Impactful online tools to support dog rehoming nonprofits
When it comes to running a successful dog rehoming nonprofit, there are many online tools and strategies to help you achieve your goals. Using the right online platforms can help organizations raise funds, manage resources, facilitate adoptions, and make a difference to dogs in need. GoFundMe is a safe and trusted platform that allows organizers to share their stories, promote their fundraisers, and connect with a global community of charitable donors. Help dogs find their forever homes today.
What are effective fundraising tools for dog rehoming nonprofits?
When it comes to fundraising for dog rehoming nonprofits, it’s essential to use an online platform that can enhance storytelling and connect your fundraiser with a large audience of animal lovers. GoFundMe has helped thousands of animal welfare fundraisers reach their goals and make a positive impact.
Why GoFundMe works well for dog rehoming fundraising
- User-friendly software — GoFundMe dashboard has easy social sharing buttons, AI tools, and donation management, making it easy for organizers to run effective fundraisers.
- Extensive community reach — The platform’s extensive global giving community, combined with easy sharing capabilities, enables fundraisers to reach communities worldwide. In 2024, fundraisers received over 55 million shares, and users supported each other with thank-you notes, comments, and reactions more than 20 million times, according to GoFundMe’s annual Year in Help report.
- No upfront fees – Starting a GoFundMe is easy and free to set up and manage, with no platform fees. A processing fee of 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction applies. See more here.
- 24/7 customer support – GoFundMe offers round-the-clock support for users about their fundraisers. Contact the support team through the Help Center by clicking on the “Contact us” button.
Pros & cons
Pros:
- Ease of use – GoFundMe is user-friendly for both organizers and donors, offering a range of advanced tools to help achieve fundraising goals.
- Large donor base – The platform has a charitable giving community of over 150 million donors worldwide, with thousands of animal fundraisers achieving success on the platform.
- Flexible fundraising – With GoFundMe’s flexible funding model, organizers keep all the money they raise, even if they don’t reach their fundraising goal. You can adjust your fundraising goals at any time on GoFundMe to help encourage further donations.
Cons:
- Processing fees per donation – While GoFundMe has no platform fees for setting up and managing a fundraiser, a small processing fee of 2.9% + $0.30 is applied per transaction. See more here.
Key features
- Personalized fundraising pages – Storytelling is central to GoFundMe; personalize your fundraiser with stories, photos, and videos. On GoFundMe Pro (formerly Classy), nonprofits can customize donation pages with branding, logo, and colors to help inspire giving.
- Social media integration – You can easily share your fundraiser straight from the dashboard using helpful social sharing tools. GoFundMe Pro also integrates with Meta’s Giving Tools, enabling native donation experiences on Facebook and Instagram. This allows supporters to donate directly from the social media platforms without leaving.
- Secure donation processing – The GoFundMe Giving Guarantee ensures that donations are safe, allowing people to support your cause with confidence.
Pricing
- GoFundMe has zero platform fees for setting up and managing a fundraiser; a small processing fee of 2.9% + $0.30 is applied per transaction. See more here.
- GoFundMe Pro offers custom pricing for nonprofits to help them meet their fundraising needs.
What tools help manage dog adoption processes?
Petfinder is an online directory that lists adoptable pets looking for their forever homes. It is the largest online pet adoption directory, featuring over 300,000 animals from 14,000 shelters across North America.
Shelters use the platform to connect directly with potential adopters via their personal homepages and pet listings. Individuals can browse these listings to find a suitable pet.
Why Petfinder is effective for dog adoption
- Wide visibility among potential adopters – With nearly 14,000 organizations across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, there are plenty of adoptable pets to choose from. The platform’s filters (breed, age, distance, etc) make it easier for adopters to find dogs that suit their lifestyle, boosting the chances of a happy adoption.
- Simple pet management tools – Petfinder Pro allows shelters and rescues to manage their adoptable pet listings more efficiently. They can upload, edit, and track profiles quickly (and in bulk), as well as monitor interest in real-time.
Pros & cons
Pros:
- Detailed pet profiles – The platform allows each animal to truly shine with personalized pages that highlight their story, characteristics, health, and forever home preferences. You can upload multiple images and videos, too.
Cons:
- Competition among listings – With so many listings on the site, it’s important to take steps to help pets stand out. Here are some top tips for creating great pet listings from Petfinder.
- Need for due diligence – Users must conduct their own research when assessing the suitability of a shelter or animal rescue center before adopting an animal.
Key features
- Pet listings – Petfinder allows shelters and animal rescues to personalize their pet listings with essential details, photos, and videos. This allows each animal to stand out.
- Search tools – Users can filter searches by the pet’s age and breed. They can also find animals that match their situation by filtering for those that are good with kids, are healthy, or have no special care needs.
- Adoption application management – Petfinder helps adoption management by connecting adopters with shelters, allowing direct contact to start applications. Petfinder does not manage the application process.
Pricing
- Petfinder is free for eligible nonprofit shelters and rescue groups to use.
- The platform is also free to browse for potential adopters, but users should expect to pay an adoption fee directly to the shelter. These fees will vary.
How can social media platforms support dog rehoming efforts?
Social media amplifies fundraising and awareness efforts to help support dog rehoming nonprofits. By tapping into dog-loving communities and local groups on social media platforms, nonprofits can make a difference. With built-in social tools on both GoFundMe and Petfinder, nonprofits can combine online tools and strategies to raise money, spread awareness, and find forever homes for dogs in need.
Effective use of Facebook and Instagram
- Engagement with large communities — Tap into existing dog-loving communities by joining Facebook groups and partnering with other animal welfare organizations to collaborate on posts. Use interactive content to capture audiences. Community engagement is essential; people don’t want to be talked at—they want conversations. So, comment on posts, answer questions, and reply to messages to build your network. You can also use paid promotion and targeting to reach your target audience and use popular hashtags.
- Compelling storytelling — Share dog rescue stories to tug on the heartstrings of potential supporters and adoptees. Name the animal and share some engaging information about the dog, such as details about their characteristics, personality, likes, and dislikes. Use photos and videos to build a connection with your audience.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- High engagement potential – Animal content has the potential to reach a broad audience on social media. Especially if a prominent user reposts your content. Remember to include a call to action on each post, whether that’s following your account or making a donation. Include links to your website and any relevant GoFundMe or Petfinder pages in your bio, so people can easily find the information they need.
- Ease of sharing – It’s super simple for nonprofits to share details of the animals on social media and reach a large audience. Remember to encourage followers to repost your content. You could also encourage adoptive families to post updates on their dog once it has settled into its new home.
Cons:
- Time-consuming — For a small nonprofit team with limited resources, efficiency is essential. It’s easy to spend hours on social media, but instead, plan ahead with a content calendar, schedule your posts, find opportunities to repurpose content, and encourage your followers to repost your content to boost the impact of each post.
- Requires regular updates –Social media requires work to drive impact. Analyze your engagement data to see what’s working best for you in terms of content type and post times, and double down on what’s working.
Key features
- Boost posts — You can pay to promote certain posts. Select your top-performing content, establish a budget and timeframe, and target the relevant audience, such as individuals with similar interests or local residents.
- Fundraising integration — GoFundMe Pro’s integration with Meta’s Giving Tools enables native donations on Facebook and Instagram, allowing supporters to donate directly from the social media platforms without leaving.
Pricing
- Social media platforms are generally free to use, with optional paid advertising available.
Where can people fundraise online for dog rehoming initiatives?
Individuals seeking to raise funds online for dog rehoming initiatives can use platforms like GoFundMe to raise money and increase awareness quickly. GoFundMe enables individuals to share their stories effectively, easily share their fundraisers, and connect with a global community of animal lovers. The GoFundMe Giving Guarantee ensures that supporter donations are secure.
People can set up a personal fundraising page to support a nonprofit, with proceeds going directly to the organization, or they can withdraw funds and transfer them independently. Alternatively, individuals can share donation links directly to a registered nonprofit in the form of a birthday or memorial fundraiser.
Where can people donate to dog rehoming initiatives?
Individuals looking to support a dog rehoming initiative can do so by donating directly through an organization’s website. People can search for an organization’s donation page or a personal fundraiser on GoFundMe by browsing the animal fundraisers on the platform.
People can also show their support in person by attending fundraising events and visiting shelters. Individuals can also make in-kind donations by providing volunteering time, goods, or services.
Common questions
Q: What online tool is effective for fundraising for a dog rescue?
A: GoFundMe is widely used due to its ease of use and large online community of donors.
Q: Are there free online adoption management tools available?
A: Yes, platforms like Petfinder offer free management tools for nonprofits to list animals available for adoption and to communicate with potential adopters. For complete adoption management, users will need to use a tool like Shelterluv or Sheltermanger.com.
Q: How do social media platforms aid dog rehoming?
A: They offer increased visibility, fundraising options, and connect nonprofits with potential adopters.
Q: Can I set up a fundraiser for free?
A: GoFundMe fundraisers are free to set up and manage. Learn more about our fees here.
Q: Can I raise funds without being part of a nonprofit?
A: Yes—individuals can launch a personal fundraiser to support a conservation cause. At GoFundMe, you can either send funds directly to the nonprofit or withdraw them and donate the funds to the nonprofit.
Help rehome a dog today
Empower your dog rehoming nonprofit by leveraging online tools for a range of effective strategies. GoFundMe can help you raise awareness and funds to support your good cause, ensuring you can continue to help dogs in need for the foreseeable future.
Start a fundraiser today on GoFundMe to enhance your reach and impact, supporting more successful dog adoptions.