Strategic Plan
Our Journey
The Animal Rescue League of Iowa, Inc. (ARL) is the state’s largest animal shelter and education center; making it one of the state’s leaders in animal adoption, education and welfare.
Our top priorities are to connect animals in need of rescue with loving families, and keep pets with the people who love them. Through our outreach, advocacy, and services we strive to ensure that animal companionship is accessible to all.
The ARL is proud to share our story and our vision for the future so that you can come along with us on this journey – where we see ourselves in 2025 and beyond.
Our Commitment
The Journey builds upon our rich past and present, using our greatest strengths to address the community’s evolving needs. We are committed to serving more pets and define success not just by how many pets we adopt into loving homes, but also by the number of pets we serve in the community and prevent from entering the animal sheltering system entirely. Our goal is to lift the entire animal welfare community up together and create the best possible world for the pets in our collective care.
We will accomplish through our detailed operating plans with clear metrics and goals to define success over the next three years.
We commit to conducting market research and analysis that will inform our work, always be transparent and forthright with our planning, and truly believe that together we can build a better world for pets and the people who love them.
STRATEGIC GOALS
(2025-2027)
Expand facilities and intervention services to provide quality care, support statewide emergencies, and extend community programs across the Des Moines Metro.
Expand ARL’s services locally and extend its impact statewide through strategic partnerships that advance animal welfare.
Develop a partnership framework to strengthen collaborations, enhance statewide care for companion animals, and support the broader animal welfare ecosystem.
Enhance leadership skills and refine practices to support a growing team and maintain the ARL as a top workplace.
Focus on sustainable fundraising and ensure responsible stewardship to support ARL’s long-term growth and impact.
JOIN US ON THE JOURNEY
We truly believe that together we can build a better world for pets and the people who love them, and look forward to partnering with others who share the same goals to realize this collective vision for a more equitable, accessible, and humane world.
If our future place speaks to your head, heart, and love of animals, we hope you will join all of us at the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, Inc. on this exciting journey.