According to Double the Donation, 77% of consumers prefer to buy from companies that have corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in place. For pet businesses like yours, this means supporting shelters, rescues, and other animal welfare organizations in your community.

There are many ways to show your support for animal nonprofits, from financial gifts to donations of your services. For example, a dog grooming business might offer shelter dogs free grooming sessions to prep them for an upcoming adoption event. Or, a business with a marketing team could create graphics for a nonprofit’s social media posts. But if you’re looking to make a sustained impact and grow your reputation as a business that cares for its community, consider forming a long-term partnership with one of these organizations.

This guide explores the benefits of partnering with a mission-aligned nonprofit and how to make the partnership mutually beneficial.

Building a Mutually Beneficial Partnership

Ideally, this relationship should offer the following benefits for:

  • Your Business:
    • Enhanced reputation and customer loyalty.
    • More engaged employees and higher retention rates.
    • New customers who have heard about your business through the nonprofit’s network (i.e., customers sourced from the nonprofit’s audience).
    • Recognition as a central member of the community.
  • The Nonprofit:
    • Access to new donors, volunteers, and willing adopters.
    • A new strategic contact in the for-profit space.
    • Expanded resources through financial and in-kind donations (e.g., event spaces), allowing them to maximize impact within their budget.
    • Increased public visibility and awareness.

How to Find the Right Nonprofit Partner

To reap the benefits of this partnership, however, your business will need to identify nonprofit partners who are suited to your needs and goals. First, compile a list of local animal shelters, humane societies, rescue groups, and even wildlife rehabilitation organizations. Then, pare down your list and evaluate potential partners by reviewing their:

  • Mission and values: Navigate to the nonprofit’s website and review their mission, vision, and values. What are they trying to accomplish? Are their goals and values in line with yours?
  • Reputation: Next, evaluate the nonprofit’s reputation by seeking out testimonials and stories. For a more neutral review of their practices, you can search for the organization on charity-scoring sites. For instance, Charity Navigator scores organizations based on impact, accountability and finances, culture and community, and leadership.
  • Online presence: Check out the nonprofit’s website, social media profiles, and any other relevant digital platforms. Are their actions and strategies connected to their mission? How do they communicate their values online, and do those values show in the way they interact with their community?
  • Past partnerships (if applicable): Look for any references to past partnerships on their website or social media pages. How did those partnerships go? What was the nature or goal of the partnership? If possible, follow up with past partners to learn more.

If the nonprofit has a solid reputation as a reliable and trustworthy organization, its values align with yours, and they seem like they could be receptive to a partnership, add them to your list of candidates. Before you reach out, make sure you’ve determined your business’s capacity to contribute (i.e., how much time, funding, services, space, etc., you’re willing to donate).

Reach out with a short introduction and proposal for the partnership. If the nonprofit is receptive to the idea, set up a meeting. Think of this as a two-way interview or “first date.” It’s an opportunity for both parties to ask and answer questions, establish rapport, and solidify expectations for the partnership.

Creative Ways to Collaborate

Once you’ve secured a partner, it’s time to work together to organize impactful events and campaigns. The following ideas can engage both audiences, securing new customers for your business and additional supporters for the nonprofit:

In-Store Adoption Events

Many shelters and rescues are dealing with chronic overcrowding in their facilities, with lobbies and hallways packed with crates of animals awaiting their forever families. This overcrowding also makes it difficult or impossible for nonprofits to hold adoption events at their facilities.

Help your nonprofit partner overcome these challenges by offering your space for adoption events. Not only will you match shelter animals with loving pet parents, but you’ll help the nonprofit free up space to take in more animals in need. Consider offering these events on a regular basis (i.e., weekly or monthly), ideally on weekends when more people can attend. Promote the events online, and encourage the nonprofit to do the same.

Co-Branded Campaigns

Collaborate with your nonprofit partner to create a co-branded product or other offering, and either divide the proceeds or donate all profits to the nonprofit. Some fun ideas include:

  • Branded merchandise featuring both partners’ logos, such as collars, bandanas, bowls, and even t-shirts for pet parents.
  • An adoption anniversary or “Gotcha Day” box with treats, toys, and a branded collar or bandana for adopted pet parents to gift to their pet.
  • A calendar or coffee table book, complete with professional photos of the nonprofit’s available animals.
  • A signature drink (think “Paw-cha Latte” or “Whisker Sour”)—perfect for a cat cafe or pet-friendly bar.

Promote these items online to spread the word and boost sales. Follow Gingr’s tips to grow your reach by leveraging social media, using email marketing, engaging your community, and running promotions.

Ongoing “Round Up” Campaigns

Passively fundraise for your partner by organizing an ongoing “round up” campaign. All you have to do is instruct employees to ask customers whether they want to round up to the nearest dollar when checking out. That additional money is then donated to your nonprofit partner.

Make sure to display signs on or around the register promoting the shelter or rescue so you can spread awareness of the good work they do. Incorporate scannable QR codes for the nonprofit’s website so customers can explore their work.

Making Your Partnership a Long-Term Success

Forming these connections takes time, effort, and collaboration—make the most of the investment by stewarding the relationship and cultivating a long-term partnership. These rapid-fire tips will help you strengthen trust and deepen the relationship with your nonprofit partner:

  • Focus on the future from the beginning by clearly setting your expectations and objectives for the partnership. For instance, you might say, “As we get started, we’d love to think beyond this first campaign and discuss what a successful, long-term partnership could look like for both of us a year from now, ensuring our efforts make a real impact for your mission.”
  • Schedule regular check-ins with your partner to discuss progress toward your goals, new ideas, and other points of feedback. This open dialogue builds trust and rapport, fosters collaboration, and allows you to enhance the partnership based on nonprofit perspectives.
  • Promote your shared successes on social media, newsletters, and your website. Present your business and the nonprofit as a team working together to make a bigger impact.
  • Use technology to track wins or progress related to the partnership, allowing you to report on how successful your efforts have been. For instance, a dog daycare might use its kennel software to track client referrals from the nonprofit or funds raised through a round-up program.
  • Look for other ways to support your partner beyond sponsoring events or holding round-up fundraisers. For example, you might launch corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, such as payroll giving, matching gifts, or volunteer time off (VTO), to encourage your employees to give back—and supercharge their efforts.

Finally, express your gratitude to your partner both publicly and privately. Thank them for both the tangible and intangible benefits the partnership brings to your business. For example, a tangible benefit might be an uptick in new customers you’ve engaged from the nonprofit’s supporter base, while an intangible benefit could be the sense of satisfaction and fulfillment employees get from supporting a good cause.

Strategic partnerships can be mutually beneficial for your business, the nonprofits you partner with, and, most importantly, the animals in their care. Start by familiarizing yourself with your community’s greatest needs, learning what the organizations in your area are doing to help, and asking how you can step up. In this time of funding difficulties and unprecedented demand for services, your business can be the helping hand local nonprofits need to keep making an impact.