Activities
Grantsmanship
The AU’s primary activity is researching potential grantors and their requirements for grants, researching other funding sources, drafting grant applications with supporting documents, and applying for those grants on behalf of our member organizations in the forms and with the data required by each grantor. We have conferred at length with Dr. Elliot Katz of In Defense of Animals and, through his referral, with Jane Hoffman, President/Chairman of a major New York City nonprofit upon which The AU will be at least partially modeled: the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals.
Fundraising
We will also conduct fundraising activities, including events, direct mail campaigns, estate planning presentations, direct appeals, online auctions, vehicle donations and premium sales, acting as an umbrella fundraising organization for the benefit of our member nonprofits.
Partnering with Member Organizations
We have identified 200 potential partnering organizations, i.e., all-volunteer animal rescue and welfare nonprofits, in the nine counties of the San Francisco Bay Area. We will be examining their public tax returns to determine if they qualify to apply for our grants.
We will then invite potential member organizations to become beneficiaries of the organization’s fundraising activities after conveying the benefits of such a partnership to their board members. Since the organization will at least partially fulfill the development function of typically small, understaffed nonprofits, this activity will both relieve the nonprofits of a major grant-seeking activity and allow them to devote their human capital to their own primary purpose, i.e., rescuing animals. Typical member organization expenses, for which grant money will be used, include veterinary bills and animal food and supplies.
Sanctuary Groundwork
We will research, develop a business plan for, and negotiate terms for the acquisition, lease, purchase or, ideally, gift of land and buildings to establish an animal sanctuary or a network of smaller community sanctuaries.
Board Development
Finally, we have begun researching potential board members and fostering acquaintanceships with some of them. We have developed a board membership guide and have created this website. These activities will evolve as the AU continues to grow.