The long days of summer are an opportunity to experience quality time outdoors with our furry friends. You could say its purrfect time to play and honor our four-legged loved ones. And, along with the more leisurely days come serious fundraising opportunities. Non-profit fundraising and awareness campaigns for all causes suffer from the dog days of summer when folks are on family vacations, traveling or moving before a new school year. It’s a fact that works slows as the temperatures heat up! Nonprofits suffer at this time of year. While their needs remains steady, the donations slack off.
Although all charities need help and active nonprofit fundraising, let’s not forget our animal friends during these long summer days. Many pets are abandoned and lost when families are uprooted; animal shelters and rescue organizations need more volunteers and fundraising to make it through these long, hot months.
Many people are quick to open their wallets in cases of animal cruelty. Posting lost or abused pets on social media streams stirs people’s passions about animal rights, but it’s easy just to read a post, shake your head and click away. Make sure an add an online donation component to posts like these so people can react immediately.
Organizing a fundraising event or campaign to support you animal cause is easy with an online service like WePay, where you can set up a page to promote your charitable efforts, accept donations and even sell tickets online to animal-related events. Adding an online component to your promotion of a simple event like a rummage sale can make it easier for people who can’t attend the event to still support your good cause by making a monetary donation. You can increase the bottom line of any event by adding the ability to pay ahead or including a donation feature on a customized event web page.
Creative non-profit fundraising for your pet cause can include:
- June wedding couples can list a local animal shelter for a tax-deductible donation in lieu of gifts.
- Farmers Markets are active in the summer, and they are pet friendly places to distribute information and hold animal adoptions.
- The Unusual Pet Project: aside from the furry kind, folks do like their cockatiels, snakes, lizards and slimy salamanders. Believe me, animal lovers will support animal rights and causes outside the everyday house pet. Also, zoos will send Docents to an event with animals. This is good for for education and a real crowd pleaser.
- Dog Walks and Pet Parades. From a 3K with your dog to a doggie fashion show, people love to show off their pets. You can handle all the entries in advance on WePay.
- Best of Show photo contest. Everyone thinks their pet is the cutest… Why not have them pay to prove it! Send in a picture of your pet along with an online entry fee. This is no fuss, “non-event event,” that can raise some serious funds.
- Food Drive. Gather dry and canned foods for less fortunate pets. Online money donations are also handy for those who care for your community’s needy animals.
- Dog Wash! Car washes are OK but not as much fun as a summer dog wash. Maybe you call it Pugs and Suds or Bowser Baths. No matter – it usually turns into a splashy, bubbly event. Organize one at your school, church or local animal shelter. Provide plastic puppy pools and plenty of towels. Things will shake up so prepare to get wet!
Animal friendly events like picnics, car shows and bar-b-ques are great for families and people with pets. Pet people are more likely to donate to your animal cause, and dog and cat owners love to get together with other like-minded animal lovers. This summer count on pet-loving people to show up and show off their best friends!
