Humane Society of Sarasota County Inc
Beyond Shelter
Humane Society of Sarasota County Inc
EIN: 59-6014943
Mission
As the area’s premier no-kill shelter, the Humane Society of Sarasota County engages the hearts, hands, and minds of the community to help animals.
Ruling year
1954
Executive Director
Ms. Anna Gonce
Main address
2331 15th St
Sarasota, FL 34237 USA
EIN
59-6014943
Animal welfare
Veterinary medicine
Human-animal interactions
Population served
Adults
Families
Children and youth
Parents
NTEE code
Animal Protection and Welfare (includes Humane Societies and SPCAs) (D20)
IRS subsection
501(c)(3) Public Charity
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
Tax forms
Communication
Programs and results
Reports and documents
Download annual reports Download other documentsWhat we aim to solve
The Humane Society of Sarasota County envisions a community where all animals are cared for and loved. We want to eliminate animal homelessness in our community and help the state of Florida become a no-kill state.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Animal Care & Enrichment
HSSC has been a no-kill shelter since 2009 and achieved a 97% save rate in 2023. Since the opening of our expanded facility in January 2021, we can now help 3,300 animals each year. Every animal receives a medical examination, vaccines, microchipping, and spay/neuter. Routine care includes daily feeding, administering preventives and medications, grooming, exercise, and enrichment. We also have a robust foster program for the most vulnerable animals, and we routinely treat animals with conditions like ringworm, heartworm disease, injuries, and anxiety. To encourage adopters to consider adopting older animals or animals with special needs, our TLC Program subsidizes the long-term medical care (after adoption) of eligible animals. Adoption fees are covered for U.S. military members. We also emphasize retention, offering behavior resources, K-9 training courses, and food assistance. We partner with many local and regional organizations, including trap-neuter-vaccinate-return groups.
Animal Clinic
HSSC opened its Animal Clinic in February 2016 to provide quality, affordable veterinary care to the owned cats and dogs. The Animal Clinic offers wellness exams, vaccines, parasite control, preventatives, microchips, spay/neuter, laser therapy, dentistry, and end-of-life services. All Animal Clinic proceeds benefit the Humane Society of Sarasota County.
Community Outreach
HSSC's Community Outreach programs include humane education; pet therapy; volunteer opportunities for teens and adults; and K-9 obedience training courses. Our newly expanded and renovated facility includes a 2,800ft2 multipurpose space that positions HSSC as a hub for animal welfare outreach programs and training initiatives--for Sarasota and Florida at large. Our community outreach programs influence behaviors and attitudes in the hopes of creating a more humane community with each subsequent generation.
Where we work
Awards
Small Business Awards--Non-Profit Award Finalist 2023
Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of animal adoptions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Animal Care & Enrichment
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of volunteers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Adolescents
Related Program
Community Outreach
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Save Rate
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Animal Care & Enrichment
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Save Rate is (total intake minus euthanasia and owner-intended euthanasia) divided by (total intake minus owner-intended euthanasia).
Average number of days of shelter stay for animals
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Animal Care & Enrichment
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Decreasing
Context Notes
Calculated from the time they are available for adoption.
Total number of volunteer hours contributed to the organization
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Community Outreach
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of individuals attending community events or trainings
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Community Outreach
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Participants in K-9 Obedience Training Courses.
Total numbers of veterinarians registered/licensed by the veterinary statutory body of the country
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Animal Clinic
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of clients participating in educational programs
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Related Program
Community Outreach
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Children and teens who attended Fur Fun Camps. No camp in 2020 due to COVID-19.
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?
In 2024 we plan to help 3,300 animals (cats and dogs), including 1,000 community cats Trapped/Neutered/Vaccinated/Returned; maintain an annual save rate of at least 90%; increase our active volunteer ranks; and continue to offer programs and services that support adoption, retention, and education.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Our strategies include:
-Reducing animals' length of stay from intake to adoption (thus enabling us to take in more animals overall) by implementing creative promotions that showcase our available animals and connect them to the right potential adopters.
-Leveraging our resources and partnerships so that we can maximize our visibility and reduce expenses through in-kind donations of services or goods.
-Constantly emphasizing the breadth of our programs and how we're so much more than "just a shelter" through consistent marketing and outreach.
-Continuing to refine services at our Animal Clinic to serve owned pets, especially those whose owners are economically challenged.
-Focusing our efforts on the most impactful programs and activities.
-Using success stories to demonstrate how we accomplish our mission and the work still to be done to help animals.
-Prioritizing client experience and multi-level relationships with constituents.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
HSSC has a strong, committed staff, solid leadership, and low turnover. We have 70+ years of sheltering experience. We have an engaged board that is pulling together to plan for our shelter's future and helping to cultivate and steward our donors. We have excellent relationships with local municipal shelters and are collaborating to save the lives of animals every day. We also have strong relationships with shelters within Florida and in neighboring states. We are constantly evaluating our operations to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies so that we can do the most with our resources. Our volunteers are hardworking and eager to help in any way they can. We are fortunate to have a cause that resonates with so many people and to have an active following in the community.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
2023 was a great year for HSSC.
We saved 2,929 lives, achieving a 97% save rate.
We found permanent homes for 2,079 animals.
We responded to our partners' needs and transported 1,563 animals from shelters both in Florida and in other states.
We sent 760 animals to nurturing foster homes.
Our 450 active volunteers gave 23,044 hours of their time.
We trained 215 animals in our K-9 courses.
We distributed 15,293lbs of pet food to people in need.
258 children and teens participated in our humane education programs.
We covered the adoption fees for 137 active-duty and retired U.S. service members.
Our 80 certified pet therapy teams visited facilities around the county.
Our Animal Clinic provided medical care to 6,008 owned pets.
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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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
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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 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
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time
Financials
Financial documents
Download audited financialsRevenue vs. expenses: breakdown
Liquidity in 2022 info
12.39
Months of cash in 2022 info
4
Fringe rate in 2022 info
14%
Funding sources info
Assets & liabilities info
Financial data
Humane Society of Sarasota County Inc
Revenue & expensesFiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
Humane Society of Sarasota County Inc
Balance sheetFiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot survive long, but the types of assets and liabilities must also be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan, and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.
Fiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
This snapshot of Humane Society of Sarasota County Inc’s financial trends applies Nonprofit Finance Fund® analysis to data hosted by GuideStar. While it highlights the data that matter most, remember that context is key – numbers only tell part of any story.
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Business model indicators
| Profitability info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation | $11,756 | $2,774,787 | $1,833,722 | $3,180,260 | -$634,133 |
| As % of expenses | 0.4% | 93.2% | 62.7% | 92.0% | -15.5% |
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation | -$112,629 | $2,670,351 | $1,709,337 | $2,874,017 | -$988,762 |
| As % of expenses | -3.9% | 86.6% | 56.1% | 76.3% | -22.2% |
| Revenue composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted) | $3,368,898 | $4,603,127 | $5,080,084 | $6,427,023 | $5,330,111 |
| Total revenue, % change over prior year | -3.8% | 36.6% | 10.4% | 26.5% | -17.1% |
| Program services revenue | 37.4% | 29.3% | 21.9% | 19.1% | 16.3% |
| Membership dues | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Investment income | 10.3% | 6.3% | 4.4% | 4.0% | 3.5% |
| Government grants | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 9.5% | 0.0% |
| All other grants and contributions | 48.9% | 56.1% | 64.2% | 54.3% | 77.2% |
| Other revenue | 3.3% | 8.3% | 9.5% | 13.0% | 3.0% |
| Expense composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses before depreciation | $2,780,650 | $2,978,542 | $2,924,785 | $3,458,283 | $4,103,584 |
| Total expenses, % change over prior year | 11.9% | 7.1% | -1.8% | 18.2% | 18.7% |
| Personnel | 62.6% | 64.9% | 61.6% | 59.6% | 57.6% |
| Professional fees | 8.5% | 5.4% | 8.1% | 3.4% | 2.7% |
| Occupancy | 3.2% | 3.0% | 3.4% | 2.7% | 2.4% |
| Interest | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2.1% | 1.8% |
| Pass-through | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| All other expenses | 25.2% | 26.7% | 26.9% | 32.2% | 35.5% |
| Full cost components (estimated) info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses (after depreciation) | $2,905,035 | $3,082,978 | $3,049,170 | $3,764,526 | $4,458,213 |
| One month of savings | $231,721 | $248,212 | $243,732 | $288,190 | $341,965 |
| Debt principal payment | $0 | $0 | $0 | $67,702 | $1,900,000 |
| Fixed asset additions | $652,256 | $970,169 | $5,029,755 | $1,479,136 | $0 |
| Total full costs (estimated) | $3,789,012 | $4,301,359 | $8,322,657 | $5,599,554 | $6,700,178 |
Capital structure indicators
| Liquidity info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Months of cash | 9.1 | 10.2 | 6.3 | 5.9 | 4.0 |
| Months of cash and investments | 43.8 | 47.8 | 47.1 | 42.4 | 28.6 |
| Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets | 47.1 | 51.2 | 47.5 | 47.6 | 32.1 |
| Balance sheet composition info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | $2,099,161 | $2,537,329 | $1,535,635 | $1,702,447 | $1,381,275 |
| Investments | $8,051,467 | $9,326,277 | $9,945,650 | $10,530,132 | $8,395,991 |
| Receivables | $818,848 | $1,103,317 | $1,304,565 | $1,776,893 | $1,573,587 |
| Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE) | $3,578,186 | $4,548,355 | $8,449,069 | $9,560,551 | $9,742,807 |
| Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE) | 45.3% | 37.9% | 8.5% | 6.9% | 10.1% |
| Liabilities (as a % of assets) | 1.4% | 1.1% | 14.5% | 10.9% | 3.8% |
| Unrestricted net assets | $12,865,209 | $15,535,560 | $17,244,897 | $20,118,914 | $19,130,152 |
| Temporarily restricted net assets | $988,614 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Permanently restricted net assets | $0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Total restricted net assets | $988,614 | $1,327,201 | $1,327,947 | $1,499,912 | $1,366,330 |
| Total net assets | $13,853,823 | $16,862,761 | $18,572,844 | $21,618,826 | $20,496,482 |
Key data checks
| Key data checks info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material data errors | No | No | No | No | No |
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Documents
Executive Director
Ms. Anna Gonce
Anna Gonce brings 20+ years of experience in animal welfare to HSSC. Gonce spent many years with Best Friends Animal Society, which runs the nation’s largest no-kill sanctuary for companion animals. Gonce helped Best Friends launch several national initiatives designed to reduce the number of animals entering shelters. She then led their Salt Lake City–based program, delivering a strategy to make Utah a no-kill state. She operated a pet adoption center, high-volume spay/neuter clinic, mobile spay/neuter clinic, kitten nursery, and led a statewide coalition. Gonce was previously Executive Director of The Gabriel Foundation, one of the country’s largest parrot sanctuaries. She also worked for the American Humane Association, first as their public relations manager, then as the manager of their animal emergency services program. She joined HSSC in 2020.
Number of employees
Source: IRS Form 990
Humane Society of Sarasota County Inc
Officers, directors, trustees, and key employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
Humane Society of Sarasota County Inc
Highest paid employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
Humane Society of Sarasota County Inc
Board of directorsas of 06/03/2024
Board of directors data
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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
Contractors
Fiscal year endingGuideStar Pro Reports
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