Presenter: Gary Ware, Breakthrough Play

In today's fast-paced society, where burnout is a common struggle, it's time for a refreshing change. According to a CareerBuilder survey on stress, 61% of employees are burned out on the job. The solution to this massive problem is more than just vowing to take vacation time. It requires changing the way we work all together to incorporate more rest, levity, play, and renewal into our day. Step outside of the hustle and into the world of play!  

We'll share eye-opening insights on how embracing play can transform your organization's culture and improve the mental health and well-being of your employees. Embracing play and playfulness within an organization not only fosters a vibrant and engaging culture, but also significantly enhances the overall well-being, health, and productivity of its employees, resulting in a happier and more successful workforce. In this session, you'll get a clearer understanding of the impact of incorporating play into your workday. In addition, you’ll learn activities that will help you elevate your team’s mood, enhance creativity, and increase their capacity for connection. Whether you're a play enthusiast or a play skeptic, this session will equip you with practical activities and strategies to reignite your team's energy and connection. 

Presenter: Frank Velásquez, Jr., 4 Da Hood

Presenter: Libby Post, NYSAPF; Stacie Haynes, Susquehanna SPCA; Joe Lisella, Animal Protective Foundation

Animal shelters across the country are increasingly challenged to bring their facilities up to date to achieve today’s widely accepted standards for the humane care of animals in our care. The New York State Animal Protection Federation (NYSAPF), a statewide coalition of shelters and rescues, successfully lobbied their state assembly, senate, and governor for the creation of a Companion Animal Capital Fund (CACF) beginning in 2018. Since then, the state has issued six rounds of grants for the construction, renovation, and expansion of animal shelters, and over $33 million has been awarded to shelters supporting better care and increased adoptions for dogs and cats.

Learn about the tactics used to successfully convince politicians from both sides of the aisle to back the CACF, with some of the most fiscally conservative politicians calling this vital funding, “a rounding error in the state budget.” We will also discuss the process of designing the program with the Association of Shelter Veterinarians guidelines, as a means of raising awareness of the improvements needed, and ensuring projects are focused on the wellbeing of animals. The presentation will give examples of the impact the 70+ grants have had on the recipient organizations, both large and small, doing minor projects or providing the seed money that led to building an entirely new shelter

Presenter: Larisa Nagelberg, Toronto Humane Society

Presenter: Ayesha Ganguly, Amphibian Stage

In a polarized time and world, do we avoid difficult ethical conversations? Just the opposite, we dive in headlong, immerse ourselves in it, and come out with confident shared ways to move forward. In this session, we will find out how to do this. Ethics exploration forces us to examine ourselves and our work constantly, forcing us outside of what we know and accept. But all of us following our passion and trying to make the world a better place want to do better. We are leaders, we are busy, exhausted with a never-ending task list. But in this session, we will pause and answer questions to practical ends:

• What’s informing your work and life?
• What are the ethical conflicts in your work?
• Who is around you and who are you accountable to?
• What are those questions that you must always ask for a robust organizational culture and how to practice this culture?
• Why this is the best time, surrounded by conflicts and a polarized environment, to dive into ethics?

Presenter: Rebecca Shapalis and Mary Meredith, Avalon; Lauren Sracic, Humane Rescue Alliance

When the health, lives, and welfare of animals in your community are at risk, does your organization know when and how to rally your supporters to help with a solution? It’s critical to know when to respond, what channels to use to share information, and what to ask of supporters. Having a rapid response protocol in place is key to deploying relevant and timely outreach that motivates quick action and donations. And because emergencies don’t exist in a vacuum, we’ll explore the agility needed to adapt your strategy to evolving sentiments within the community – your next effort must respond to, and build on, the community’s reaction to your first.

This session will share practical tips for the experienced fundraiser on how to map out rapid response procedures in your animal welfare organization and help you determine when to activate them. We’ll also show you real examples of successful coordinated responses so you can take real tactics back to your organization.

Presenter: Rich Anderson, Anderson Impact; Kelley Likes, Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Regon

How would you like to raise twice as much money for your organization? How about three, four, or five times as much as you raise today? We’ll discuss what it takes to build powerful major gifts and planned giving programs, and you’ll walk away with proven strategies, techniques, and tools for your organization. Hear about examples and long-term fundraising plans from shelters that you can scale to your programs. You’ll learn:

• How to identify major donor and planned giving prospects
• How to communicate with these donors
• How to cultivate and build strong donor relationships
• How to make the ask

Presenter: Kim Brown, APA Missouri; Tori Fugate, KC Pet Project

Effective communication is paramount in animal welfare. But tackling highly sensitive issues can often be stressful and difficult. Attendees will hear about two case studies where shelters were bold, honest, and transparent about the complicated topic of euthanasia. You will gain valuable insights into how to communicate on behalf of animals with courage, compassion, and impact.

Learn about KC Pet Project’s transparent communication strategies which build community support for vulnerable animals, increasing their chances for positive outcomes. They will explain how they communicate to the public through their website and socials about dogs who are most at risk of euthanasia. See examples of how they use blunt honesty on social media when posting about animals who have been euthanized.

APA Missouri will explain their process for internal and external communications in advance of euthanasia, when animals are at risk, to build trust and transparency. They found their at-risk communication prepares staff and volunteers for possible and allows us to work as a team for alternative pathways.

Presenter: Tom Hayashi, Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership

With so many causes and organizations fighting for donors' attention and engagement, having a more tailored approach to taking donors through the fundraising cycle can significantly improve the short-term campaign results, as well as the mid and long-term fundraising outcomes. Donors are just waiting for the right opportunity to be engaged — they just don't know it yet. This session will cover what fundraising leaders need to understand and apply to their development campaigns and strategies to motivate donors to contribute to both general operating funds and special projects.

Session Objectives:

• Identify and understand donor behavior by demographic characteristics
• Create a case for giving and philanthropic opportunities based on donor interests
• Develop and deploy short, mid, and long-term donor engagement strategies by donor segments

Presenter: Emily Berger, Denver Economic Development & Opportunity; Milanie Sobel, Denver Animal Protection

In 2022, the Denver Animal Shelter came to the Denver Office of Economic Development and Opportunity with a big challenge –the current level and successful recruitment of veterinary professionals remained very low. As the outlook for the future veterinary workforce in both shelters and the private sector continued to trend lower, there was the immediate need for recruitment and retention efforts. This collaboration created a call to action with local nonprofit clinics/shelters, educational entities, apprenticeships, foundations, associations, and individuals in veterinary medicine to create two workgroups that are still going strong and producing results that impact this essential industry.

Attendees will:

• Discover the secret sauce that brings agencies and partners to the table to make meaningful change
• Understand the role of the workforce in prioritizing a solution-based approach to address labor force challenges
• Learn how to consolidate veterinary workforce priorities into doable pieces
• Hear about examples of Denver’s success, including a retention study, support of a veterinary medicine pre-apprenticeship, and working with local school districts to offer career pathways in veterinary medicine