Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Each year we recieve more applications for assistance dogs than we can meet. The need for assistance dogs, which provide confidence, independence, and dignity for our clients with disabilities, is as immense as it is varied. Our dogs serve clients with a wide variety of conditions, from Autism to Multiple Sclerosis to POTS. Each dog is custom-trained to fit seamlessly into a client's life, and for many of our clients their PAWS Dog means the difference between being unable to leave their home and being able to go to work or school full-time. The dogs ease the concerns and tasks for caregivers and family members, and are a constant source of comfort for our clients, their families, and their friends.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Assistance Dog services
Paws With A Cause enhances the independence and quality of life for people with disabilities nationally through custom-trained Assistance Dogs.
Education and Advocacy
PAWS increases awareness of the rights and roles of Assistance Dog teams through education and advocacy.
Where we work
Accreditations
Assistance Dogs International Inc. 2016
Affiliations & memberships
Assistance Dogs International (ADI) 2016
Independent Charities of America 2017
Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance - Organization 2017
External reviews

Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of volunteers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
People with disabilities
Related Program
Assistance Dog services
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Volunteers host Breeding Stock Dogs, raise future Assistance Dogs, and train dogs in prison to become future Assistance Dogs. All volunteers provide highly valuable resources to support our mission.
Total number of volunteer hours contributed to the organization
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
People with disabilities
Related Program
Assistance Dog services
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Volunteer hours from our Breeding Stock Hosts, Foster Puppy Raisers, Prison Partners and office volunteers. (These numbers do not reflect the 24-hours of supervision given to dogs in the home.)
Number of new donors
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
People with disabilities
Related Program
Assistance Dog services
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Average number of dollars given by new donors
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of clients served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
People with disabilities
Related Program
Assistance Dog services
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of briefings or presentations held
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Education and Advocacy
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
PAWS promotes awareness through education and delivers presentations about Assistance Dogs across the country.
Number of individuals attending briefings and presentations
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Education and Advocacy
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
These individuals were at a PAWS presentation, Expo show or convention where PAWS representatives delivered an educational talk about Paws With A Cause and Assistance Dogs.
Number of overall donors
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
People with disabilities
Related Program
Assistance Dog services
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Our three year strategic goals are:
1: Build a solid foundation of sustainable canine resources to support the successful placement of a minimum of 100 client/dog teams annually.
2: Successfully conclude the transition to a philanthropic fund development model to support annual revenue objectives.
3: Redefine and align organizational strengths to effectively and efficiently meet our client needs.
4: Target educational and marketing efforts to strategically support the organization's needs and mission.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Some of our strategies to support our goals are:
- Match staffing and training needs to meet increased output.
- Research and implement the use of other breeds as Assistance Dogs.
- Educate and engage all staff on philanthropic fund development model.
- Align talent of the Board of Directors with organization's philanthropic needs, encouraging an active, participative role.
- Build relationships with donors to increase their engagement and level of giving.
- Conduct qualitative and quantitative an analysis of services provided to clients.
- Determine and implement best use of organizational resources, based on results of the analysis, to best serve and support our clients.
- Evaluate implemented steps to measure effectiveness.
- Define current and ongoing organizational needs.
- Utilize appropriate tools to communicate the message and measure outcomes quarterly.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Our greatest assets are people ~ staff, volunteers, clients and donors, who support our mission and goals. In providing services to people with disabilities, we must recognize our canine assets as well; dogs who are lovingly raised in volunteer homes and custom-trained by expert trainers to assist people in fulfilling their goals of independence.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
We measure progress one client story at a time. Each client success story is a testament to the processes and procedures that are in place, covering everything from paperwork and canine health care to placement and field training. Challenges are lessons yet to be learned!
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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Who are the people you serve with your mission?
Adults with disabilities, children with autism, and facilities like schools, hospitals, and inpatient treatment centers.
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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 strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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What significant change resulted from feedback?
During the pandemic our Deaf/Hard of Hearing clients reached out to let us know that they were frustrated with mask designs that covered people’s lips. PAWS routinely makes and distributes custom adaptive equipment for our clients, so our R&D lab designed and sent out face masks with clear plastic panels for our lip-reading clients and their families.
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild 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.
Paws With A Cause
Board of directorsas of 04/13/2022
Ms. Jane Hoggard
Anne Barea
Greg Bonner
Christina Elmore
Molly Koroleski
Janey Ladd
Val Lego
Bart Merkle
Sara Osterman
Chris Pucci
Faye Richardson-Green
Adam Russo
Dave Smith
Amanda Boyd
Toyia Turner
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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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
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
Gender identity
No data
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 12/28/2021GuideStar 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
- 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 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.
- 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 measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- 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.