in exchange for a donation. This is a great place to utilize the things often donated by the public that aren’t practical for your shelter animal’s use—big plush beds that are impossible to wash, stuffed toys, pet clothing, fancy collars, etc. This is also a great project for a volunteer to take on (maybe teens are too young to handle animals, but they could set up a store!). The Franklin County Humane Society Planned Pethood and Adoption Center, VA is funded by the shelter’s Purrfect Treasures store, which is located next door and sells upscale home furnishings and donated items. Consider offering a once-a-year 50 percent off sale to clear out old merchandise and make room for new items.
Lock the board (or ACO or director or local celebrities) in the Shelter
‘Lock’ people inside empty kennels until a certain amount of money is pledged and/or donated. Publicize via your local news/radio plus social media – stream live if possible. In between pleas from prisoners, feature adoptable dogs, shelter needs, etc.
Make it Easy for Supporters to Donate
Partnering with the most popular donation platforms such as Venmo and PayPal makes it easier for supporters to send money to your shelter. Both payment services are free to set up and easy to use. According to the Business of Apps media platform, 50 percent of Venmo users are millennials aged between 25 and 34. This makes the Venmo app the perfect way for shelters to connect with a new generation of donors. Additionally, Venmo is ready-made for social sharing and users can inspire one another to make donations to benefit homeless animals.
Memorial or Honorarium
This is a great way to donate and honor a living pet or person, or remember a passed love one.
Newspaper Pets on Parade
Great fundraiser! For a nominal fee of $5 or $10, pet owners can submit a photo of their pet to the local newspaper for a special annual insert of Pets on Parade. Children can write stories about their pets for submission as well. Often businesses will sponsor the event with paid advertising.
Online Auctions
This can be a HUGE fundraiser, especially if you’ve got an active base of supporters who will share and bid. It’s a great marketing tool for businesses who donate items as everyone who visits your auction page will see their business, not just the person who wins.
Auctions can be done very simply (but it’s a lot of work) for free on your Facebook page. It might be a way to test the waters – try offering only a few items (5-25) as it can get very confusing very fast if you don’t have solid, clear rules. Just google “how to run a silent auction on Facebook” and you’ll find lots of directions.
Using a host service will enable you to make much more money. One rescue raises 50K with their auctions. There are several services that will host your online auction. They make it much easier and your only job is to collect donated items. Ideas for donated items: gift cards, vacation rentals, baskets of like items (these seem to do really well but require local pickups or expensive shipping), business donations (really great if you can get them to agree to ship to winner), services (dog grooming, training, pet sitting, walking but also people services like nail salons, tax prep, massage, etc.), handmade items, experiences (wine tasting, kayaking trip, etc.)
- Networkforgood.com offers an auction service as part of their nonprofit fundraising package
- BetterWorld.org is a free service for nonprofit fundraising that can host online events like auctions
- CharityAuctionsToday.com is a site that hosts auctions. They have a free auction option that only takes money out if you make money (5%)
There are lots of others; pay attention to the details. Most offer a free demo. Ask lots of questions before committing.
Online Yard Sale or Marketplace
The Internet offers lots of online fundraising opportunities. For example, an industrious volunteer or a team of volunteers can create an online event or yard sale to sell donated items. The shelter can designate a pick-up date and place or better still have people come to the shelter to collect and pay for their items. There are a thousand variations on this theme, but the bottom line is that one person’s trash is another’s treasure and the shelter can benefit from the funds raised.
Paint & Sip Parties
Partner with a local brewery, winery, or liquor store and a professional artist or art instructor to host a Paint & Sip Party with partial proceeds benefiting the shelter. The event can be held indoors or outdoors under a pavilion weather permitting. Be sure to emphasize that the event is beginner friendly and all materials will be provided including the canvas. Provide food and beverages for purchase and offer shelter apparel such as T-shirts, hoodies, and baseball caps for sale. The Aspirations Winery, FL is hosting a Paint Your Pet fundraiser to benefit the Humane Society of Pinellas. Participants are asked to submit photos of their pets. A professional artist will use these photos to sketch an outline of the pets, which will be painted by owners on the day of the event.
Partner with Automobile Clubs
Automobile clubs nationwide hold shows to benefit local charities including animal shelters. For example, the WV Jeep Club partnered with the Huntington Cabell Wayne Animal Shelter, WV to raise funds for homeless animals. These shows offer a wonderful opportunity to introduce shelter dogs to the community and hand out informational leaflets about shelter programs and how the public can help animals. To register for a Jeep Jamboree held at Tumbleweeds Trading Post, TN applicants had to bring donations of dog food or monetary donations to benefit the Gleason Dog Pound or Halfway Home Animal Rescue. Adoptable dogs were at the event for meet and greets.
Partner with a Food Truck
Food truck fundraisers are becoming more popular as a way to raise money for nonprofits. In return for donating a percentage of its sales for the day to benefit shelter animals, the food truck gets its name out into the community. Be sure to promote the food truck and the food being served as well as the location on social media in the weeks leading up to the event.
Partner with Local Shelter or Rescue
There’s strength in numbers so it’s a win-win for shelters and rescues who partner to run fundraising events. For example, Karin4Kritters K9 Rescue, TN joined forces with Halfway Home Animal Rescue and Red Fern Animal Shelter, both in TN to host a Dog Dash and Dog Show. All three organizations canvassed local businesses to donate items for an online auction to raise additional funds.
Peer-To-Peer Fundraising Campaigns
Through peer-to-peer fundraising, supporters act as fundraisers on behalf of an organization. These fundraisers create personalized fundraising pages they share with their friends and family, using their passion and their stories to garner support. Peer-to-peer fundraising is also a great donor retention and acquisition strategy. Source: https://blog.donately.com/peer-to-peer-fundraising/
Penny or Coin Drive
The Nebraska Humane Society recommends this drive as a great community service fundraising idea for youth. With clever names like “Pennies for Paws” or “Dimes for Dogs,” the drives could be held outside community stores. The humane society offers a nice roundup of community service ideas that benefit animals.
Pet Calendar
Start creating the calendars well in advance and begin selling them in December.
You can choose to either photograph animals in your shelter and add facts and quotes that help educate (and then sell them), or you can run a contest for pet owners to submit an entry in order for their pet to be featured on the calendar (and charge for the submission). Following are guidelines on how to create pet calendars:
- Contact a variety of businesses and see who would allow you to take images at their locations and who would like to sponsor the project.
- Use your Facebook page to ask who would be interested in having their pet on the calendar.
- Run a “photo contest” on Facebook for anyone interested in having their pet in the calendar – the 13 photos with the most votes win the opportunity to have a photo session and be in the calendar.
- Schedule all the photoshoots, take the photos, and edit them.
- Print the calendars and sell them online.
Pet food and supplies drive in front of local store
Just need some signs about the shelter, items needed and a volunteer on hand to answer questions and raise awareness of the shelter. Post on social media. For example:
Highlander pharmacy is having a pet food drive for (Shelter Name)
We are accepting dog food, dog toys and blankets.
Each donation enters you into a raffle that will be given away on (Date)!
Please share and get the word out!
Our hours are (Shelter Hours)
Pet Wash
Set up a ‘pet wash’ similar to a car wash in your shelter parking lot during the hot months. Wash the community’s pets for a donation (or a set fee). If you have a vet tech available, you might also offer nail trims. If attendance is low, bring out the shelter pets for a bath and to draw attention. Make this a regularly scheduled event and people will look for the dates and bring their pets back again and again.
Pizza Parties to Benefit Animals
Organize a fundraiser at Anthony’s Coal-Fired Pizza to benefit shelter animals. The process is simple: choose a date, promote the pizza party on social media, and enjoy delicious pizza in good company. The restaurant will donate 20 percent of sales from the event to the shelter. Anthony’s Coal-Fired Pizza has various state locations including many in Florida. If you don’t have an Anthony’s near you, check with other restaurants in your town to see if anyone will help you ‘raise some dough’ for your animals.
Post an Online Sponsor-A-Day Calendar
Once your calendar is posted you can invite supporters to choose a date and then donate the amount of money equal to the date. So, for example, someone choosing the 20th of the month would donate $20 and so on. If each day of the month is sponsored, this fundraiser can raise $496 for the shelter. This can be a once-off campaign or can be repeated multiple times throughout the year.
Promote Bargain Shopping
Shelters and rescues are almost always in need of blankets and linens. They commonly go in crates for dogs being transported and in kennels with dogs at shelters for extra comfort. Thanksgiving and Christmas is the perfect time to remind supporters to snap up these products at discount prices. While stores like Walmart and CVS frequently offer special deals on fleece blankets during the holiday season, deals like these often pop up at different times throughout the year. Shelters can highlight these special deals on social media to encourage followers to donate.
Puppies’ Paws and Prints Party
This is a fun event for pet parents in the community and can be hosted in partnership with a local art studio. Depending on the space the Puppies’ Paws and Prints event can be held either at the shelter or the art studio. Typically, the fundraising event is led by a local artist who provides special prints designed especially for the event. Each print has space for participating puppies to add their paw prints using nontoxic paint. Be sure to have baby wipes on hand to clean off paws and surfaces. A percentage of proceeds from the event go towards the care of homeless animals.
Puppy Pooper Bowl
There are a few variations of this game. For example, at the Annual Puppy Pooper Bowl held by the Great Plains SPCA in Kansas, a total of 441 squares are spread across a 21′ by 21′ field. Supporters purchase squares at different rates: $25 for one, $60 for five, or $100 for a square with a business logo. On the day of the event which is featured on Facebook, puppies are let loose onto the squares. The sponsor of the first square to be hit by puppy poop wins $300 or half the pot, whichever is less. Sponsors of the second square to be dumped on wins a gift basket. A prize is also awarded for the first square to be peed on.
Puppy and Kitten Showers
Along with spring comes a baby boom and it’s a perfect time for shelters to host Puppy and Kitten Showers to ask for donations of food and supplies to help care for the youngest shelter residents. Be sure to post a list of the supplies needed on social media. It’s also important to create a baby shower wish list on Amazon making it easy for supporters to contribute.
Religious Communities Make Great Advocates
Be sure to connect with local religious communities and educate them about the needs of the shelter. Many of these congregations have community outreach or mission programs set up to help those in need in the community. There are animal loves in all of these congregations and many would be happy to add the animal shelter to their list of outreach recipients. The church or temple may organize fundraisers and donate money to the shelter or hold food or pet supply drives to help homeless animals.
Reach Out to High School Honor Societies
Many National Honor Society and Beta Club students conduct Group Service Projects giving back to their communities throughout the year. A member of the shelter staff or the volunteer coordinator can reach out to the Honor Society advisor to invite students to the shelter or ask to visit the school to educate students about what they can do to help shelter animals.
Request Love Stories
The Petco Love Foundation awards up to $100,000 to shelters that submit winning stories about how shelter pets have changed the lives of their adopters. Shelters can reach out to adopters on social media asking them to submit stories about the special relationship they have with their pets. The best submission can be entered in a competition in the hopes of winning a grant from the Petco Love Stories initiative.
Run a Golf Tournament
Annual golf tournaments are a great way to raise funds for shelter animals. To ensure success it’s best to form a golf tournament committee made up of staff and volunteers. Planning for the event should begin six to nine months in advance of the event.
Run a Pet Photo Contest
What could be more fun than inviting people to show off their pets as a way to raise funds for your shelter? The Beaver County Humane Society, PA runs an annual pet photo contest that’s powered by GoGo Photo Contest, a fundraising platform. Each entry costs $10 and competitors are encouraged to invite friends, family, and co-workers to pay $1 to vote for their pets. The competition can be promoted online to encourage as many votes as possible before the deadline. A grand prize can be awarded to the pet receiving the most votes with a few smaller prizes for the runners-up.
Seek Help from Bikers
Members of biker gangs may look tough but many clubs across the country focus on giving back to nonprofit organizations in their communities. Many club members have a soft spot for animals and are happy to help raise funds for the local shelters. For example, the motto of the Punishers LEMC, which has chapters nationwide is service to others and that includes animals. Have a staff member or volunteer reach out to the local club president and ask if they would consider raising funds for the animals.
Sell Friendship Bracelets
Friendship bracelets displaying the names of shelter pets can be a great way to raise funds for the shelter. There are different ways of doing this. For example, the Regional Center for Animal Care & Protection, VA offers Friendship Bracelets displaying the names of the shelter’s longest residents. The bracelets can be ordered in return for a $20 donation to go towards adoption sponsorship or for the donation of pet food. Supporters who would like a bracelet with a particular shelter pet’s name are also invited to place orders. This is a great project for volunteers who are interested in crafting or for scout troops or students looking for community outreach projects. Go here for more information on how to make friendship bracelets with beads.
Spring Forward 30-Day Challenge
Annual campaign to raise money for 30 days from April 1 to April 30.
Sponsor Spay/Neuter
You can sponsor a spay/neuter surgery appointment once a month for a recurring donation of $XXX.
TREAT Mobile App Helps Feed Shelter Animals
The TREAT Play to Impact REAL lives is a mobile app game that enables users to help shelter animals by playing games with a dog avatar representing a real dog at a shelter. Users can send treats or meals to “their” dog and may also choose to visit, foster, or adopt the dog. Throughout the year, TREAT sends participating shelters donations of food and treats. When food needs are met, TREAT donates other needed pet supplies. Players have sent more than 8,000,000 items to real shelter animals. The South Georgia Equine Rescue posted about the wonderful donation of food, treats, and toys it received thanks to all the supporters who play on TREAT. To participate in this app, shelters must have an active Petfinder page and can apply by completing an online form.
T-shirt or Other Swag Sale
If you’ve got a good local base of support, creating a t-shirt and selling it can not only raise money but awareness about your work. Explore the cost of getting them printed (lots of services online) and then find local sponsors to cover the cost (in exchange for having their logo on the shirt).
You can either use your logo and tagline or invite others to create a design. Increase engagement and excitement about the shirts by letting people vote on the finalists using a Facebook. Or make a little money by having a design contest for the shirt. Put out a call for entries and then ‘sell’ votes using the donation page on your website or a voting box at your events.
There are many print-on-demand services that let you sell from a page on their site, or from an e-commerce shop on your own site. Some integrate with Woo Commerce or Etsy among other options. You can sell all kinds of items from T-shirts to stickers and lots of other items. Many of these services take care of fulfillment. There is no inventory for you to maintain and manage. You just design your items to sell, the service creates your ‘storefront’ (a link you can share), you publicize it and supporters order through the service which creates the items and distributes them. Other options allow you to design and purchase your shirts in bulk or small batches to be sold in person. Here are a few options, but there are lots:
- Cafepress – design your merch and order what you want for in person sales
- Printify – setup a virtual store to share, design products and set your price. They ship on demand.
- Redbubble – create designs and upload them to your store. Print on demand fulfilled by other.
- Spreadshop – another print on demand service.
- Teepublic – create a store, design products, and orders will print on demand.
- Zazzle – design your merchandise and order for in person sales.
- Bonfire – a print on demand store with the option to run limited campaigns or fundraisers.
- Local printer – probably the most cost-efficient way to go if you want to do in person sales. They can often do as many as you want to have on hand. It’s always great to create community connections.
Throw a Puppy Bowl Watch Party Fundraiser
For football fans there’s the Super Bowl while dog lovers enjoy watching rescue dogs running and playing around a model football field during the annual Puppy Bowl. What better way to celebrate this fun event than attending a fundraising party that benefits a local animal shelter. Many shelters partner with local restaurants to host Puppy Bowl Watch Parties with a portion of the party profits benefiting the shelter. Depending on the restaurant there may also be an opportunity to bring shelter dogs along for meet and greets.
Throw a Summer Pet Party
Connect with a local pet store to host a Pet Summer Party with proceeds benefiting homeless animals. For example, in many locations, Pet Supplies Plus stores host summer parties that include a fundraising dog wash to benefit the local shelter. These events can also include ice cream giveaways for dogs and people, agility games, and raffles. Shelter staff and volunteers can bring along dogs for adoption and set up tables with shelter apparel and informational leaflets.
Video Screenings that Benefit Homeless Animals
The CatVideoFest is an annual celebration of cats, featuring a compilation reel of the latest and best cat videos chosen from hours of submissions. The 75-minute video is family-friendly, making it suitable for various venues. CatVideoFest has been seen at more than 250 theaters in the U.S. and Canada and over 100 in Europe. The festival’s mission is to raise awareness and money for homeless cats.
A percentage of the proceeds from each show benefit local animal shelters and rescue organizations. For example, in August, the Humane Society of Tampa Bay benefited from a screening of CatVideoFest 2024 at the Historic Duncan Auditorium in Tampa, FL. If CatVideoFest has not been to a theater or venue near your shelter, you can email andrew@oscilloscope.net to express your interest in becoming a partner.
The annual NY Dog Film Festival aims to celebrate the bond between dogs and people worldwide as seen through the work of leading filmmakers. The festival also seeks to raise awareness of the life-saving work at small rescues and large shelters across the U.S. In every location where the Dog Film Festival travels, an animal welfare organization in the community will benefit from a portion of the ticket sales. These non-profit organizations will be honored as part of the festivities at every theater and will have the opportunity for education and outreach about volunteering, adoption, and fostering. For more information on partnering with the NY Dog Film Festival, please email theDogFilmFestival@gmail.com.
The goal of the annual NY Cat Film Festival is to celebrate the relationship between people and cats while inspiring, educating, and entertaining audiences. A portion of ticket sales at each screening benefits local animal welfare nonprofits. These nonprofits are honored during screenings, and audiences learn about their lifesaving work. For more information on partnering with the NY Cat Film Festival, email TheCatFilmFestival@gmail.com.
Walking Dogs Can Raise Funds for Animal Shelters
WoofTrax is a free app that allows people to track their dog walks and raise money to benefit homeless animals. Walkers can choose which animal charity they want to support via the app. Each walk 1/4 of a mile or greater earns 10 charity points. The total number of charity points earned determines the donations that will be paid. Ten walks earn enough for a designated charity to buy a meal for a small dog. Twenty-five walks buy a meal for an average-sized dog. Supporters can create walking groups on WoofTrax to earn more for a local animal shelter. If a charity earns 1,000 points a day, which would be 100 people walking their dogs each day, those walks earn enough to buy 60 meals for a shelter pet every month. Earned donations are sent monthly to animal charities.
Members can earn additional awards for animal charities by participating in sponsored challenges. For example, WoofTrax users who participate in the current Go for the Gold Challenge earn a monthly dose of NexGard Plus, a flea, tick, and heartworm preventative, for a shelter dog. A maximum of $825,000 of product will be donated for the duration of the challenge. Additionally, throughout the challenge, every walk earns 5 cents for a user’s selected animal charity for up to a maximum of $10,000. The challenge is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim, the maker of NexGard Plus.
Warm Bellies Initiative
P.L.A.Y. makes quality dog beds with pets, people, and the planet in mind. Through the company’s Warm Bellies Initiative dog beds are donated to shelters in need. The Warm Bellies Voters’ Choice Poll takes place during the months of March, June, and September. People are welcome to nominate their local shelters by the 15th of each month and then vote for their favorite rescue group daily on Facebook to help them win 20 free beds. Supporters interested in nominating a shelter can email info@petplay.com and provide the shelter name, Facebook Page, and contact person along with email and phone number. year. Additionally, in partnership with the Petfinder Foundation, for every bed purchased on the P.L.A.Y website, a bed is donated to a shelter in need.
Wishlist Wednesdays
Using catchy slogans is a great way to get the attention of supporters. For example, some shelters promote Wishlist Wednesdays on social post media alerting followers to the shelter’s most-needed items. Providing links to the shelter or rescue’s Chewy and/or Amazon accounts makes donating easier for patrons. The SPCA of Bradley County, TN makes it so easy for supporters by offering a link that lists seven ways to donate to the shelter as part of its Wishlist Wednesday post.
Your Local Air Conditioning Company May Be Able to Help the Shelter
By connecting with local businesses and sharing what your shelter needs, you may be surprised at how creative professionals come up with ideas. For example, the staff members at the Anderson County Animal Care and Control Shelter, KY were delighted when Freedom Air, a local air conditioning and heating company donated several outdoor air conditioner unit pads for the dogs at the shelter. According to the staff, the pads make great beds for the dogs when they are outside and provide a nice dry area for them to lay down when needed.
Companies and Organizations with Donation Programs
Throughout the NASCAR racing season, for every track, Alex Bowman races at, a local animal shelter will receive a donation from Alex and his primary sponsor Ally Financial through Best Friends Animal Society. If Alex wins the race, Ally Financial will give additional funds to the shelter. Additionally, Bowman helps spread awareness by driving a car covered in paw prints and displaying the Best Friends logo along with photos of dogs and cats.
The American Dog company’s Gracie’s Giveback program is dedicated to supporting rescues and shelters nationwide. Every quarter the program donates a certain number of dog toys in response to requests that meet its criteria. Organizations seeking donations for upcoming events or to be delivered to rescue dogs awaiting adoption can complete an online form.
The nonprofit Animal Rescue Aid (ARA) foundation donates an average of 5,000 pet beds per year to shelters throughout the US. These pet beds are crucial to the health and well-being of shelter dogs. A pet bed provides comfort and safety, which are essential in the rehabilitation of an animal before going to a new home. Animal shelters can apply online for grants to cover the cost of beds and toys.
The Charlee Bear dog treats company partners with organizations that provide service and rescue dogs with nutritious treats. Through its shelter initiatives, the company has partnered with over 270 shelters across 48 states and has supported over 450 events and opportunities. A total of over 90,000 samples and full-sized bags of treats have been distributed to date. Organizations with 501(c)(3) status can request a donation via an online form.
Chewy has donated more than 80 million pounds of pet food to shelters nationwide. Shelters and rescues can join the Chewy Network online to access benefits and resources to help homeless animals.
Computers with Causes is a nonprofit organization that donates refurbished computers to charities in need, including animal welfare organizations. Shelters can apply online for a computer donation.
The Earth Breeze Buy One Give Ten program was launched in 2020. With each purchase of Earth Breeze laundry detergent eco sheets, the company donates 10 loads of laundry detergent to a partner charity. More than 800 partners – including animal shelters and rescues – benefit from this program. Currently the company isn’t accepting new partner applications. However, nonprofits and organizations are encouraged to check the “Become a Giving Partner” section of the website periodically to avoid missing an opportunity to join the program.
Eqyss designs grooming products for horses and dogs. The company works with various charities donating products or providing financial support and encourages suggestions for new partnership opportunities. Nonprofits can apply online for event support/donations.
In an effort to help shelters take better photos of shelter dogs and help find them new homes, Google is offering a free “Pawtraits Kit” that includes a Pixel 8 Pro phone to a select number of nonprofits. Shelters in the US can apply via pixelpawtraits.com.
Whether your shelter has 100 or 10,000 adoptions a year, the goal of the Hills Food, Shelter, and Love Program is to ensure that every pet goes home healthy and happy. That means nourishing every pet that arrives at the shelter with quality nutrition. According to the Hills Pet Nutrition company, more than 900 North American shelters participate in the Hills Food, Shelter, and Love Program.
The company provides shelter partners with training, shelter visuals, and other digital aids, plus exclusive discounts on Hill’s® brand pet food. For pet owners, Hills Pet offers useful adopter bags with coupons, as well as training and pet parent tips at New Pet Parent website.
To take advantage of this program shelters should first check out the required qualifications. Qualifying shelters can apply online to participate in the program.
Across the country, Honda dealerships help local communities by raising money for charity and providing hands-on help during Honda’s Service Week. For example, in March 2024 Honda World of Conway kicked off its Honda Hounds initiative by inviting patrons to post photos of their dogs on the company’s Facebook page. For every picture posted, the company donated a pound of dog food and split the donations between two local animal shelters.
This dog and cat food company supports pet rescue and adoption organizations nationwide. In addition to donating food to shelters and rescues, the company’s ongoing efforts include donating food and treats to fundraising events that support animals in need. This is the general online contact form.
The mission of Hugo Coffee Roasters is to save animals by selling ethically and sustainably sourced coffee. The company supports a different animal sanctuary or rescue every week by donating $2.50 of every purchase. Customers can nominate shelters to benefit from these funds or shelters can reach out via an online form to become partners. The company also donates items to animal-related fundraising events. For more information email hello@hugo.coffee.
Jersey Mike’s Subs Month of Giving takes place every year in March. The company has raised more than 88 million for charities since 2011. The Huntington Cabell Wayne Animal Shelter, WV was chosen as the local Jersey Mike’s Subs charity partner.
Through its Paw It Forward Initiative, the Joyride Harness company donates products to events or organizations for either fundraising efforts or for dogs in need. Shelters and nonprofits working to help homeless animals can complete an online donation form.
The KONG Company welcomes shelters to join the KONG Believers program. Members are provided access to a global network of other pet professionals, educational opportunities, marketing and materials support, and exclusive KONG merchandise. The first step to becoming a shelter partner is to fill out an online application.
In addition, VCA Charities partners with KONG and KVP to donate Kong toys to shelter dogs. Special emphasis is placed on helping large, active dogs who spend longer periods in shelters and are more likely to experience higher levels of kennel stress. The KONG toys help to keep these dogs engaged while they wait for their forever homes. Nonprofit and municipal animal shelters may apply for a VCA Charities Second Chance KONG grant of 250, 500, or 1,000 KONG toys, depending on the shelter dog population. In the summer of 2024, Georgia Equine Rescue received 250 Second Chance KONGS for the dogs in its care. Shelters can complete an application form online. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
Shelter supporters who shop at Kroger stores (or at Ruler Foods Inc., that’s owned by Kroger) can sign up for the Kroger Community Rewards Program and choose the animal shelter as their nonprofit of choice. Kroger will donate a percentage of purchases to the shelter. Shoppers still get to keep their reward points, so the program is a win-win for all involved. Promote this program on social media and be sure to provide the link to make it easier for supporters to follow through.
Kuranda
Through the Kuranda ShelterBeds Donations Program this company provide comfortable, safe resting places for anxious, stressed shelter dogs while living at the shelter. The beds are elevated keeping the dogs off of hard surfaces enabling them to sleep and feel better, which in turn helps them find forever homes. Kuranda beds can be donated by supporters to shelters and rescues at discounted prices. Humane organizations can register on the Kuranda ShelterBeds site to receive donations.
This company donates a product to a shelter or rescue for every product purchased. That means dog lovers can donate to their favorite rescues by just shopping for their pets. Donations are shipped out weekly with the names of recipients posted on the company’s Facebook page. Animal welfare advocates can reach out to the company to have their organizations added to the recipient list. Max & Neo customers can also ask that their favorite rescues or shelters be added to the list.
Through the Multipet International Donation Program the company sends products to 501c nonprofit shelters and animal rescues. Shelters interested in benefiting from this program can complete an application form online.
Nylabone Cares donates high-quality, durable chew toys to shelter dogs, service animals, and other canines preparing for a new life and family. Shelters can apply for donations by submitting an online form.
Nylabone is celebrating its 70th birthday in 2025 with a year-long campaign dedicated to helping dogs find and stay in loving homes. As part of this milestone, the company launched a CHEWS for Good campaign in partnership with Best Friends Animal Society. Through Dec. 31, 2025, for every Nylabone product purchased, the company will donate an equal number of Nylabone toys to dogs in Best Friends Animal Society-affiliated shelters and rescues network for up to 25,000 toys.
Raising Cane restaurants are actively involved in helping nonprofits including animal shelters in their local communities. Shelters interested in forming partnerships with their local Raising Cane restaurant must first create an account and then submit a request for support form. Help includes hosting fundraising events at the restaurant and donating food for shelter events. Each December the company designs a special plush puppy toy and donates all the proceeds from the sale of these toys to animal shelters.
Through the Target GiftCard donations program shelters with 501(c)(3) status can go to any Target store to request a Target Giftcard donation. Gift card request forms can also be completed online. Gift cards range in amount from $25 to $500.
It was stray dogs who started showing up at Tito’s Handmade Vodka distillery that inspired the company to help animal-focused nonprofits in Austin, TX, and beyond. Every year the company donates money to animal shelters. Animal nonprofits can request donations online.
Waggle
Waggle is a nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping companion animals and their families together. The foundation partners with the general public, veterinary providers, rescues, and animal welfare organizations to raise awareness for critical and urgent funding to save the lives of animals in need. Waggles has provided more than one million to its community of 1,000 veterinary hospitals to save 5,000-plus pets who were at risk of falling victim to economic euthanasia. Learn how to become a Waggle Animal Welfare Partner and start raising funds to help homeless animals in need of medial care.
Walmart Spark Good is a digital giving platform that makes it easy for customers to support causes they care about. Through the Walmart nonprofit portal, registered charities can apply for community grants or sign up for the round-up program that allows customers to donate change to their favorite charities. In addition, nonprofits registered with the Spark Good program can request space in front of their local Walmart to raise funds or awareness. For more information about Walmart Spark Good and to register your shelter visit www.walmart.com/nonprofits.
The West Paw pet product company makes both monetary and pet product donations to nonprofits. Inquiries regarding donations for events, raffles, or sponsorships require a 60-day lead time on all requests. Donation requests can be made via an online form.
Holiday Fundraising Ideas
Christmas
An Angel Trees Helps Bring in Donations
Installing an Angel Tree in the shelter lobby is a great way to encourage donations. The tree can be decorated with tags requesting sponsorship for animals or donations of much-needed items to help the shelter care for the animals during the winter months. The Onslow County Animal Shelter decorates its Angel Tree with paper stockings featuring photos of shelter pets. Supporters interested in sponsoring a pet can drop by the shelter and take a tag from the tree.
Celebrate the Holidays with a Reindog Parade
Pet parents like nothing better than when their dogs can join them in fun activities. And what could be more fun than participating in a Reindog Parade with all the proceeds benefiting homeless dogs? The Huntington Cabell Wayne Animal Shelter, VA makes sure its Reindog Parade is fun by including music, food, face painting, and photos with Santa. Prizes are awarded to dogs with the best costumes.
Canvas Schools to Host Santa Paws Fundraisers
During December invite kids in local elementary schools to host Santa Paws fundraisers. Reward the classes that raise the most money by visiting the classroom with shelter puppies. This is a great way to raise funds and educate the next generation about animal welfare.
Hold a Mix and Match Holiday Cookie Sale
Invite volunteers who love to bake to whip up batches of their favorite cookies. Then hold a cookie sale either as part of a local event such as at a Farmer’s Market or as an individual event at the shelter. Provide empty boxes for shoppers who prepay and then get to pick and choose from the wide variety of cookies provided by volunteers. Alternatively, shelter volunteers can prepare the cookie boxes in advance and encourage online orders in advance of the holidays. Be sure to offer the necessary alerts regarding food allergies etc.
Host a 12 Days of Christmas Gift-Giving Drive
Tis the season of giving and a great time for shelters to let supporters know what they need most. The Onslow County Animal Shelter, NC decided to have fun by creating a 12 Days of Christmas Wishlist. This makes it very easy for supporters to choose a day and a gift. The shelter invites patrons to stop by with their donations and help stuff the shelter dog and cat stockings.
Host Photos with Santa Shoots
Any excuse to get people to bring in their pets for a picture in exchange for a donation. All you need is someone with a good iPhone, although utilizing a local photographer is always a win-win. A holiday-themed backdrop can be set up at the shelter and volunteers can take turns playing the Santa role and running the event. PetSmart and Petco shelter partners are invited to organize photos shoots with Santa in the stores. Shelters are responsible for recruiting volunteers to play the role of Santa, take the pictures, and run the event. All proceeds benefit the shelters.
Let the Grinch Help Raise Funds
Pet Photos with Santa are always a popular fundraiser but why not change it up a bit by offering Pet Photos with the Grinch for a small donation. These Grinch shoots are getting more and more popular as holiday fundraisers at shelters across the country.
Organize a Secret Santa Campaign
Christmas is the season of love and giving and a great time to launch a Secret Santa Campaign. Organize a team of volunteers who can create wish lists for individual shelter dogs. Then promote the pets on social media and invite supporters to serve as Secret Santas for individual dogs. Foster dogs can also be included in the campaign. Be sure to post lots of fun images of the dogs enjoying their holiday gifts. This is a great way to market the dogs and engage supporters.
Organize Holiday House Tours
Who doesn’t love visiting beautifully decorated houses during the Christmas season? Holiday house tours run by shelters or rescue groups make wonderful festive fundraisers with the added benefit of helping animals in need. Every year Advocates Saving Adoptable Pets hosts a Holiday House Tour with all the proceeds helping to cover the cost of veterinary care for homeless, sick, and injured animals in the community.
Participate in Christmas or Holiday Parade
Designing a shelter float and joining in the annual Christmas or Holiday Parade is a great way to remind the community about the importance of adopting homeless animals. In 2023 the Butler Animal Shelter, KY took first place for its festive float that provided a powerful message about the plight of shelter dogs. Holidays are the time for giving so be sure to have volunteers with donation jars or a bucket for donations somewhere on or around the float.
Run a 12 Dog & Cat Days of Christmas Campaign
This fun holiday fundraising campaign can get supporters and their families engaged in a friendly competition while raising funds for homeless animals. The Huntington Cabell Wayne Animal Shelter, VA enlisted the help of 20 volunteers to participate in its 12 Dog & Cat Days of Christmas campaign. The idea is that each contestant canvases friends, family, and co-workers to help them get “out of the doghouse” by donating money to the shelter. The goal is for each person to raise $500. Whoever gets out of the doghouse first is named To Dog or Top Cat. Shelters can post cute images of each participant in a doghouse with his/her cat or dog and post these on social media to keep followers engaged in the fundraiser.
Run a Pet Holiday Treat Tour
If you’ve got a few pet stores in your community with a pet bakery or two thrown in, you’ve got the perfect opportunity to run a Pet Holiday Treat Tour fundraiser. The first step is to reach out to these businesses to ask if they would partner with the shelter to run this festive event. Pet owners pay a specific amount for a set number of cookies. They collect an empty box at a designated location and head out on foot with their dog to choose their favorite treats. There are many ways to run an event like this. For example, the Rockingham-Harrisonburg SPCA launched its Max’s Holiday Treat Heist fundraiser in conjunction with the Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance Holiday Cookie (for humans) Tour.
Sponsor an Ugly Holiday Pet Sweater Contest
Ugly sweater contests have become so popular at people’s parties and are now spilling over into the pet world. Hosting an Ugly Holiday Pet Sweater Contest is a great way to raise funds for homeless animals and a fun community outreach event.
Stuff a Pet’s Stocking
In the weeks leading up to Christmas hang holiday stockings on the doors of each kennel and invite supporters to drop dog gifts or treats at the shelter to fill the stockings. Promote the Stuff the Stockings campaign on social media and remind followers that they can order gifts online and have them shipped to the shelter. At the Lee County Humane Society, AL the filled stockings go home with each dog to help him or her celebrate the holidays in a new home.
Take Advantage of Giving Tuesday
Giving Tuesday falls on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and is a global day of giving. It’s a wonderful opportuity for shelters to reach out to supporters for donations to help them continue saving lives. Social Media experts at the ASPCA offer 7 Tips for Animal Shelters to make the most of Giving Tuesday. For free toolkits see https://www.givingtuesday.org/resources/
Throw a Holiday Pawty at the Shelter
The festive season is a great time to encourage people to visit the shelter, meet the animals available for adoption and learn about the shelter programs and volunteer opportunities. The event can be promoted as a party or open house. Be sure to offer holiday cookies and hot chocolate or favorite cold drinks. Consider hosting Santa or Grinch photo shoots for the youngest visitors. Be sure to have volunteers on hand to answer questions do meet and greets with the shelter animals. Invite visitors to bring donations of pet food or other supplies and keep a jar on hand for those wishing to make financial donations.
Easter
Hold an Easter Egg and Dog Treat Hunt
What could be more fun than combining a hunt for both kids and dogs in celebration of Easter. This fundraising event can be held at the shelter or a local park where kids can hunt for eggs while the dogs sniff out treats. Make sure to have the Easter Bunny on hand for photo shoot opportunities.
Hold Easter Basket Fundraisers
Some shelters receive lots of donations of pet accessories such as pet toys, collars, costumes etc., and can use these to fill Pet Easter Baskets. The baskets could also include plastic eggs filled with pet treats. Other shelters reach out to local businesses, schools, and organizations for donations of traditional Easter Baskets. The baskets can be sold via an online auction or by selling raffle tickets at a special Easter event.
Host Photos with the Easter Bunny
Organize a team of creative volunteers to design a spring-themed backdrop for photo shoots with the Easter Bunny. Invite families – including pets to come along and have pictures taken with the bunny in return for a donation. Some shelters choose to conduct these shoots outside heavily-trafficked stores. And some Petco and PetSmart stores invite their animal shelter partners to conduct Easter photo shoots in their stores.
Offer an Adoption Eggstravaganza
Celebrate Easter weekend by creating excitement on social media around adopting a shelter pet. Furry Friends Adoption, Clinic & Ranch, FL did this by offering an Adoption Eggstravaganza with a mystery adoption fee. Adopters picked an egg from an Easter Basket and looked inside the egg to find out what adoption fee (anywhere from $25 to $50) they should pay.
Halloween
Hold a Howl-O-Ween 5K Run/Walk
There are two ways to raise funds with this festive event. The shelter can charge a registration fee and distribute sponsor sheets to encourage participants to seek sponsorship from family and friends, with all proceeds benefiting the shelter. Additionally, hosting a costume contest for pets and people and serving festive food and drinks will help everyone get into the spirit of the season.
Host a Howl-O-Ween Party
Pet owners would love to join a Howl-O-Ween pet parade and costume contest to celebrate this popular fall holiday. The Onslow County Animal Shelter went all out last year offering prizes in a variety of categories including funniest, cutest, scariest, most original, and best overall. Consider providing fun treats such as pup cups, Halloween-themed cookies, and apple cider. You can also raise funds by selling raffle tickets during the event.
Organize a Pumpkin Sale
Connect with a local pumpkin farm for donations or reach out to large outdoor store chains to provide pumpkins at a reduced rate. Consider pairing the sale with a pumpkin painting party, offering prizes for the best artwork, and including music and concessions stands selling Halloween favorites. Local companies may be willing to donate supplies for these stands, which would provide free marketing and great PR for their businesses.
Run an Adoptober Fest to Showcase Shelter Dogs
What else would you call a Halloween adoption event but Adoptober Fest. It’s a great opportunity to dress dogs – who are open to it – in fun costumes that help show off their personalities. Consider waiving or reducing adoption fees in celebration of the holiday. The festivities can include face painting, treats, and a fundraising raffle. Invite local businesses and vendors to support the event.
Throw a Howl-O-Ween Pawty or Bash
Whether you call it a Howl-O-Ween Pawty or Bash it’s sure to attract owners and pets looking for fun. Highlights can include a people and pets costume parade and contest, a raffle, a silent auction, and a selection of goodie bags to hand out to participants. Seek sponsorships from local businesses to help fill the goodie bags and provide festive snacks and beverages. If possible, select some friendly easygoing shelter dogs and experienced volunteers to join in the costume parade. This is a great way to show off the dogs’ fun personalities and help find them new homes.
Saint Patrick’s Day
Auction off St. Patrick’s Day Baskets
There are many ways to use the “luck of the Irish’ theme to raise funds for the shelter. One great way is auction off a few St. Patrick’s Days baskets which can include festive items such as chocolate and candy as well as Irish-themed items such as a bottle of Baileys Irish Cream and Irish scone ingredients. And no matter the season, lottery tickets make popular basket stuffers. In lieu of an auction the shelter could sell basket raffle tickets and host the drawing at a special St. Patrick’s Day event.
Host a St. Puppies Day Party
St. Patrick’s Day offers the perfect occasion to host a beer-tasting extravaganza! The shelter can partner with local breweries and/or pubs to provide a selection of Irish brews as well as craft beers for attendees to sample. If the event is held at a brewery, tours can be part of the package. The party can also include Irish food such as soda bread and stew to pair with the brews. Consider including live Irish music or entertainment as part of the festivities. The SPCA of Bradley County, TN hosted a St. Puppies Day fundraising event sponsored by two local brewing companies and held in a beer garden. Ticket prices included tastings of local craft beers. The event also featured a silent auction. All proceeds benefited the shelter.
Valentine’s Day
CrappyEx Fundraisers
Since Valentine’s Day isn’t a celebration for everyone the Lee County Humane Society in Auburn County, Ala ran a clever fundraiser for those who have been hurt by love. The shelter ran a CrappyEx Fundraiser. In return for a $5 donation the staff wrote the name of a sponsor’s crappy ex on litterbox liners making sure the name would be dumped or peed on. The campaign proved extremely popular.
Animal Harbor’s Fix Your Ex For Valentine’s Day campaign went viral when it was launched in honor of the holiday. The campaign uses humor to raise awareness about the serious issue of animal overpopulation. Members of the public were invited to donate $50 in return for having a feral cat named after their ex and then spayed or neutered through the shelter’s TNR program.
The Paws Humane Society, GA runs a Sh*tty Ex Fundraiser: Ditch the Drama, Treat the Dogs! campaign. In return for a $5 donation the shelter writes an Ex’s name on a dog treat, which is fed to a shelter dog and nature takes care of the rest.
Take a Shelter Dog on a Date
Chewy partnered with nearly 50 shelters nationwide to sponsor Dogs Date Out. In celebration of Valentine’s Day members of the public were asked to share their love with shelter dogs by taking them out for the day. Chewy provided the supplies needed to enjoy the date. Singles, couples, friends, and dog lovers were encouraged to participate in the Valentine celebration. Shelters can sign up online to join the Chewy Shelter and Rescue Network and take advantage of a variety of benefits including participation in fundraising events or marketing campaigns.
Valentine’s Bake Sale
The Humane Society of the United States offers tips on how to host a bake sale fundraiser. The Hart County Animal Shelter, KY ran a Valentine’s Bake Sale that included a selection of popular choices including banana bread, pineapple upside-down loaf, assorted cookies, chocolate strawberry cupcakes, and cake balls.
Valentine’s Cards
Redwood Pals Rescue, CA used paints (be sure to use non-toxic paint that’s safe for pets) to get the dogs to make pawprints on Valentine’s Day cards. The cards were sold as a fundraiser for the shelter.
Valentine’s Gift Boxes
Gift baskets make wonderful presents for loved ones on Valentine’s Day. And for loved ones who care about animal welfare the purchase of a basket that benefits a shelter is extra special. A team of volunteers can work on the baskets creating different themes such as spa, sweets, bath products, or wine tasking. The Caldwell County Animal Shelter, KY chose a variety of themes for its recent Valentine’s fundraiser. The shelter also offered a Deluxe Spa Basket for $80. All proceeds went towards the purchase of dog food.
Raffling off Valentine’s Gift Baskets is another great way to bring in additional funds. Shelters can reach out to local businesses for donations to fill the basket. Popular items for Valentine’s baskets include wine, candles, chocolate, baked goods, gourmet cheeses, and gift cards. Be sure to give a shout-out on social media to the companies that donated items for the basket.
Valentine’s Open House
A Valentine’s Day Open House is a great way to welcome community members to visit the shelter to share their love for homeless animals. The event can be heartwarming and fun and include art and craft projects for kids, light refreshments, and shelter tours. Have volunteers on hand to answer questions and hand out pamphlets with information about the shelter’s programs and volunteer opportunities. With love in the air, this is also a great opportunity to raise funds. Reach out to local businesses for donations to fill a Valentine’s Basket and raffle it off during the Open House. Some ideas for the basket include wine, chocolates, gourmet cookies, scented candles, and pet treats. Be sure to thank these businesses on social media. Kissing booths are also popular at Valentine’s fundraisers. In return for a small donation, visitors can kiss – or pet – a friendly shelter dog or two. This, of course, will only work if you have dogs who would appreciate all of this attention. Be sure to have a photographer on hand to capture the fun and post the photos on social media. This is great exposure for the dogs and will hopefully help place them into loving homes.
Valentine Pictures with Your Pet
Create a Valentine-themed photo booth with hearts and cupids and enlist the help of a volunteer or professional photographer to take photos in return for a small donation. Some shelters set up kissing booths and supporters can either get a shot kissing their own pet or a shelter pet who would enjoy the attention. Some people choose to dress their pets in pink to celebrate the holiday.
Valentine’s Smooches for Pooches
Annual Valentine’s Smooches for Pooches adoption events are a great way to raise shelter funds while finding homes for pets. Select a team of volunteers to build a kissing booth and charge a dollar in return for a kiss from a friendly shelter pooch. Some rescue groups host Smooches for Pooches donation campaigns visiting local businesses with kissing booths and friendly shelter dogs in tow. For a donation of $5 or more employees can snuggle and smooch with the dogs while posting Valentine’s pictures on social media helping to promote the dogs. The Regional Center for Animal Care & Protection, VA includes a Kissing Booth as one of the attractions at its annual Valentine’s Day Pawty that also includes meet and greets with shelter dogs. Maddies Fund Pet Forum offers a round-up of successful Valentine’s Day fundraisers/promotions shared by shelters and rescues nationwide.
Valentine’s Tree
Find a (not too tall) tree (or use that fake Christmas tree before you store it for next year) and invite people to purchase “hearts” to hang from it. The pet owner can decorate the hearts and donate to your organization to honor their pets, whether living or deceased. You can also do this virtually and create the hearts yourself from items that a pet owner sends you. Then you can do a short Facebook live (or feature on other social media) to show the hanging of the heart on the tree. Decorate the tree with hearts, lights, and roses for a Valentine’s Day look.
Other ideas – that require little preparation unlike an event:
- Ask for unused gift cards. According to Credit Summit, nearly $21 billion in gift cards goes unspent. Shelters can reach out to supporters requesting donations of unused gift cards to benefit homeless animals.
- Coins for Critters – asking elementary schools to collect change for your rescue.
- Local Middle or High School – with required Community Service hours. Some school groups make dog toys or will take requests for ways to help. Dog blanket drive, dog toy drive. Offer to have students visit your shelter.
- Giving Tree – at local business, restaurant or school with lots of dog pictures and info about their rescue. Tree gift tags can have items needed, food, leashes, dog toys, cleaning supplies, etc. Can be for Thanksgiving or December holidays.
- Local Restaurants – There are thousands of restaurants both dine-in and fast food – that support local nonprofits including animal shelters. A date is set for the fundraiser that is actively promoted and shared on social media. Supporters enjoy dining at these social events knowing that the restaurant donates a percentage of the sales to benefit animals.
- Post flyers about your organization in local vet, pet, coffee shop, and libraries.
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