16-07SAS: Optimize Delivery of Animal Welfare Services by Researching and Recommending

16-07SAS: Optimize delivery of animal welfare services by researching and recommending potential business model options

CONTACT INFORMATION

Organization: City of Seattle, Department of Finance & Administrative Services, Seattle Animal Shelter

Name: Julie Tobin

Title: Policy Advisor

Phone: 206-684-0483

Email Address:

Street Address: Seattle Municipal Tower, 700-5th Avenue, 52nd floor

City, State, and Zip Code: Seattle, WA 98104

Project Contact (if different than submitter): Lisa Peyer, Chief of Staff

Project Contact's Email (if different than submitter):

Please provide some background information about your organization

The Seattle Animal Shelter (SAS) is owned and operated by the City of Seattle and provides animal care, regulatory enforcement and low-cost spay and neuter services to Seattle’s animal population. SAS’ dedicated staff, coupled with its large volunteer and foster care programs, allow it to provide comfort and a promising future for the cats, dogs and critters (e.g., bunnies, gerbils, ferrets, lizards) that come under its care.
SAS, which is a division of the City of Seattle’s Department of Finance and Administrative Services, has an operating budget of $4 million. As a government entity, the shelter is required to abide by the City’s regulations, labor laws, financial policies and business processes that nonprofit animal welfare organizations do not, at times leaving it at a disadvantage in terms of ongoing operations, funding and outreach.

PROJECT INFORMATION

Please indicate which of the following topic areas relate to your project (select all that apply):

Public Policy Analysis and Evaluation
Nonprofit Management and Philanthropy
Public Leadership, Management, and Decision-Making
Metropolitan and Urban Policy
Public Finance and Budgeting

Please describe the problem, challenge, or opportunity that the consultant team will address.

SAS promotes public safety and animal welfare, enforces Seattle's laws regarding animals, runs animal sheltering and adoption programs, and manages a spay and neuter clinic that performs more than 4,000 procedures a year. While a good portion of the shelter’s operation relies on license fee revenues, we estimate that less than 20 percent of Seattle’s dog population is licensed and that the percentage of licensed cats is far less than that. Meeting service demands has been challenging for SAS as it must compete for general fund dollars with other City services and priorities. The shelter relies on volunteers to provide some basic as well as enhanced shelter services. As a government entity, the shelter is required to abide by the City’s regulations, labor laws, financial policies and business processes that nonprofit animal welfare organizations do not.
The Consultants will explore if there are other innovative ways to operate the shelter that maximize its long-term sustainability and success. The goal would be to optimize delivery of animal welfare services by researching and recommending the most successful business model options including, but not limited to, municipally owned and operated, privately owned and operated, or run by a nonprofit or not-for-profit agency.

What would you like to find out or have accomplished; what is the desired deliverable?

Develop a report that outlines at least two hypothetical business models and best practices in the area of animal welfare that the shelter might employ in the next five to 10 years to maximize its success from both financial and organizational perspectives.

What are some key tasks the consultants will perform to complete the project?

- Conduct a review of SAS budget and business processes.
- Conduct a review of City rules and policies impacting shelter operations.
- Research municipally funded animal shelters with innovative business practices.
- Research privately owned, nonprofit or not-for-profit shelters with innovative business practices.
- Review and analyze findings.
- Prepare a report proposing one or two hypothetical business models that would promote the shelter’s long-term success in the area of animal welfare and protection.

What resources are available to complete the project (e.g., access to data, support from staff, etc.)?

The FAS Director’s Office and representatives from the department will provide access to shelter staff and resource materials along with a point person to work with the students and be available to answer questions.

How many consultants is your project suitable for? Select all that apply

Have you submitted a research project to the Public Service Clinics before?No

If students are interested in your topic and have questions, can they contact you directly?Yes