Corporate Giving
Thank you for your interest in supporting the Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS)! Your passion is critical to the work we do in the community, and we are thankful for groups like yours who make the life-saving work we do possible.
Did you know 11% of our annual donations are from corporations? Engaging your company and employees is truly helping make a difference in the lives of animals and the people who love them!
- If your company would like to get involved with any of the opportunities below, please fill out this form to get started. Our Manager of Corporate Philanthropy, Billy Zakrzewski, will be happy to follow up with you. Questions? Please feel welcome to connect with Billy directly at 414-431-6133 or bzakrzewski@wihumane.org.
Major Event Engagement
A popular way local companies support our work is by getting involved with one of our major events. Whether you become a sponsor, a vendor, donate auction items, attend an event with coworkers, or volunteer, there are many ways to rally around your passion for animals with one of our tailor-made and exciting events throughout the year! Click here for an overview of our major event sponsorship opportunities.
Annual Major Fundraising Events:
- Pet Walk - hosted in Milwaukee, Green Bay, Door County, Ozaukee, and Racine/Kenosha
- Paws & Claws Gala hosted in Milwaukee
- FOX6 & WHS Pet Telethon hosted at FOX6 in Milwaukee
- Holiday Bingo Extravaganza hosted in Green Bay
Employee Fundraising & Supply Drives
Do you have a group of passionate employees looking to make a difference for animals? Consider hosting a workplace fundraiser and/or supply drive to benefit animals in need. We are happy to help set you up for success! Cap off your efforts by visiting one of our campuses to drop off the donations and take a photo to share on your company's social media or newsletter. Here are a few ideas:
- Supply Drive
You can find our comprehensive wish list here or shop for supplies from our online store where 100% of the proceeds benefit WHS, making your donation even more impactful! - Staff Raffle
Raffle off prizes in exchange for a donation to WHS. We can even create a custom fundraising website for your company to make it easy for your employees to donate online or text to give. - Create a WHS Pet Walk team
Form a team to partake in the Pet Walk event near you! Attach fundraising goals to your team to make it even more engaging. - Round up for Pups
If your company has a point of sale, you can ask your customers if they want to round up for WHS! Do a month-long fundraiser and you will be surprised by the monetary impact you can make. - Cutest Pet Photo Contest
Charge an entry fee for submitting a photo, the winner gets bragging rights and the funds raised go to a great cause!
Advertise with WHS
What better way to increase your brand awareness and cause-marketing initiatives than by connecting with our adopters! Each year, WHS completes 13,000 adoptions on average, and each adopter goes home with an envelope containing important documentation, animal care tips, behavior support, additional perks, and much more. Companies have the option to place paid advertising inserts in each envelope - a great way to reach your targeted audience. We also provide a digital coupon book to all adopters that companies can advertise in as well. In addition to connecting with adopters directly, WHS also offers advertising space on our website, averaging 1 million page views per month! Get in touch with Billy to discuss current options.
Small Business Giveback Opportunities
Does your business offer a donation option at time of sale? A monthly campaign of round-up at the register or selling icons can make an incredible impact! Simply asking customers if they would like to make a donation to homeless animals can raise thousands of dollars in a single initiative. Companies can also choose to donate a portion of their proceeds for a day, week, month, or year!
Annual Sponsorship
Interested in more than one engagement opportunity? Want to participate in events in multiple communities? Many companies we partner with choose to create an annual agreement each year that can include anything from event sponsorships, product donations, or employee engagement activities. We are here to help you customize a donation plan that works best with your unique company’s interests.
Donate Auction Items or Services
Another great way to give back is with product donations. Many companies opt to donate items instead of sponsorships, and these go a long way in supporting our event auctions and fundraising. Many services can also be donated to our shelter campus operations, including facility, contractor, marketing, or moving and storage services. Your partnership in item and service donation greatly supports animals in need!
Workplace Giving & Matching Gifts
Your employer may offer payroll donation deductions and will potentially match your gift! Ask your employer if they are interested in matching your donation or if they offer payroll donation options. Employers can also make a gift through employee volunteer service hours.
Programmatic Funding
Is your company passionate about the service programs of WHS and the positive impact they are making for people and animals in the community? WHS supports numerous people-centered services, including low-cost and in some cases free access to veterinary care, youth program camp scholarships, shelter for animals of families in domestic violence situations in the Milwaukee area, and more. We would love to discuss ways in which your company can directly support the community through these and other program initiatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my company bring a group to volunteer with the animals?
Thank you for your interest in volunteering! We receive many requests for one-time-only groups to volunteer and wish we could accommodate them all. Due to the diverse population of animals and safety protocols in place, WHS requires volunteers to receive specialized training, thus one-day groups are generally not able to help with animal care tasks. We would love to connect to discuss potential options for engaging your volunteer group with our mission. You can get started by filling out this form and Billy will get back to you soon regarding current opportunities.
Can you bring adoptable animals to my office?
Believe it or not, animals at WHS are usually adopted rather quickly! Due to our robust adoption process in-shelter and via foster, we generally do not bring adoptable animals for offsite events. Removing an available animal from the shelter, even for a day, could keep them from being adopted sooner. Plus, new locations can be stressful for certain animals. In some cases, we are able to accommodate bringing WHS alumni or Ambassadogs when appropriate; however puppy visits are generally reserved for major events or large-scale fundraisers.
We want to collect supplies, do you have a wish list?
Yes! You can find our comprehensive wish list here! You can even shop for supplies from our online store where 100% of the proceeds benefit WHS, making your donation even more impactful. Please do not hesitate to reach out as we are happy to provide signage and resources, schedule a tour, and maybe even meet an animal once your donation drive has concluded.
Do you have resources for fundraising?
Yes! Check out JustGiving! This easy-to-use online fundraising platform is great for collecting donations for your company's fundraising events. Other options are available for larger companies planning more extensive campaigns with text to give, QR codes, and thermometer tracking.
My company said they donate money for volunteer time. Can we do that for WHS?
We would love to learn more! Please feel welcome to contact Billy to discuss options. We would be happy to see if we have opportunities available for your particular situation.
My company participates in giving back through United Way, can I donate to WHS through them?
If your employer participates in a United Way campaign, you can support the Wisconsin Humane Society. WHS is not listed as a United Way agency, but you may select “Donors Choice” and designate your dollars by writing in “Wisconsin Humane Society” on your pledge form.
I work at a government agency. What are my options to donate?
You may be able to give to WHS through payroll deduction in your Combined Giving Campaign. Encourage your co-workers to designate their pledge to WHS, too. Oftentimes, the biggest reason people don’t give is because they aren’t asked. Find our organization information easily by looking under the “Community Shares” umbrella in the pledge brochure or click here for additional info. Thank you!
