SILVER2023

Arizona Animal Welfare League

Arizona's Oldest and Largest No-Kill Shelter

aka AAWL/SPCA or Arizona Animal Welfare League & SPCA   |   Phoenix, AZ   |  www.aawl.org

Mission

The mission of the Arizona Animal Welfare League (AAWL) is to provide excellent care, protection, and loving compassion for the life of the animals entrusted to us and to take a leadership role in promoting humane values for the benefit of all animals and people.

Ruling year info

1971

President and CEO

Alessandra Navidad

Main address

25 N 40th St

Phoenix, AZ 85034 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

23-7149453

NTEE code info

Animal Protection and Welfare (includes Humane Societies and SPCAs) (D20)

Youth Development Programs (O50)

Animal Related Activities N.E.C. (D99)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

Sign in or create an account to view Form(s) 990 for 2021, 2020 and 2019.
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Communication

Blog

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Too many homeless, abandoned, abused and neglected pets that deserve a loving home- especially in rural Arizona where there are few resources. We travel all over the state, from the Navajo Nation in the north to the southernmost town of Bisbee -- helping not only take in animals that have no other outlet, but also providing our rural rescue partners with food, blankets, vaccines, medicines and expertise to help them better care for animals in their care.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Adoptions

AAWL rescues, rehabilitates, and re-homes more than 4,000 dogs and cats that are abandoned or that have been surrendered by their owners. We do this primarily by rescuing them from other shelters in Maricopa County where they are likely to be euthanized due to the lack of time and resources to care for them. At any one time, our shelter will hold 140 cats and 190 dogs. We also have a foster parent network of approximately 90 families who provide care and shelter in their homes for puppies and kittens that are too young to be adopted, and those animals that are recovering from medical procedures or that need socialization before adoption.

Population(s) Served
Families
Adults
Ethnic and racial groups

The AAWL Community Clinic (formerly known as MD Petcare) is the Arizona Animal Welfare League's premier low-cost veterinary clinic. Our mission is to be a supportive and valuable resource for pet guardians, by providing a lower-cost option for veterinary care. We believe that by providing this service, pet guardians may be able to provide both vital and routine veterinary care for their companion animals.

Population(s) Served
Adults
Families
Ethnic and racial groups
Economically disadvantaged people

AAWL offers a wide range of obedience and dog training courses to help overcome any current or potential behavior issues, or just to ensure the dog is a well-adjusted, well-behaved pet.

Population(s) Served
Adults

AAWL relies on hundreds of foster families to help nurture underage and underweight puppies and kittens, or to provide a safe and quiet respite for animals that are recovering from surgery or other medical procedures. This heartfelt and compassionate care makes it possible for AAWL to save thousands more animals than it could possibly manage alone.

There are so many opportunities for anyone (18 years or older) to volunteer at AAWL’s main shelter and its off-site location at the Chandler Fashion Center. Whether it is walking dogs, cuddling cats, grooming/bathing animals, helping with events, doing administrative work, or helping with adoptions, there is a need for every person and their special and unique talents.

Volunteers are gratified knowing that they are saving thousands of wonderful animals each year and enjoy meeting other animal lovers like themselves.

Population(s) Served
Adults

For those who are concerned about what will happen to their pets if they pre-decease them, we offer our "Angels for Animals” program that provides the peace of mind that a new loving home will be found for their beloved pets in exchange for a reasonable bequest in their will.

One reason AAWL has been able to grow and help more than 5,000 homeless animals this year alone, is because of the generous bequests that have been left to the organization over the years. Hundreds of supporters have chosen AAWL as their charity of choice to leave a legacy that will save many thousands of helpless and homeless animals for years to come.

Please consider becoming a true champion for homeless animals and help them reach a safe and loving temporary home where they are not at risk of dying and will be matched with a new family, regardless of how long it takes.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Where we work

Awards

Best Animal Shelter in the Valley 2009

Arizona Central and the Arizona Republic

4-Star Award - highest level of financial award 2010

Charity Navigator

40star Award - highest level of financial award 2011

Charity Navigator

4-star Award -highest level of financial stewardship 2012

Charity Navigator

4-star award-highest level of financial stewardship 2013

Charity Navigator

Best Place to Volunteer 2013

Phoenix New Times

Best kid's camp - Camp Vet 2013

Phoenix New Times

Best Place to Adopt a Pet 2014

Jewish News

4-star award-highest level of financial stewardship 2018

Charity Navigator

Affiliations & memberships

Alliance of Companion Animals 2018

Videos

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of animals with freedom from hunger and thirst

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

All of the animals we care for at AAWL receive two feedings each day with a quality pet food (Halo, Purely for Pets), or, if needed, special diets or special prescribed food to fit their needs.

Number of animals with freedom from discomfort

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

Animals at AAWL are held in temperature controlled, large kennels and condos (and community rooms for cats). They are exercised several times each day and receive individual attention to their needs.

Number of animals with freedom from pain

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

With a fully equipped veterinary clinic and a staff of 4 full-time vets, all animals are constantly monitored and treated - this treatment always includes pain medication when needed

Number of animals with freedom to express normal behavior

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

AAWL holds play groups with dogs in the shelter each day as well as a robust volunteer program, ensuring all dogs get out of kennels several times a day. In hot summers we provide enrichment

Number of animals rehomed

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Adoptions

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

Our capacity is approximately 4,000 animals that we rehome each year - in 2016 we were without a chief vet for about 10 months which resulted in a small drop in adoptions.

Number of animals rehabilitated

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Veterinary Care

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

Every animals that enters AAWL is spayed/neutered, vaccinated, microchipped and receive any medical care needed - including dentals, surgeries and behavior modification if needed.

Number of animal clinics/shelters improved as a direct result of the nonprofit's efforts

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

In 2016, we started our "Rural Rescue" program whereby we visit rural shelters around AZ, intake animals they would have to euthanize; provide food, supplies, medications and expertise to help them

Number of animals euthanized

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Veterinary Care

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Decreasing

Context Notes

the ONLY time an animal is euthanized at AAWL is if they are too sick to continue to have a good quality of life and there is no other option. Also, very rarely, we have to euthanize an unsafe dog

Number of animals rescued

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

47.5% rescued were from rural shelters. The rest were owner surrenders or from our "last litter" program, or from local shelters.

Number of animal adoptions

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Adoptions

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

AAWL has the capacity to complete around 4,000 adoptions/year. In 2016, we had a vet opening and had a slight decrease. We plan to open more space by adding a bigger infirmary in 2020

Number of animals spayed and neutered

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Veterinary Care

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

All animals entering AAWL are spayed or neutered before adoptions. Some of the animals we are bringing in from rural rescues are already altered.

Number of sheltered animals

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

In 2017, we renovated our veterinary clinic, causing us to lose about 40 old kennels which were turned into a laboratory , pharmacy and treatment space. in 2018 we had more medical cases

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

To complete a minimum of 4,000 adoptions
To help smaller rescues in rural areas save more homeless animals: Taking them into our shelter for rehabilitation and adoption; teaching rescues how to improve disease control; provide food/blankets/supplies to those rescues in need and to help them gain more support
To provide superior care, medical treatment and behavior evaluation/modification to all animals in our care
to provide high quality, low-cost veterinary services to the public to help keep animals out of the shelter system
to participate in, and provide leadership to, the Alliance for Companion Animals (a collaboration of animal shelters in Maricopa County)
Advocate for the end of puppy mills in this country
to offer the highest quality children's humane education program in the Valley

Balance public intake with our ability to help sick animals from local animal care and control and other rescues
Develop relationships with rural rescue partners across the state of AZ (currently at 32)
Visit each part of the state at least once per week to pick up animals that would otherwise be euthanized (2000 last year)
Market both the shelter and the mall adoption locations and strive to increase number of adoptions
train volunteers to help with adoptions
Incorporate volunteers in all departments to save on payroll costs
Maximize adoption outlets
Ensure full utilization of public clinic when open - conduct customer service surveys for improvement
Serve as member of Alliance for Companion Animals - provide leadership
Continue to analyze, evaluate and expand all education programs

A dedicated, well-trained and skilled staff of 100 people - part-time and full-time
A Board of Directors that is a working board and helps the organization as needed, especially in fundraising
A stable financial foundation
The establishment in 2014 of an endowment fund for long term sustainability
Long-term reputation for high quality in everything we do
Great PR and marketing capabilities
Highly motivated and long-term, skilled management team, including 4 full time veterinarians

We achieved 4,023 adoptions in 2018
More than half of our adoptions were from our mall location which replaced a puppy mill store
We have helped the community reduce the euthanasia rate by 87% in the past six years
We surpassed all goals for treatable dogs and foster kittens in 2018
We have increased our volunteer force and obtained feedback which shows 98% with positive responses to their experiences
We met our budget goals in 2018 and submitted a 2019 budget at the January Board meeting for approval
Intake in the shelter system in Maricopa County is down from 85,000 to 35,000 since 2012
Introduced a new program in 2016 to help provide resources and help to rural shelters and to rescue more animals; have a network of 32 rural rescue partners and have in-taken more than 2,100 animals from across the state in the past year; provided thousands of pounds of donated food to our partners; blankets, crates, vaccines, parasite control and other medical services to these rescues

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

Financials

Arizona Animal Welfare League
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

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lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

Arizona Animal Welfare League

Board of directors
as of 03/23/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Ms. Amrita Sahasrabudhe

Fast Med Urgent Care

Term: 2015 - 2019

Jeanne Baldwin

BMO Harris

Diane Liberman

Copperpoint Mutual Insurance Company

Kristen Shroyer

One Hope Wine

Jon Lane

OHSO Brewery

Kenny Farrell

Arizona Diamondbacks

Elyse Flynn Meyer

Prism Global Marketing

Amy Wilkins

Wilkins Law Firm

Pam Eggeert

Eide Bailey LLP

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 3/15/2023
info Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latinx
Gender identity
Female
Sexual orientation
Decline to state
Disability status
Decline to state

Race & ethnicity

No data

Gender identity

No data

 

No data

Sexual orientation

No data

Disability

No data

Equity strategies

Last updated: 03/15/2023

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
  • We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
  • We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
  • We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.