Programs and results
What we aim to solve
We work with animal shelters and rescue groups to prevent the euthanasia of adoptable pets across North America.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Disaster and Emergency Response
The Petfinder Foundation helps adoption groups respond to natural and man-made disasters.
Sponsor a Pet
This pass-through program allows shelters and rescue groups to fundraise for the care of individual pets.
Quality of Life
This program includes grants for emergency medical care, behavioral enrichment, and products such as toys and bedding.
Where we work
External reviews

Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of animals rehabilitated
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Quality of Life
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Number of animals provided with medical and/or behavioral rehabilitation necessary to become ready for adoption thanks to Petfinder Foundation grant funds.
Number of animal clinics/shelters improved as a direct result of the nonprofit's efforts
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Quality of Life
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Total number of animal shelters and rescue groups that received Petfinder Foundation grants in 2020.
Number of animal adoptions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Decreasing
Context Notes
Based on numbers of pets helped by Petfinder Foundation grants as reported by grant-recipient adoption groups.
Number of animals with freedom to express normal behavior
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Quality of Life
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Based on enrichment grants provided to allow shelter pets to chew, scratch, run, play and engage in other instinctive behaviors.
Goals & Strategy
Learn 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?
The Petfinder Foundation works to:
-Promote the adoption of homeless pets from shelters and rescue groups
-Help shelters and rescue groups prepare for and recover from disaster
-Make sure adoption organizations across North America are sustainable
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
-We promote pet adoption through grants that make homeless pets more adoptable, whether through training, veterinary care (vaccinations, spay/neuter, medical treatment), or enrichment to maintain mental health.
-We help shelters and rescue groups prepare for and recover from disaster through disaster grants that pay for repairs, staff overtime, housing and care for evacuees' pets, etc.
-We make sure adoption organizations across North America are sustainable by promoting fundraising through our Sponsor a Pet program.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We distribute grants to the 12,000+ shelters and rescue groups that post their adoptable pets on Petfinder.com, and also enable those organizations to fundraise via Sponsor a Pet using their Petfinder.com listings.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
We have helped many shelters make organizational and infrastructural improvements that will have a permanent impact on their ability to house, maintain the physical and mental health of, and increase the adoptability of the pets in their care.
In 2021 we introduced a new grant program to fund capital improvements at shelters nationwide. Grants were given to install or repair HVAC systems, replace unsafe kennels, purchase improved cat housing, add insulation or soundproofing, and more. All these improvements will enhance sheltered pets' quality of life, keep them healthier, and encourage adoptions.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
-
Who are the people you serve with your mission?
Staff, volunteers, and board members at animal shelters and adoption groups nationwide.
-
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
-
What significant change resulted from feedback?
We instituted a grant program funding DEI training for adoption groups to help them better serve their staff and communities across demographics and identify and combat unconscious bias that is common in animal welfare. There was a strong desire for this training and the response has been very positive, with recipient groups reporting changes to their hiring, adoption, and community-outreach processes.
-
Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, 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 demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), 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, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
-
What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our 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.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
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.
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.
Petfinder Foundation
Board of directorsas of 08/03/2022
Betsy Saul
Co-founder, Petfinder.com
Betsy Banks Saul
Co-founder, Petfinder.com
Jared Saul
Co-founder, Petfinder.com
Amanda Sumner
No Affiliation
Rob Rauh
Hinderaker & Rauh, PLC
Jim Morris
WEX
John Boone
SPCA of Northern Nevada
Board leadership practices
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? Not applicable -
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? Not applicable -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Not applicable -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Not applicable
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
No data
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 08/03/2022GuideStar 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 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 use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- 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 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.