Building the Campaign Infrastructure
for a New Home
Pet Alliance engaged Sharity to support a major capital campaign for a new facility after outgrowing its existing location. The work focused on building the campaign infrastructure needed to validate the fundraising goal, strengthen internal capacity, identify major donor prospects, and support execution through key campaign milestones.
The Outcome
A $19 million capital campaign was developed and executed to fund a new 25,000-square-foot facility. The campaign progressed through feasibility, fundraising, and groundbreaking, with continued support through construction.
Meet the Organization
Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando is a large regional animal welfare organization serving multiple counties across Central Florida.
The organization provides animal care, adoption services, veterinary support, and community resources for pets and the people who love them. As demand for services continued to grow, leadership recognized the need for a facility that could better support the scale, quality, and future of its work.
At the time of engagement, Pet Alliance was operating from an aging facility on county-owned land. Because the site could not be expanded, the organization needed a clear path toward relocation and long-term infrastructure growth.
Setting the Stage
A Trusted Organization Preparing for a Larger Facility
Pet Alliance had strong community recognition and a meaningful base of support. The next phase required translating that trust into a campaign capable of funding a new home for the organization’s future.
Several priorities shaped the engagement:
- Validating a $19 million campaign goal
- Building internal staffing and systems to support campaign execution
- Creating a clear case for support around the new facility
- Identifying and cultivating major donor prospects
- Supporting leadership through campaign milestones, including groundbreaking and construction
The question was how to structure the campaign so the organization had both the external strategy and internal capacity required to move forward.
Feasibility & Campaign Planning
Testing the Goal and Structuring the Path
Sharity began with feasibility and campaign planning to assess readiness and structure the campaign around a clear funding target.
The work included:
- Testing the $19 million campaign goal
- Developing campaign phases and timelines
- Creating a structured fundraising approach
- Clarifying the story and purpose of the new facility
- Aligning campaign strategy with donor engagement and internal capacity
This gave Pet Alliance a clearer understanding of what the campaign would require and how to move forward in a disciplined, staged way.
The goal was not simply to raise money for a building. It was to fund the infrastructure required for expanded care, medical support, and long-term operational strength.
Capacity Building & Donor Strategy
Supporting the Team Behind the Campaign
Because Pet Alliance had not previously executed a campaign at this scale, internal capacity was central to the strategy.
Sharity supported the organization by helping identify and prepare a dedicated campaign staff role and training internal team members to manage campaign activity, donor engagement, and fundraising follow-through.
This helped ensure campaign momentum did not depend only on external strategy. The organization needed people, systems, and rhythms capable of carrying the campaign through each phase.
Donor Strategy & Prospect Development
Building the Case for Major Investment
Sharity developed a targeted donor engagement strategy to support the campaign.
The work included:
- Wealth screening to identify major donor prospects
- Development of a campaign prospectus
- Creation of tailored outreach strategies aligned with donor capacity
- Positioning the new facility as a long-term investment in animal welfare infrastructure
This gave leadership a clearer view of who to engage, how to frame the opportunity, and how to connect donor interest to the future of the organization.
Ongoing Campaign Support
Moving Through Major Milestones
Sharity continued supporting Pet Alliance through important campaign milestones, including the November 2024 groundbreaking.
As construction advanced, Sharity also supported the final “Almost Home” phase of the campaign, designed to secure an additional $350,000 for completion and facility needs.
This support helped the organization maintain focus through the transition from campaign planning into public progress and implementation.
Real-World Outcomes
A New Facility Designed for Future Growth
The campaign helped Pet Alliance move from facility limitation toward long-term infrastructure expansion.
Key outcomes included:
- Execution of a $19 million capital campaign
- Groundbreaking achieved, with construction advancing toward a 2026 opening
- Expansion to a 25,000-square-foot campus
- Development of Florida’s largest shelter medical unit
- Addition of quarantine spaces, play areas, and updated animal care infrastructure
- Continued campaign support through construction and final funding needs
The new facility creates a stronger foundation for animal care, medical services, adoption support, and future growth.
Read more about the impact here.
CAMPAIGN & FACILITY IMPACT
Capital campaign successfully executed
Purpose-built animal care campus
Shelter medical unit developed
Groundbreaking completed
Facility opening planned
Quarantine spaces, play areas, and modernized animal care infrastructure
What We Learned
A first major capital campaign requires more than a compelling project.
It requires a structure that connects feasibility, staffing, donor strategy, and campaign execution.
When internal capacity and external fundraising strategy move together, organizations are better equipped to fund major infrastructure projects and carry them through completion.