Humane Ohio: Obtaining Public Funding for a Spay/Neuter Program

Transcription

1 Humane Ohio: Obtaining Public Funding for a Spay/Neuter Program Compiled by ASPCA and PetSmart Charities and distributed to the field, September Visit the ASPCA National Outreach website for animal welfare professionals:

2 Humane Ohio: Public Funding for Spay/Neuter Obtaining public funding for the Operation FELIX spay/neuter program Humane Ohio began life as a MASH-style spay/neuter clinic serving the greater Toledo area. Through its Operation FELIX program, Humane Ohio provided free spay/neuter services for cats belonging to low-income pet owners. They are now a stationary clinic, and provide spay/neuter surgeries for both dogs and cats. Humane Ohio serves targeted areas of northwest Ohio. This profile details how Humane Ohio reached out for and obtained a Federal Department of Housing and Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and discretionary funds from the Toledo city council to launch the Operation FELIX program. Stats Humane Ohio launched its first Operation FELIX clinic with 82 surgeries. In their first year, they sterilized 808 cats. By 2004, they were exceeding their surgery goals. By the end of 2005, after which the organization began its transition to a stationary clinic, the monthly Operation FELIX clinics were sterilizing up to 2,000 cats per year. How Cool is That? At ASPCA National Outreach, we re especially impressed by: How a small start-up has grown into such a significant program The role public funding played in getting the program launched Adopt or Adapt You too can apply for public funds by following the Step-by-Step instructions in this profile. Another free resource provided by ASPCA and PetSmart Charities 2 of 7

3 Humane Ohio: Public Funding for Operation FELIX Obtaining public funds to start a spay/neuter program Humane Ohio launched the Operation FELIX (Feline Education and Love instead of Extermination) program in 2002, using a $15,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and $10,000 in city council discretionary funds, all matched by a private donor. This profile focuses on how Humane Ohio reached out for and obtained public funding to get the Operation FELIX program started. Who They Are And What They Do Ingredients and Prep Work Step by Step Results Some Words of Wisdom Humane Ohio: Thumbnail Sketch Who They Are and What They Do Humane Ohio Greater Toledo and its partners Aimee St. Arnaud, Director - Humane Ohio Humane Ohio established Operation FELIX in 2002 in response to the report of a non-partisan study of animal welfare issues conducted by a local independent think tank. The study, which was sponsored by county and city officials, identified stray cats as the Number One animal issue in Lucas County, OH. Humane Ohio was formed to bring local groups together around the issue. The group determined that the best way to make use of available resources would be to hold monthly MASH-style clinics at the local Stautzenberger College s Vet Tech program and at the city s two animal career vocational schools. Approximately $50,000 was needed to purchase equipment and supplies and to pay two part-time coordinators to get the program up and running. The program was launched through an innovative combination of public and private funding. Ingredients and Prep Work Prerequisites A publicly funded study to identify and define the need Understanding what kinds of public money are available, who controls the distribution, and what the criteria are for receiving those funds People Someone willing to research the availability of public funding in your community One or two key allies within the government who can help build support for your funding request. Humane Ohio leaders studied the voting records of their council members. They knew who voted for animal issues. They also tracked which council members came to community events involving animals. Another free resource provided by ASPCA and PetSmart Charities 3 of 7

4 Up-front Costs and Startup Funding Costs were $50,000 for Year One. Most of the funds paid for necessary equipment such as traps and all disposable supplies for a full year. Two part-time coordinators each were paid $7,500 to get the program up and running. Of this, $15,000 was funded through a Community Development Block Grant and $10,000 from Toledo City Council discretionary funds. $25,000 was provided as matching funds from a private donor. Timeline It took six months of planning from the time the idea was developed to the time of the first clinic. Step by Step 1. Convince government officials to sponsor a study of animal issues in your community. Having the study sponsored by government officials gets them involved right from the start. Later, when you go to them for funding, you can cite the study they funded as the catalyst for your project and the reason you are applying to them for funding. The Toledo study was sponsored by Toledo City Council, four adjacent municipalities, and Lucas County. 2. Find out who appropriates the HUD CDBG funding in your community. Federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds are allocated to local governments and distributed at the local level. In Toledo, requests for CDBG funds are handled by the Department of Neighborhoods and approved by the city council and the mayor. These grants may be administered differently in your community. You can call your city or town hall to ask who administers community block grant funds. It may take a few calls to get the answer. 3. Find out the process for applying and the criteria your program must meet. Request an application. You may be told that animal groups don t qualify. Don t be discouraged. You ll simply have to educate the decision-makers about the benefits your program will provide for humans public safety, health, ability to redirect resources currently spent on picking up and housing strays etc. Let them know that there are other communities where these funds have been directed toward animal projects: Toledo, OH; Lodi, CA; Jefferson Parrish, LA; Spartanburg, SC. A requirement for getting the funds will probably be that you provide the service at NO cost and target low-income pet owners and caregivers. You ll need good funding sources and a good plan for reaching the targeted audience. Humane Ohio developed a no-cost program focused on low-income census tracts identified by the city and county. Humane Ohio also worked with social service agencies and block watches to get the word out. 4. Be aware of deadlines. If you miss them, you ll have to wait a full year to apply. Another free resource provided by ASPCA and PetSmart Charities 4 of 7

5 5. Make sure your group is prepared to meet stringent requirements. For example: One of the requirements is careful reporting (whom you helped address, ethnic background, contact information etc.) Once you accept government funding, you ll be faced with a mountain of paperwork. In addition to keeping accurate, detailed records, you ll be required to submit regular reports. You ll have to develop and enforce policies. There may be requirements regarding training. If you find all of this overwhelming, your group may not be ready to apply for this kind of funding. It took Humane Ohio a good five months to get comfortable with the requirements. 6. Find out if there are council discretionary funds available. If this is true in your community, find one or two animal-friendly council members to direct some of their funding to you. Ask if they will approach their colleagues to do the same. In Toledo, council members receive between $5,000 and $10,000 in discretionary funds that they can spend on projects of their choice. Humane Ohio got several members to direct approximately $2,000 to them for a total of $10, Track your results by district. As elected officials, council members are concerned about serving their constituents. If you can show them that your program is directly helping people in their districts, and if you can provide them with data that they can take back to the voters, they ll be much more apt to direct funds your way. Results The Numbers Year 1: Cats sterilized: 808 Owned cats: 519 Stray/unowned cats: 289 Vets participating: 31 representing 19 clinics (approximately 200 vet hours donated) Vet techs: 12 Volunteers: 172 In 2007: The clinic is on track to reach its goal of 7000 surgeries for the year. Humane Ohio is now looking at bringing on another part-time vet to increase that figure. Humane Ohio received a $38,000 grant from the city of Toledo for cat surgeries for Toledo residents. Humane Ohio had invited city officials to tour their new facility and learn about the high-volume model, and the officials were impressed by what they saw. The grant was a big vote of confidence from the city. Because of the grant, 1400 Toledo cats who would not otherwise be altered were spayed or neutered by Humane Ohio. Critical Factors Getting government officials involved in the initial research that identified the problem and then making them part of the solution Developing personal relationships with those who control the funds. Humane Ohio leaders went to council meetings and invited government officials to attend their clinics. Another free resource provided by ASPCA and PetSmart Charities 5 of 7

6 Thinking Outside the Box Applying for and getting public funding is itself an innovative step. Going on to use their grant to obtain matching funds from a private donor makes a good thing even better. How They Feel About What They Did Humane Ohio is proud that they were able to develop a community-wide collaboration, including county and city officials, to launch a modest program that has since grown into a national model. Their Next Steps In 2005, Humane Ohio obtained its own building. The following year, they began the transition to a Humane Alliance model clinic. The Humane Ohio goals for 2006 and beyond are: Develop an effective marketing program to reach their target audience of those with limited income, feral caregivers, and shelters and rescues. The plan will include print, radio, TV, and working with governmental and social service agencies. Increase surgery totals to 8,000 animals a year. Serve as a training facility for other programs wanting to learn how to start up high-volume clinics and for Ohio veterinarians wanting to learn high-volume surgical techniques. Establish relationships with trailer-park residents to educate the residents about feral cats and implement TNR programs in the parks. Some Words of Wisdom What Worked Doing their homework and then going through proper channels and following prescribed procedures. Getting government officials involved brought more than money. Because the city had identified a problem and Humane Ohio kept them involved as they developed a solution, the Toledo City Council passed a resolution praising the Operation FELIX program when the program sterilized the 1,000th cat. Now, city and county officials refer individuals who call in with animal related problems to Humane Ohio. Be Prepared For Public funding is not always reliable. CDBG funds were cut the year after Operation FELIX got its startup funding, so Humane Ohio has not applied again. Discretionary funds are also cut from time to time, and council members have many constituents seeking funding. It s important always to be exploring other funding options. Tell Us What You Think With the information we ve provided, can you start a program like this one in your organization? Click here to send an to ASPCA National Outreach with your feedback and questions. Another free resource provided by ASPCA and PetSmart Charities 6 of 7

7 Humane Ohio: Thumbnail Sketch Humane Ohio Greater Toledo P.O. Box 820 Perrysburg, OH Humane Ohio Greater Toledo provides community education and sterilization programs for cats and dogs through collaborative efforts with shelters and rescue groups in the Greater Toledo area. Through its transport program for low-cost spay/neuter services, Humane Ohio reaches six counties in northwest Ohio and Michigan. Staff Full-time, paid employees: 3 veterinary technicians 1.5 full-time equivalent veterinarians (filled by 3 part-time vets) 1 operations director 1 clinic director The position of executive director is unpaid. Operating Budget For 2007, $360,000 Business Type 501(c) (3) nonprofit Another free resource provided by ASPCA and PetSmart Charities 7 of 7