Starting A Shelter: Money Stuff

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

30 May 2007 09:14 AM

If you're going to run a shelter, you're going to need money. Lots of money. Money for the land and building your animals use. Money for dog food and cat chow. Money for advertising your shelter so your resident animals can find homes. Money for veterinary services, grooming, and training. Get the picture?

The best thing you can do is find a pet-loving accountant and/or bookkeeper to help you set up an accounting system. You need to document income and expenses -- and in categories that make sense for when you'll be doing this on your own. Otherwise, you'll be spending money on that accountant, too. And that isn't a bad thing! Knowing your limitations -- like if you can't handle the bookkeeping on your own -- is a big part of running any business.

Creating a budget isn't an easy thing. Use your shelter's goals as a starting point. Do you hope to take in a hundred animals in your first year? That number will help you estimate how much money you'll need to spend on food, veterinary bills, grooming, training, and building upkeep. It will also help you get an idea of how many people you'll need on staff, and how many volunteers you'll want to have around.

Thinks to keep in mind when making your budget:

• The budget is a guideline, not a firm law. You don't have to be perfect. You'll get better at estimating what you need over the years.
• Think about every aspect of your business -- don't forget the office supplies, utilities for the building, and yearly taxes. Your accountant can be a big help here.
• Don't forget to set aside some money for fundraising. Yes, that sounds backwards. But you'll need to spread the word about your shelter, print up and send newsletters and other mailings, and put on fundraising events.
• Large donors may want to look at your budget before making donations. Be honest with your needs and what things are going to cost you.

Looking at your budget can seem a little overwhelming -- and be more than a little scary and humbling. It is up to YOU to raise the money you need for your shelter to function. There are lots of things you can do in terms of fundraising, so don't panic!

Learn more about Aimee Amodio

Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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