How to Start a Non Profit Animal Rescue
Be informed about the issues., Write a missions statement., Set goals., Establish a board of directors.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Be informed about the issues.
If you want to start a nonprofit animal rescue, the first step is being well informed about the issues.
Take some time to familiarize yourself with the current dialogue surrounding animal care and rescue.
You should also learn a bit about nonprofit management before starting your journey to forming a non-profit.
If you're passionate about animal welfare, you may already have some idea of what resources to seek out to educate yourself.
Read the latest books and studies regarding animal welfare.
You can seek out the newsletters of other organizations, such as HSUS, the ASPCA and Greenpeace, for an idea of current topics of concern.In addition to researching issues through reading, so some hands on searching as well.
Visit a local rescue in your area.
Talk to the managers, volunteers, and staff and ask them relevant questions about their experience.
What's most important to them about the rescue they're working at now? What do they think their organization does best? Where do they think there's room for improvement? Is there a need that's not currently being met in your community? How could you fill that need through your own organization?Nonprofit management is a difficult subject in and of itself.
Many states even have certification exams, lasting up to 3 hours, you must take before managing a nonprofit.
Look into the regulations in your state.
Consider reading up on nonprofit management.
You should also consider higher education regarding the management of nonprofit organizations.
Take a few courses online or at a local college.If you're not sure you have time to gain extra education in nonprofit management, consider teaming up with a friend with experience in the field.
If you know someone who's itching to start his or her own nonprofit, approach this person about your desire to create an animal rescue.
See if he or she would be willing to start the endeavor with you. -
Step 2: Write a missions statement.
Every organization needs a solid mission statement.
There are many different kinds of animal rescues.
Drafting a brief mission statement can help you get a sense of what your organization will do.
This can help you down the road with financial and hiring decisions.
A mission statement answers the questions, "What exactly are we trying to do here?" It should be brief, no more than one or two sentences.
Use a clear and positive tone and avoid use of jargon and complicated terms the average person does not understand.
Not only does your mission statement help you clarify your goals as a nonprofit, it can be used as a marketing tool later on.Read mission statements of other nonprofits you admire for brainstorming.
Pay attention to the length, word choice, and goals used in these statements.Your mission statement is important so spend some time coming up with a good mission statement.
You will need to use your mission statement filling out financial forms, many of which require a statement of purpose.
As nonprofits rely heavily on donation to cover cost of operation, you'll also need a mission statement that helps rally support for your cause.
Allow your passion to shine through., As stated, there are many different types of animal rescues.
Take some time to lay out your goals so you know what direction you're taking in regards to your nonprofit rescue.
Your goals will likely appear later on as you establish a web presence, so make sure they're easily readable for a wide audience.
What kind of rescue are you forming? What are you policies? Are you taking in animals rescued for testing facilities? Are you focusing mainly on domesticated pets, like cats and dogs, or adopting livestock? What is your policy on euthanasia? Are you hoping to find homes for animals through your rescue or provide a permanent sanctuary?To start writing your, focus on long-range goals and then work your way back to the present.
Consider where you want to be in 10 years.
What do you hope to accomplish in this timeframe? Then, work backwards.
What are actions you can take to accomplish these goals?Once you've established short and long term goals, consider how you will accomplish them.
Get into specifics here.
Say you live in Michigan and want to help re-home abused and abandon pets in Detroit and hope to, in 10 years, have reduced the rate of stays in the city by 30%.
In the short term, what actions can you start with? Should you start by spreading the word across the city about where to report abuse an abandonment? Should you establish a center within Detroit city limits where people can drop off strays within you first 2 years of operation? Try and take some time to consider specifics.Goals, much like your mission statement, are important marketing tools.
People are far more likely to give you money if they know exactly where their funds are going.
Being as transparent as possible about your company goals can help kickstart marketing and fundraising down the road., A nonprofit cannot run on its own.
You will need a board of directs, which is a group of people who govern your organization.
Your board of directors will help determine what direction your organization will take financially and ethically as well as look out for the nonprofit's legal well-being.You may already have a group of people in mind for your board of directors.
If you're passionate about animal welfare, you may have already networked with likeminded individuals who you would be comfortable working with.
However, if not there are plenty of ways to find board members in your area.There are two key components to consider when selecting a board: skills and talents you need for your organization.
Identify what types of skills you need.
For an animal rescue, people with legal skills, public relation skills, veterinary skills, and business skills.
Start making a list of people to contact.
Schedule meetings with potential board members to see if they would be a good fit for your organization.Usually, a board of directors should contain about 7 individuals.
You may need more than that as your organization grows, but in the early stages stick to around this number. -
Step 3: Set goals.
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Step 4: Establish a board of directors.
Detailed Guide
If you want to start a nonprofit animal rescue, the first step is being well informed about the issues.
Take some time to familiarize yourself with the current dialogue surrounding animal care and rescue.
You should also learn a bit about nonprofit management before starting your journey to forming a non-profit.
If you're passionate about animal welfare, you may already have some idea of what resources to seek out to educate yourself.
Read the latest books and studies regarding animal welfare.
You can seek out the newsletters of other organizations, such as HSUS, the ASPCA and Greenpeace, for an idea of current topics of concern.In addition to researching issues through reading, so some hands on searching as well.
Visit a local rescue in your area.
Talk to the managers, volunteers, and staff and ask them relevant questions about their experience.
What's most important to them about the rescue they're working at now? What do they think their organization does best? Where do they think there's room for improvement? Is there a need that's not currently being met in your community? How could you fill that need through your own organization?Nonprofit management is a difficult subject in and of itself.
Many states even have certification exams, lasting up to 3 hours, you must take before managing a nonprofit.
Look into the regulations in your state.
Consider reading up on nonprofit management.
You should also consider higher education regarding the management of nonprofit organizations.
Take a few courses online or at a local college.If you're not sure you have time to gain extra education in nonprofit management, consider teaming up with a friend with experience in the field.
If you know someone who's itching to start his or her own nonprofit, approach this person about your desire to create an animal rescue.
See if he or she would be willing to start the endeavor with you.
Every organization needs a solid mission statement.
There are many different kinds of animal rescues.
Drafting a brief mission statement can help you get a sense of what your organization will do.
This can help you down the road with financial and hiring decisions.
A mission statement answers the questions, "What exactly are we trying to do here?" It should be brief, no more than one or two sentences.
Use a clear and positive tone and avoid use of jargon and complicated terms the average person does not understand.
Not only does your mission statement help you clarify your goals as a nonprofit, it can be used as a marketing tool later on.Read mission statements of other nonprofits you admire for brainstorming.
Pay attention to the length, word choice, and goals used in these statements.Your mission statement is important so spend some time coming up with a good mission statement.
You will need to use your mission statement filling out financial forms, many of which require a statement of purpose.
As nonprofits rely heavily on donation to cover cost of operation, you'll also need a mission statement that helps rally support for your cause.
Allow your passion to shine through., As stated, there are many different types of animal rescues.
Take some time to lay out your goals so you know what direction you're taking in regards to your nonprofit rescue.
Your goals will likely appear later on as you establish a web presence, so make sure they're easily readable for a wide audience.
What kind of rescue are you forming? What are you policies? Are you taking in animals rescued for testing facilities? Are you focusing mainly on domesticated pets, like cats and dogs, or adopting livestock? What is your policy on euthanasia? Are you hoping to find homes for animals through your rescue or provide a permanent sanctuary?To start writing your, focus on long-range goals and then work your way back to the present.
Consider where you want to be in 10 years.
What do you hope to accomplish in this timeframe? Then, work backwards.
What are actions you can take to accomplish these goals?Once you've established short and long term goals, consider how you will accomplish them.
Get into specifics here.
Say you live in Michigan and want to help re-home abused and abandon pets in Detroit and hope to, in 10 years, have reduced the rate of stays in the city by 30%.
In the short term, what actions can you start with? Should you start by spreading the word across the city about where to report abuse an abandonment? Should you establish a center within Detroit city limits where people can drop off strays within you first 2 years of operation? Try and take some time to consider specifics.Goals, much like your mission statement, are important marketing tools.
People are far more likely to give you money if they know exactly where their funds are going.
Being as transparent as possible about your company goals can help kickstart marketing and fundraising down the road., A nonprofit cannot run on its own.
You will need a board of directs, which is a group of people who govern your organization.
Your board of directors will help determine what direction your organization will take financially and ethically as well as look out for the nonprofit's legal well-being.You may already have a group of people in mind for your board of directors.
If you're passionate about animal welfare, you may have already networked with likeminded individuals who you would be comfortable working with.
However, if not there are plenty of ways to find board members in your area.There are two key components to consider when selecting a board: skills and talents you need for your organization.
Identify what types of skills you need.
For an animal rescue, people with legal skills, public relation skills, veterinary skills, and business skills.
Start making a list of people to contact.
Schedule meetings with potential board members to see if they would be a good fit for your organization.Usually, a board of directors should contain about 7 individuals.
You may need more than that as your organization grows, but in the early stages stick to around this number.
About the Author
Michael Chavez
Experienced content creator specializing in practical skills guides and tutorials.
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