I agree, it is the work of the local AR organizations, doing the most important work in the trenches really is where it is at, not the large national AR. I belong to a local AR organization. What I would like to see is both working together and the larger organizations helping out the smaller ones in the area of spay/neuter efforts. =^..^=
Something to look at, if you are involved in local shelters, is to approach the state legislature about creating a special license plates, with proceeds going to state, volunteer run shelters.
Many states have done this for the HSUS, but legislators in Florida recently voted to give these funds to local shelters instead of the HSUS, so that these proceeds can go for local projects.
Contact your state legislator and see if he/she would be able to sponsor a bill to do this. It’s common and can raise some pretty significant funds for your shelter.