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How a Small East Coast Animal Rescue Turned Data Into More Adoptions & Donations

pup

Industry

Nonprofit/Charity

Challenge

A small East Coast animal rescue and local shelter was struggling to keep up with rising demand. Despite a dedicated volunteer base, adoption applications had fallen, donor information was scattered across PayPal, Facebook fundraisers, and event pages, and volunteers were losing more than 10 hours a week to manual reporting and follow-ups. Their website and forms created friction for adopters, while their team lacked a clear way to see how digital efforts connected to real outcomes.

Results

After completing a Digital Data Decode Audit with Commit Me Co Design, the shelter simplified its adoption application, unified donor tracking, and set up automations that freed up volunteer time. They also launched a custom AI-powered GPT assistant tailored to their rescue. This tool automatically drafted compelling pet bios, improved SEO on their site, and integrated seamlessly across newsletters and blog content — keeping messaging consistent while reducing manual effort. The result was a smarter, leaner digital ecosystem, a stronger community presence, and most importantly, more animals finding forever homes.

Key Product

Digital Data Audit, Custom AI Assistant

26%
Increase in Adoptions
12
Volunteer Hours per Week Reclaimed
28%
Donation Revenue Growth
$18,500
New Donation Revenue in 4 months

It felt like we’d hired another full-time team member we didn’t have to pay. The audit gave us clarity, and the custom AI now drafts pet bios, polishes our SEO, and even helps us keep newsletters consistent. Instead of drowning in admin, our volunteers can focus on the dogs and cats who need us. The difference is night and day — and the results speak for themselves.

Operations Director

Rescue Board of Directors

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About the Non-profit

Small East Coast 501c3 non-profit animal rescue and local shelter dedicated to providing safe, temporary housing for dogs and cats until they find their forever homes. Operated largely by volunteers, the shelter relies on adoption fees, community fundraising, and donations to sustain its mission.

The Challenge

Despite a strong community presence, the shelter was experiencing declining adoption applications and inconsistent donor engagement. Data was siloed across PayPal, Facebook fundraisers, and event platforms, making it nearly impossible to track contributions or engage repeat supporters. Volunteers were stretched thin, spending more than 10 hours a week on manual reporting and follow-ups, while the website and adoption forms created friction for potential adopters. On top of this, the shelter lacked the resources to keep adoption bios, newsletters, and blog content consistent and optimized.

The Solution

Commit Me Co Design conducted a Digital Data Decode Audit to uncover gaps in the shelter’s digital ecosystem. The audit revealed areas for immediate improvement, including form optimization, donor funnel tracking, and automation opportunities. The adoption application was streamlined to reduce drop-offs, donor funnels were consolidated into one reporting system, and automated workflows were introduced to follow up with incomplete applications and tag repeat donors.

The shelter also implemented a custom AI-powered GPT assistant, designed specifically for their needs. This tool drafted engaging pet bios, improved SEO across their website, and generated consistent content for newsletters and blog posts — reducing the burden on volunteers while strengthening the shelter’s digital voice.

It feels like we finally have the tools to do our jobs without burning out — and I get to spend more time with the dogs instead of behind a laptop.

The Results

Within 90 days, the impact was clear. Adoption applications increased by 26%, donor revenue grew by 28%, and recurring monthly donors doubled. The optimized funnels and AI-driven content contributed to an additional $18,500 in donations, while the email subscriber list expanded by 55%. Volunteers saved more than 12 hours per week on administrative tasks, freeing them to focus on caring for the animals.

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