Date of Conferral

2021

Degree

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)

School

Business Administration

Advisor

Tim Truitt

Abstract

Nonprofit animal shelters provide vital services to the community and improve the overall well-being of animals. Many animal shelters, however, face the challenge of insufficient funding. Some nonprofit animal shelter leaders are burdened with financial uncertainty because of a lack of funding strategies for operational stability and survival. Grounded in the resource dependency theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies that nonprofit animal shelter leaders use to obtain funding. The participants comprised three nonprofit animal shelter leaders in Maryland. Data were collected from semistructured telephone interviews and public financial reports. Data analysis was conducted using Braun and Clarke’s six-step thematic analysis approach to code the data and identify emerging themes. The three major themes that emerged from the analysis were: time management, funding diversification, and relationship cultivation, as the strategies used to acquire adequate animal shelter funding. A key recommendation is to actively engage in transparent communication to establish a long-term relationship with donors and use time effectively by implementing strategic planning. The implications for positive social change include the potential for nonprofit animal shelter leaders to procure adequate funding to deliver services to the community, fulfill the shelter's mission, and improve animal welfare.

Included in

Business Commons

Share

 
COinS