A passion for putting pets first — and for staying ahead of the curve — fuels the ASPCA’s innovative strategies, and kept it energized when Katrina-relief efforts, a rebranding campaign and the overhaul of its development department all converged.

By Margaret Battistelli Gardner

The big overhaul
The ASPCA is a direct-response behemoth, pulling 63 percent of its budget from that channel. But, as with many organizations, the overriding emphasis on DM took its toll on other channels — mainly planned giving and major gifts, which traditionally are harder to justify in the budget since results cost more to produce both in terms of time and money.