Taproot Foundation

Located In The Beautiful Inland Northwest Just North Of Spokane, Washington, Cat Tales Is a One-of-a-kind, Multi-facetted Wildlife Center With Three Purposes. Exotic and wild animal rescue, rehab, and retirement. Whether you consider us a shelter, a sanctuary, or a zoo, our mission is to provide professional, compassionate care and a secure future for wild/exotic animals needing a second chance.. Despite setbacks in income and staffing due to Covid, in the past five years, we have taken in 28 animals needing a forever home, graduated 17 full-time students, and provided hands-on internship experience for over 25 college students in fields of wildlife biology, veterinary, conservation and beyond through our unique program.. Grant writing/development - Grant Proposal Development for a Unique Workforce Development Program

development consultant

C A T T A L E S is seeking skilled volunteer support through Taproot Plus. Taproot Plus is an online platform that connects nonprofits to professionals seeking strong opportunities to volunteer their talent for good. All Taproot Plus projects are vetted and once C A T T A L E S selects a volunteer applicant, Taproot Plus will provide resources and support to help make the project a success. http://www.cattales.org About This Project If you would like to learn more about this organization and project, please follow the apply link to schedule a preliminary call with a representative of the organization. About This Organization Wildlife Rescue, Compassionate Care, Educational Ambassadorship Located In The Beautiful Inland Northwest Just North Of Spokane, Washington, Cat Tales Is a One-of-a-kind, Multi-facetted Wildlife Center With Three Purposes <ul><li> Exotic and wild animal rescue, rehab, and retirement</li><li> Family learning center with out-of-school educational programs</li><li> Job skill training for the highest standards in zookeeping </li></ul>Whether you consider us a shelter, a sanctuary, or a zoo, our mission is to provide professional, compassionate care and a secure future for wild/exotic animals needing a second chance. Our hard-working, energetic family of staff, students, interns, and volunteers put their heart, soul, and muscles into caring for the wildlife that calls Cat Tales home. We pride ourselves in educating and entertaining generations of our region’s families by personalizing and sharing animal stories that inspire. We are the forever home for small to extra-large felines, including servals, bobcats, lynxes, pumas – aka cougars, mountain lions – Bengal tigers, and Siberian tigers; also foxes, coyotes, and wolf/wolfdogs, our big black bears and other small mammals like raccoons. OUR STORY We have a history of working for change and expanding our operations quickly and strategically to achieve our mission. Despite setbacks in income and staffing due to Covid, in the past five years, we have taken in 28 animals needing a forever home, graduated 17 full-time students, and provided hands-on internship experience for over 25 college students in fields of wildlife biology, veterinary, conservation and beyond through our unique program. Over our 30-year history, each of those figures adds up to hundreds of animals rescued, thousands of community members educated and inspired, and countless amazing staff who have moved on to work at and manage some of the best zoos and animal sanctuaries around the country, and the world. Today, our passionate team is putting all hands on deck to make a real difference. “When you walk through the gates, there’s a magic. You can see in their eyes that they’re loved and they’re cared for. If you listen to their stories, you can hear their message. I don’t want these animals to just be found in an encyclopedia. We are all a part of their legacy and can make a difference.” Debbie Wyche – Founder Grant writing/development - Grant Proposal Development for a Unique Workforce Development Program I need volunteer assistance identifying and drafting a grant proposal for funding to provide a stipend for graduates of our training program who opt to stay on as continuing education students. Education funding for education-to-workforce trade/skills training seems like a concept that I hear being promoted and supported regionally and nationally, but I lack the experience in finding the funding that would support our school in being a part of this movement. While the trade of Zookeeping is not as common as some other trades (plumbing, automotive, electrician), there is a steady demand for trained and experienced keepers both nationally and globally, however, those looking to enter the field are often hampered by job application requirements calling for paid experience, which is hard to come by until you get the job. I want to connect the funds to the students in this second phase of their vocational training. This would recognize the extensive hours of training and physically demanding work that our graduates put forth to be professionals in this field, by creating the opportunity for paid experience, thus meeting that requirement to help launch their careers. This project is a priority for our program as it provides our graduates with some financial support to continue their education, build their resume, and give them the paid experience necessary to transition into the workforce at zoos and wildlife facilities around the country and globe. Having paid experience to pair with their hands-on training and academic studies would provide a launch pad to help graduates enter the workforce and support themselves in a career that they are passionate about. Our nonprofit wildlife rescue also serves as the campus and classroom where our students learn in depth all aspects of our Mission: Wildlife Rescue, Compassionate Care, and Education Ambassadorship. Our students are the heart and soul, as well as the muscle that makes the daily care for our wildlife possible while making meaningful connections with our guests as we educate them about the various species, and how human conservation and awareness can help preserve the wildlife in our region and globally. We have been a locally based nonprofit since 1991, providing wildlife rescue, educating thousands of school-age guests, and training hundreds of students for this unique and dedication-driven career. For over 20 years, our state-licensed trade school has drawn students locally and from afar. Our graduates have filled positions from entry-level keepers to curators and directors of zoos and facilities around the globe. Our name is known in the industry for teaching and training some of the most reliable and dedicated staff in this field. While we have managed to fund one or two each year with temporary paid roles to expand their experience and help them meet application requirements of paid experience, we do not have adequate funding to offer the paid experience to all qualified continuing education graduates once they complete the initial program. We have current and soon-to-be graduates who have demonstrated a desire to continue their training, so implementation would be possible as soon as a grant award was made available to our facility. This project can be done remotely.

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