What can wildlife rescue centers do when funding disappears
- Koh Jieh Long - AfA SARC/Macaque Coalition
- May 1
- 7 min read
Updated: May 9
Wildlife Sanctuaries and Rescue Centers (SARCs) are always struggling to make ends meet. This is especially true in Asia. The recent elimination of USAID demonstrates the importance of being prepared to adapt to sudden changes through operational restructuring, strategic diversification, and advocacy for systemic reform, as described by Strategy Consultant Tristan Williams on LinkedIn. In response to this crisis, we have collated some resources and practical guides for organizations operating wildlife rescue facilities, ranging from international grants to crypto donations to financial resilience-building strategies.
Alternative Government Funds
Beyond USAID, Eliana Summer-Galai (Impact Funding Substack) has put together a list of alternative international government funders - Ten Alternative Government Funding for Purpose-Driven Organizations. While these grants may not directly fund the care of animals in captivity, there may be related activities at your rescue center that you can use to demonstrate impact in areas that donors care about.
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) & Biodiversity Challenge Fund (under DEFRA)- United Kingdom | ||||
European Commission - European Union |
*check sites regularly for latest updates
Donor Tracker also provides detailed international donor profiles that allow you to see the types of projects donors from the Global North tend to channel their funds into. This is helpful for you to consider when incorporating your wildlife rescue mission with different causes - be it sustainable development, poverty reduction, global health, or research projects, to not only have access to different funding opportunities but also to build higher impacts through a more holistic approach.
Case study Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA) helps local communities connect with companies and organizations to run programs in reforestation, beekeeping, farming, and sewing handicrafts. The social, economic, and environmental contributions of Pan African Sanctuary Alliance primate sanctuaries in Africa by Ferrie et al. (2013) demonstrates that PASA members - primate sanctuaries and rescue centers can gain more funding and impact by diversifying their activities. |
Local fundraising
Trusts and grants are great for start-ups, but are often restricted to uses for a specific program and are usually short-term, which may not be sustainable when it comes to staff salaries and core operations of an organization. While competition heightens as a result of the shift from USAID funds to other international funders, SARCs in Asia can focus on gaining local stakeholders’ support to avoid pinning hopes on foreign aid and start reducing dependency on any single donor.
Local fundraising may look like:
Corporate Sponsorships – Partnering with eco-conscious businesses can provide continuous financial support. Spencer Manuelpillai from Wildlife & Nature Protection Society showcased their successful partnership with various corporate bodies in this AfA CONNECT August 2024 webinar (jump to 1:01:47). Spencer also emphasized the importance of networking, and being able to demonstrate to corporate partners a return on their investment for sustained collaborations.
Community Programs – Encouraging individual donors to contribute a recurring monthly donations helps sustain operations. Programs would ideally target high-net-worth individuals and high-income communities.
Community fundraising - Animals Asia Foundation has been successful at this; see their fundraising pack and volunteer support group.
Develop planned giving/legacy programs - see The Aspinall Foundation and RSPCA’s Leave a Gift in your Will (especially for organisations that have partners in countries where legacy giving is common, e.g. US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, Netherlands, France).
Create membership programs with various benefit tiers - check out Gibbon Conservation Society’s membership program.
A large individual donor base makes your organization resilient. While some donors will eventually stop giving, the loss of individual donors won't be catastrophic.
Eco-Tourism and Events – Guided wildlife tours, educational workshops, merchandise sales, consulting services, and fundraising galas are common ways to generate revenue for unrestricted spending. Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) is among some prominent examples, with day trips and lodging services on site. Watch this GFAS webinar on Ethical Tourism: The Sanctuary Perspective.
For organizations in China, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam, you can find specific recommendations and detailed, contextual overviews of Non-traditional funding sources for biodiversity conservation in Indo-Burma, a report produced by IUCN (2017).
Digital crowdfunding
Most organizations have, at some point, entertained crowdfunding online with various outcomes. WildCrowd's Short Guide to Crowdfunding provides some quick tips to maximize success.
Platforms such as GlobalGiving, Kickstarter, Indiegogo, SimplyGiving… enable direct fundraising from international donors. See how WAP helped elephant centers in Thailand crowdfund during the COVID-19 pandemic when other sources of income came to a halt.
Check out easyfundraising, where they partner with brands to donate to a cause when consumers make a purchase - Wildlife SOS is getting donations through there.
Local and international collaborations - work with volunteers from schools, zoos, and charity groups to run crowdfunding campaigns. WWF and BOS Foundation regularly receive donations from fundraising drives organized by businesses and community projects.
Crypto-crowdfunding
Cryptocurrency donations are an emerging and innovative funding source with several advantages:
Lower Transaction Fees – Crypto transactions often have lower processing fees than traditional banking methods.
Global Donor Base – Accepting crypto expands the donor pool to tech-savvy philanthropists.
Potential for Asset Growth – Crypto donations may appreciate over time, increasing financial resources.
While cryptocurrency-based crowdfunding offers advantages, it also comes with significant risks:
Volatility - Crypto assets can fluctuate dramatically in value, leading to funding instability.
Regulatory Uncertainty - Many governments are still developing regulations around cryptocurrency donations, which may create legal complications.
Security Risks - Crypto transactions are vulnerable to hacking, fraud, and loss of funds if not managed properly.
Donor Anonymity Concerns - While some donors value anonymity, it can create challenges in tracking sources of funding and ensuring compliance with anti-money laundering laws.
Limited Adoption - Not all potential donors are familiar with or willing to use cryptocurrencies, limiting the potential donor pool.
High Energy Demand & High Carbon Footprints - could engaging cryptocurrency damage your organization's reputation? See WWF and IAR’s statement. See also CNN’s report (2025) on this matter.
Try setting up a crypto-crowdfunding project with the user-friendly platform Giveth.io.
Best Practices: Compelling stories with impactful images on all media platforms are crucial in getting engagement that can lead to donations. Provide regular updates to maintain interest and to show donors the impacts they help make. Remember to use images responsibly to avoid unintended consequences. See responsible imagery guidelines here and here, for example.
Case study Lola ya Bonobo and Orangutan Outreach have garnered substantial funding from crypto donors. Seeing that both are organizations representing the charismatic great ape species may have been an advantage for attracting big donors and crowds. Nevertheless, the benefits of using cryptocurrency to diversify income streams still stand for organizations working with non-apes. |
Organizational strategies and financial resilience
In addition to the diversification of income streams, wildlife rescue centers may look into practicing strategic financial planning, stakeholder communication, and make regular operational adjustments to ensure long-term sustainability.
Maliasili’s How to Adapt Your Work Plan and Budget and Foundation of Success’ High-level Work Plan Budget Guide provide a structured guide for organizations to adjust their work plans and budgets in response to financial crises, particularly in unpredictable situations like the COVID-19 pandemic and the US government fund cut. Building Sustainable Sanctuaries by The Arcus Foundation has an emphasis on preventative measures that Sanctuaries and Rescue Centers should adhere to, including building leadership in the team and recruiting a diverse and engaged board of directors, all of whom are crucial in helping the organization stay afloat during uncertain times. See their 10 Systems and Tools chart below.
Conclusion
While the current funding crisis presents significant challenges, it also offers an opportunity to build more resilient and sustainable funding models. By considering these diverse strategies and utilizing available resources, wildlife rescue centers can maintain their crucial work while developing stronger financial foundations for the future.
Remember to stay up-to-date as new resources and opportunities become available and be ready to adapt strategies based on local contexts and specific organizational needs, as time progresses.
We hope this blog serves as a starting point for success in planning and implementing strategies for ensuring the long-term sustainability of sanctuaries and rescue centers. The welfare of Asia’s wildlife will, in turn, be taken care of.
Additional Resources
Practical Tools
Consider exploring your strategic development plans to assist in building organizational resilience.
Type | Template/tool for reference |
Work plan, Theory of Change | |
Budget (cost optimization, pipeline & forecast) | High Impact Alliance - budget template Jitasa - Nonprofit budgeting + template |
Fundraising plan (build diverse funding strategies) | |
Donor management and stakeholder engagement | Donorbox - fundraising campaign, donation, supporter contact management Active for Animals Engagement Tracker |
Risk assessment/SWOT analysis/Contingency plan | Global Interagency Security Forum - Risk assessment tool Wild Pangolin Consultancy - SWOT analysis worksheet |
Monitoring & Evaluation, Impact measurement | Spark Strategy’s framework IDinsight - Impact Measurement Guide |
Succession planning & leadership development | GFAS’ Succession Planning webinar Jotform’s Succession Planning Form |
Fundraisers upskilling courses
Change the game academy online courses - local fundraising, mobilizing support
Coursera - Fundraising Courses and Certificates
Jitasa’s free courses - accounting, budgeting, in-kind donations
Association for Animal Welfare Advancement Learning Center: Two Fundraising Certificate Programs
Contact us:
Would you like to schedule a meeting and walk through your sanctuary or rescue center’s development plan with the SARC Coalition? Email: Elliot Carr - AfA Sanctuaries and Rescue Centers Coalition and Koh Jieh Long - AfA SARC/Macaque Coalition
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