Your donation attempt encountered a problem. Please refresh the page to try again.
You're faster than our page! Give the page a little longer to finish loading and try your donation again.
Redwood City CA | IRS ruling year: 2005 | EIN: 20-2150714
Nine Lives Foundation proudly provides lifelines for at-risk cats and kittens and affordable, compassionate care for our feline friends and the people who love them. ... (More)
Nine Lives Foundation proudly provides lifelines for at-risk cats and kittens and affordable, compassionate care for our feline friends and the people who love them.
Let’s save lives together! (Less)
Great
This charity's score is 99%, earning it a Four-Star rating. If this organization aligns with your passions and values, you can give with confidence.
This overall score is calculated from multiple beacon scores: 80% Accountability & Finance, 10% Leadership & Adaptability, 10% Culture & Community. Learn more about our criteria and methodology.
We recognize that not all metrics and beacons equally predict a charity’s success. The percentage each beacon contributes to the organization’s overall rating depends on the number of beacons an organization has earned.
Use the tool below to select different beacons to see how the weighting shifts when only one, two, or three beacons are earned.
Rating histories are available for a growing number of rated organizations. Check back later to see if this organization has a rating history!
Nine Lives Foundation has earned a 100% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies.
This Accountability & Finance score represents IRS Form 990 data up until FY 2021, which is the most recent Form 990 currently available to us.
Learn more
Full Credit
Partial Credit
No Credit
Not ApplicableBoard Composition - 6/6 - 35/35 ptsBoard Composition - 6/6 - 35/35 pts
Charity Navigator looks for at least 3 board members, with more than 50% of those members identified as independent (not salaried).
The presence of an independent governing body is strongly recommended by many industry professionals to allow for full deliberation and diversity of thinking on governance and other organizational matters.
Source: IRS Form 990
Independent Audit or Financial Review - N/A - 0/0 ptsIndependent Audit or Financial Review - N/A - 0/0 pts
An Audit, Review, or Compilation provides important information about financial accountability and accuracy. Organizations are scored based on their Total Revenue Amount:
| Total Revenue Amount | Expectation to Receive Credit |
|---|---|
| $1 million or higher | Expected to complete an audit |
| $500,000 - $1 million | Expected to complete an audit, review, or compilation |
| Less than $500,000 | No expectation (removed from scoring methodology) |
Source: IRS Form 990
Conflict of Interest Policy - Listed - 5/5 ptsConflict of Interest Policy - Listed - 5/5 pts
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a conflict of interest policy on the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy protects the organization and by extension those it serves, when it is considering entering into a transaction that may benefit the private interest of an officer, director and/or key employee of the organization.
Source: IRS Form 990
Board Meeting Minutes - Documented - 5/5 ptsBoard Meeting Minutes - Documented - 5/5 pts
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990 that the organization has this process in place as an accountability and transparency measure.
An official record of the events that take place during a board meeting ensures that a contemporaneous document exists for future reference.
Source: IRS Form 990
Document Retention and Destruction - Listed - 5/5 ptsDocument Retention and Destruction - Listed - 5/5 pts
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a document retention and destruction policy per the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy establishes guidelines for the handling, backing up, archiving and destruction of documents. These guidelines foster good record keeping procedures that promote data integrity.
Source: IRS Form 990
Whistleblower Policy - Listed - 5/5 ptsWhistleblower Policy - Listed - 5/5 pts
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a whistleblower policy per the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy outlines procedures for handling employee complaints, as well as a confidential way for employees to report financial or other types of mismanagement.
Source: IRS Form 990
Website - Listed - 5/5 ptsWebsite - Listed - 5/5 pts
Charity Navigator looks for a website on the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency metric.
Nonprofits act in the public trust and reporting publicly on activities is an important component.
Source: IRS Form 990
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 4.91% - 15/15 ptsLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 4.91% - 15/15 pts
The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent 990). This ratio is an indicator of an organization’s solvency and/or long-term sustainability.
| Liabilities to Assets Ratio | Amount of Credit Received |
|---|---|
| Less than 50% | Full Credit |
| 50% - 59.9% | Partial Credit |
| 60% or more | No Credit |
Source: IRS Form 990
Program Expense Ratio - 86.57% - 25/25 ptsProgram Expense Ratio - 86.57% - 25/25 pts
The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expense (average of most recent three 990s). This measure reflects the percent of its total expenses a charity spends on the programs and services it exists to deliver.
| Program Expense Percentage | Amount of Credit Received |
|---|---|
| 70% or higher | Full Credit |
| 60% - 69.9% | Partial Credit |
| 50% - 59.9% | Zero Points for Program Expense Score |
| Below 50% | Zero Points for Both Program Expense AND Liabilities to Assets Scores |
Source: IRS Form 990
No Data Available
Revenue and expense data is not available for this organization. This data is only available if this charity has at least one year of electronically-filed Form 990 data filed within the last six years.
No Data Available
Key Persons data is currently unavailable for this organization. This data is only available if this charity has at least one year of electronically-filed Form 990 data filed within the last six years.
Below are some key data points from the Exempt Organization IRS Business Master File (BMF) for this organization. Learn more about the BMF on the IRS website
Activities:
Activity data not reported from the IRS
Foundation Status:
Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) (BMF foundation code: 15)
Affiliation:
Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations). (BMF affiliation code: 3)
The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. We leverage finance and accountability data from it to form Encompass ratings. Click here to search for this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website (if any are available). Simply enter the organization's name (Nine Lives Foundation) or EIN (202150714) in the 'Search Term' field.
This organization was impacted by COVID-19 in a way that effected their financial health in 2020. This normally would have reduced their star rating. Due to the unprecedented nature of the pandemic, we give charities such as this one the opportunity to share the story of COVID's impact on them, and doing this pauses our revision of their rating. Charities may submit their own pandemic responses through their nonprofit portal.
Nine Lives Foundation reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Fundraising Capacity
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
We received a PPP load and were able to retain all staff. We were not able to hold our usual in-person fund-raising events, although overall donations were not severely impacted.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
We were able to continue our low-cost Spay/Neuter and Vaccine clinic, using curbside service and strict COVID protocols for staff and customers. Because of the closure of other S/N organizations, we had (and continue to have) a large backlog of demand for S/N and are still struggling to catch up (and kitten season is coming). We continued to do adoptions by introducing adoptions by appointment with only one family in the building and limited volunteers - 2020 adoptions were up over 30% from the prior year; however 2021 adoptions decreased significantly.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
In addition to curbside services and only doing adoptions by appointment, we have increased our use of technology to limit in-person interactions, including online invoicing & payments, and online completion of adoption applications prior to visiting the adoption center
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
Online services - including invoicing/payments, and applications for adoption, fostering and volunteering have not only reduced in-person interaction but really streamlined processes; we are now expanding our online forms and enabling customers to complete paperwork ahead of time. Adoptions by appointment were very successful; while we are currently opening up without appointments, we are continuing to evaluate this policy and may return to the appointment system, as it enabled families to get lots of 1:1 time with cats and adoption counselors, worked will with our limited parking, and helped cats be less overwhelmed by lots of people at one time.
Not Currently Scored
Nine Lives Foundation cannot currently be evaluated by our Impact & Results methodology because either (A) it is eligible, but we have not yet received data; (B) we have not yet developed an algorithm to estimate its programmatic impact; (C) its programs are not direct services; or (D) it is not heavily reliant on contributions from individual donors.
Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization.
Learn More
No 990 Program Data Found
Nine Lives Foundation has earned a 86% for the Culture & Community beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's culture and connectedness to the community it serves.
Learn more
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableConstituent Feedback - Data Available - 100/100 ptsConstituent Feedback - Data Available - 100/100 pts
30% of beacon score
This organization reported that it is collecting feedback from the constituents and/or communities it serves. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations that engage in inclusive practices, such as collecting feedback from the people and communities they serve, may be more effective.
Who are the people you serve with your mission? Describe briefly.
People who adopt cats from us Cat and kitten rescue organizations that utilize our low-cost veterinary services Individuals who use our low-cost services
How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Case management notes, Suggestion box/email
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
With whom does your organization share the feedback you got from the people you serve?
Our staff, Our board
How has asking for feedback from the people you serve changed your relationship with them or shifted power - over decisions, resources, rules or in other ways - to them?
Having direct input from our constituents has been humbling - we thought we knew how we were perceived, but learned things we did not expect at all! We recently overhauled our branding and constituent input on the words they would use to Nine Lives were eye-opening! We are excited to keep the communication lines open and use feedback a lot more as we evolve.
What challenges does your organization face in collecting feedback from the people you serve?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, We don't have the right technology to collect and aggregate feedback efficiently, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time
Briefly describe a recent change that your organization made in response to feedback from the people you serve.
We recently gathered feedback that our Adoptions application was onerous and not inclusive. We are fundamentally changing our adoptions process to adopt "Barrier Free Adoptions" protocols, to make pet ownership more accessible to everyone in our community.
Equity Practices - Data Available - 80/100 ptsEquity Practices - Data Available - 80/100 pts
70% of beacon score
This organization's score of 80 is a passing score. The organization reported that it is implementing 3 Equity Practices. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations implementing effective equity policies and practices can enhance a nonprofit's decision-making, staff motivation, innovation, and effectiveness.
Equity Practices (1/7) | |
|---|---|
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. | |
Equity Policies and Procedures (2/7) | |
|---|---|
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 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. | |
Nine Lives Foundation has earned a 100% for the Leadership & Adaptability beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's leadership capacity, strategic thinking and planning, and ability to innovate or respond to changes in constituent demand/need or other relevant social and economic conditions to achieve the organization's mission.
Learn more
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableMission - 10/10 ptsMission - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization's mission
We are a community-based non-profit 501c3 organization that rescues at-risk cats and kittens and finds them loving forever homes. We place our rescued cats in our no-kill facility, providing medical treatments through our veterinary clinic. We are committed to addressing the overpopulation of homeless cats by providing low-cost spay and neuter services for cats in our community.
Vision - 10/10 ptsVision - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
A community where all cats and kittens are spayed or neutered and safeguarded.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Goals - 20/20 ptsGoals - 20/20 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.
Goal One: Help more cats: - Increase spay/neuter capacity - Increase cat/kitten intake & adoptions - Continue to intake & at-risk sick/injured cats - Employ best practices to optimize cats’ shelter experience
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Two: Be a great place to work; build & retain a high-performing, passionate team of medical & administrative people, by investing in staff development, team-building, workplace culture, and diversity
Goal Type: Invest in the capacity of our organization (financial, management, technical, etc.).
Goal Three: Enhance our internal infrastructure and processes to be more effective and efficient (including development capabilities, technology adoption, shelter best practice & protocol implementation)
Goal Type: Invest in the capacity of our organization (financial, management, technical, etc.).
Leadership Development - 15/15 ptsLeadership Development - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
- Critical Conversations training for leadership - Reached out to larger shelters' leaders to mentor/mentee relationships for our board members
Mobilizing for Mission - 15/15 ptsMobilizing for Mission - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.
Strategic Partnerships
Networks of Collective Impact Efforts
Raising Awareness
Community Building
Our board and Executive Director are involved in outreach to other animal rescue organizations to share best practices, learn from each other, and collaborate. We also collaborated this year with other shelters to provide complementary services - e.g., we provided spay/neuter for local foster-based cat rescue organization which do not have veterinarians on staff
Adaptability Story - 30/30 ptsAdaptability Story - 30/30 pts
The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
Our founder / chief veterinarian retired at the end of 2020. We have since added 2 board members, hired an Executive Director, refreshed our mission, and implemented significant changes to our processes and staffing model (including adding veterinarians and veterinary technicians, implementing new shelter management software (Shelterluv), switching our payroll/HR system to a platform better able to support our needs, rolling out health benefits to staff for the first time, and documenting protocols for key activities and staff roles). We have engaged a Development consultant and are working on overhauling our branding, communications, website, and donor management infrastructure.
Impact & Results
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
The Giving Basket is having some issues. If you wish to donate, please refresh the page. If the problem persists contact us.
Cart ID: Not Assigned
The Giving Basket is having some issues. If you wish to donate, please refresh the page. If the problem persists contact us.
Cart ID: Not Assigned
