named programs · 1 · from sources
What they call their work
Candidate Endorsement Program
Endorses candidates for state, federal, and local office in New York who support animal rights, based on questionnaires, interviews, and board evaluation
activities · 2 groups
What they do
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Animal Protection Advocacy & Campaigns 3 activities
- Advocacy for public funding and city budget initiatives for animal welfareAdvocates for city budget initiatives to establish publicly funded spay/neuter clinics and pet food pantries in all five NYC boroughs, including support for a pilot program under Intro 841.
- Legislative advocacy for animal protection lawsLeads and supports campaigns to pass state and local legislation banning cruel practices, including bans on the sale of dogs, cats, rabbits, and guinea pigs in pet stores; cat declawing; fur sales; foie gras from force-fed birds; wild animals in circuses; and horse-drawn carriages. Also advocates for elephant captivity bans and wildlife protection plans in New York City.
- Public and volunteer mobilization for animal rightsEngages volunteers and the public in advocacy efforts, including urging constituents to contact elected officials to introduce foie gras ban legislation and supporting broader campaigns for animal rights laws across the United States.
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Labor-Backed Candidate Endorsements & Electoral Support 1 activity
- Electoral advocacy and candidate endorsement for animal protectionInterviews, endorses, and mobilizes support for pro-animal candidates in New York City, New York State, and federal elections, contributing to the election of hundreds of such candidates. Distributes a voter guide reaching over 100,000 eligible voters and supporters across New York State.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$147K
Contributions & grants$147K100%
Program service revenue——
Investment income——
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$158K
Program expenses90%
Admin / overhead10%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$9K
Grants paid out—
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$229K
Cash$240K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$229K
Liquid reserves18.2 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2023 · YoY revenue -27.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Julie Cappiello | Director | 10 | $5K |
board members · 2
- Joyce Friedman — Director
- Stewart Mitchell — Director
relationships · 17
Who they work with
- Allie Taylor (Feldman) Partner — Founder and Board Emeritus of Voters For Animal Rights, instrumental in establishing the organization and leading key legislative victories.
- Bryan Pease, Esq. Partner — Attorney representing VFAR in legal proceedings related to the foie gras ban.
- Carlina Rivera Partner — Former New York City Council Member who championed the foie gras ban legislation alongside VFAR.
- Cynthia King Partner — Founder of Cynthia King Dance Studio and advisor to Voters For Animal Rights, contributing expertise in community activism and animal advocacy.
- Feeding America Network — Member of national food bank network
- Hudson Valley Foie Gras Government — Upstate foie gras producer that filed legal challenges against New York City's foie gras sales ban.
- Human Society of the United States Partner — Collaborated with VFAR on advocacy efforts related to slaughterhouse regulation in New York City.
- Humane Society of the United States Partner — Collaborated with VFAR on advocacy efforts related to slaughterhouse regulation in New York City.
- Jabari Brisport Partner — Endorsed and supported the successful 2020 campaign of Jabari Brisport for New York State Senate.
- Jabari Brisport Partner — NYS Senator and advisor to Voters For Animal Rights, bringing legislative and activist experience to support the organization’s mission.
- La Belle Farm Government — Upstate foie gras producer that filed legal challenges against New York City's foie gras sales ban.
- Libby Post Partner — Executive Director of the New York State Animal Protection Federation and advisor to Voters For Animal Rights.
- Mercy For Animals Partner — Conducted undercover investigations of Hudson Valley Foie Gras cited by VFAR in advocacy against force-fed bird products.
- New York State Government — State government providing official voter registration services
- PETA Partner — Conducted undercover investigations of Hudson Valley Foie Gras cited by VFAR in advocacy against force-fed bird products.
- Sherry Ramsey, Esq. Partner — Licensed attorney and legislative consultant specializing in animal law, advising Voters For Animal Rights on legal issues related to animal protection.
- Stewart Mitchell Partner — Founder of V.O.I.C.E.4Change and advisor to Voters For Animal Rights, integrating human and animal rights advocacy through the performing arts.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Civic Mobilization and Voter Engagementmethodology: civic_mobilizationBy mobilizing volunteers and educating voters on electoral processes like party registration, we increase political participation around animal rights because broad-based civic engagement amplifies public pressure and sustains long-term cultural and policy change.
- Political Advocacy for Legal Rightsmethodology: political-advocacy-for-legal-rightsBy engaging in political advocacy, legislative lobbying, and coalition-building, we produce legal protections for animals because systemic change requires altering laws and policies that enable exploitation. This approach targets the root cause of animal cruelty: the absence of enforceable rights.
- Public Education as Advocacy Toolmethodology: public_education_campaignBy running public education campaigns about practices like foie gras production, we reduce consumer and political support for exploitative industries because informed constituencies are more likely to shift behavior and back protective legislation.
- Strategic Electoral Endorsement & Candidate Engagementmethodology: candidate-evaluation-processBy endorsing candidates based on alignment with animal rights priorities and using questionnaires and interviews to assess positions, we produce greater political representation for animal rights because flexible, evidence-based candidate evaluation builds broader coalitions and incentivizes pro-animal platforms.