Guardian Angel Basset Rescue Inc

Even though we are a small charity, GABR has made great strides in the area of animal rescue organizations. Since our very small beginnings 22 years ago, we have now rescued and placed over 4,500 unwanted Basset Hounds. Our goal from day one was to run a fiscally sound group--our record speaks for itself. With the hundreds of thousands of dollars in veterinarian bills that we have had over the years, not once have we had an unpaid balance due.

Our state purpose over the first 22 years was to take in those Bassets that we could handle financially--we have done that very well. Now, for the last few years, our goal has been to help the rest of the animal rescue and humane society community run fiscally sound operations.

First, we had to make certain that our financial house was put in order. GABR worked on that from the first day of its operation. Since most small animal groups like ours focused on small, frequent events, we chose to focus only on larger, more profitable endeavors. Our board determined that 2-3 large events a year would provide the constant cash flow that this group needed for success.

This approach also kept our volunteer morale at a high level. Without the pressure of having to help with 15-20 different events, our volunteers became excited about helping with a smaller number of fundraisers. They also now love seeing large dollars come in from our events. And they develop even closer ties to Guardian Angel.

We are fortunate to have been able to attract wonderful volunteers with many different talents. This has allowed us to keep our required payroll at a modest level. That will, of course, change as we continue to grow but for now, it has been very effective. Our CDO (chief of daily operations) operates much like an executive director as she is full-time but is not compensated currently for her involvement. Our President has been raising money as a business for over 40 years. He brings those talents to this organization, again with no current compensation.

All of our 6 Board Members have great experience in money asset management. And they are all involved with our fundraising on a daily basis. Their commitment to GABR is extraordinary. And now, we have begun to attract future, committed estate gifts on a regular basis.

- GABR has over 150 active volunteers.
- We have cash reserves and a net worth that will be over $1M within 5 years (again, this is unheard of in the Animal Rescue business).
- Have established The Illinois Waddle as a premier dog event in the Midwest.
- GABR has an established hierarchy of volunteer coordination with clearly defined levels of authority.
- We have begun a systematic estate giving program for our volunteers and donors with immediate success.
- A succession plan for our leadership has been implemented within the last 6 months.
- We have not yet build our cash reserves to $500,000 but it is our goal. That would cover two years of expenses and would cover us entirely should a disaster occur.
- We have not yet been financially able to have a paid Executive Director and Secretary but it certainly is on the horizon.