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3251 NE 180TH AVE
Williston FL 32696-6812
Williston FL | IRS ruling year: 2010 | EIN: 27-2667123
Organization Mission
TO RAISE, TRAIN, AND DONATE MEDICAL SERVICE/ASSISTANCE DOGS TO PROVIDE RELIEF AND ASSISTANCE TO INDIVIDUALS WITH VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE DISABILITIES.
Great
This charity's score is 94%, 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, weighted as follows: 85% Accountability & Finance, 10% Leadership & Adaptability, 5% 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!
The IRS is significantly delayed in processing nonprofits' annual tax filings (Forms 990). As a result, the Accountability & Finance score for Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs Inc. is outdated and the overall rating may not be representative of its current operations. Please check with the charity directly for any questions you may have.
Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs Inc. has earned a 93% 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 2020, which is the most recent Form 990 currently available to us.
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Full Credit
Partial Credit
No Credit
Not ApplicableBoard Composition - 5/7 - 25/25 ptsBoard Composition - 5/7 - 25/25 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 - Audited - 20/20 ptsIndependent Audit or Financial Review - Audited - 20/20 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 - 3/3 ptsConflict of Interest Policy - Listed - 3/3 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 - 3/3 ptsBoard Meeting Minutes - Documented - 3/3 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 - 3/3 ptsDocument Retention and Destruction - Listed - 3/3 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 - 3/3 ptsWhistleblower Policy - Listed - 3/3 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 - 3/3 ptsWebsite - Listed - 3/3 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 - 53.72% - 8/15 ptsLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 53.72% - 8/15 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 - 75.48% - 25/25 ptsProgram Expense Ratio - 75.48% - 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
This chart displays the trend of revenue and expenses over the past several years for this organization, as reported on their IRS Form 990.
Presented here are up to five of this organization's highest compensated employees. This compensation data includes salary, cash bonuses, and expense accounts and is displayed exactly how it is reported to the IRS. The amounts do not include nontaxable benefits, deferred compensation, or other amounts not reported on Form W-2. In some cases, these amounts may include compensation from related organizations. Read the IRS policies for compensation reporting
Source: IRS Form 990 (page 7), filing year 2020
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
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 (Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs Inc.) or EIN (272667123) 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.
Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs Inc. reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Fundraising Capacity
Revenue
Grants Received
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
The COVID pandemic affected our organization financially, as grants we normally applied for/won were re-directed to COVID efforts. Regular fundraising events had to be cancelled, and our fundraising needed to shift quickly to online opportunities.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
As part of our program, we bring Service Dog recipients to our Florida HQ for pairing with their dogs. Since travel was halted in many cases, recipients could not get to us. Many recipients also have comorbitiies that prevented them from traveling to our location.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
We changed our business model and developed a plan to transport our dogs and trainers to individually pair new recipients with their dogs. Our pairing trips included going to Pennsylvania and Michigan.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
We have always been a cautious and fiscally sound organization. We will continue to ensure we have funds in reserve to continue our mission during difficult times. We will also continue to do remote pairings when necessary.
Not Currently Scored
Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs Inc. 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.
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Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs Inc. reported its largest program on its FY 2020 Form 990 as:
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
SINCE 2010, GUARDIAN ANGELS MEDICAL SERVICE DOGS HAS BEEN RESCUING, RAISING, TRAINING, AND THEN DONATING INDIVIDUALLY TRAINED MEDICAL SERVICE DOGS TO VETERANS AND OTHERS STRUGGLING WITH A MYRIAD OF DI ... (More)
SINCE 2010, GUARDIAN ANGELS MEDICAL SERVICE DOGS HAS BEEN RESCUING, RAISING, TRAINING, AND THEN DONATING INDIVIDUALLY TRAINED MEDICAL SERVICE DOGS TO VETERANS AND OTHERS STRUGGLING WITH A MYRIAD OF DISABILITIES. IN THE YEAR ENDED APRIL 30, 2020, THE ORGANIZATION PAIRED 31 DOGS WITH 25 VETERANS/FIRST RESPONDERS AND 5 NON-VETERANS. (Less)
Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs Inc. has earned a 100% 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.
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Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableConstituent Feedback - Data Available - 100/100 ptsConstituent Feedback - Data Available - 100/100 pts
100% 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.
Veterans, first responders and others struggling with permanent disabilities that are either visible or invisible. These can include, but are not limited to: PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury, Seizure and diabetic disorders, mobility issues, Military Sexual Trauma and more.
How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Constituent (client or resident, etc.) advisory committees, Other means
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?
The people we serve, Our staff, Our board, Our funders
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?
Asking our recipients for feedback has had a very positive effect. It is helping them regain their sense of confidence and belonging. It also ensures that they get all their questions answered, and assistance should they need it. We've even asked several recipients to serve on an "Experienced Team Panel", which has them giving advice & tips to new recipients before they're paired with their service dogs.
What challenges does your organization face in collecting feedback from the people you serve?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Briefly describe a recent change that your organization made in response to feedback from the people you serve.
A major change we've made recently after listening to our recipients, is to self-insure our dogs. Our recipients were unhappy with both the cost and complexity of commercial dog insurance for their service dogs. So we created a self-insure model that helps our recipients with disabilities pay for necessary veterinary care for their service dogs.
Equity Practices - No Data Available - UnscoredEquity Practices - No Data Available - Unscored
This organization has not provided information regarding the Equity Practices it is presently implementing. As such, the organization has not earned a score on this metric. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations implementing effective equity policies and practices can enhance a nonprofit's decision-making, staff motivation, innovation, and effectiveness.
Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs Inc. 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
TO RAISE, TRAIN, AND DONATE MEDICAL SERVICE/ASSISTANCE DOGS TO PROVIDE RELIEF AND ASSISTANCE TO INDIVIDUALS WITH VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE DISABILITIES.
Vision - 10/10 ptsVision - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
Our goal is to drastically reduce suicide in our veteran and first-responder communities.
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: Expand our footprint nationally to assist more people with permanent disabilities in need.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Two: Continue to educate the public on service dogs, and the laws pertaining to service dogs to increase inclusion and acceptance of service dogs nationwide.
Goal Type: This goal reflects our commitment to further our advocacy work for our organization and or cause area.
Goal Three: Expand our rescue dog program, so that we continue saving and changing the lives of not only our recipients, but the dogs as well. This will also assist us in pairing more dogs each year.
Goal Type: This goal reflects our commitment to further our advocacy work for our organization and or cause area.
Leadership Development - 15/15 ptsLeadership Development - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
We have a college-accredited service dog training program that our trainers attend annually for 2 weeks. Our dogs are used as demonstration animals at the renowned Chi Institute in Florida to educate our staff on alternative medicines. Our organization proactively seeks out educational opportunities including seminars and educational webinars for staff to attend, to expand their knowledge and expertise. An example from just the past month would be sending our HR person to a SHRM conference.
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
Thought Leadership
Raising Awareness
Community Building
Policy Advocacy
We partner with several other non-profit organizations to ensure veterans and first responders are aware of our services. Our staff & leadership team (pre-covid) were giving more than 50 presentations each year to different groups to educate other industries about service dog laws and regulations. We have partnered with 4 different universities to do studies on service dog genetics and results. Our Founder & CEO, Carol Borden acted as industry consultant to the states of Florida & Michigan as they drafted their respective states' service dog laws. We participate with several industry groups to ensure proper training cross-organization, as well as to advocate for service dog funding and elevate training across the board. Utilizing our social media platforms, our website, and letter-writing campaigns, we raise awareness of, and help educate the public about service dogs, and the laws that impact them.
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 organization made quick and important changes to our processes as COVID effected the way Americans traveled and donated. We train each service dog for up to two years to mitigate the challenges of the recipients' specific disabilities. As Covid began changing the national landscape, suddenly, new recipients scheduled to fly in to Florida for their pairing could not get to us. Within weeks, we devised a plan to have trainers load up the service dogs, and perform modified pairings - driving to where the recipients live to deliver their service dogs, doing individual or very small groups that were socially distanced, and switching many of the pairing classes to virtual meeting classes via Zoom to minimize exposure. We also adapted our fundraising, as grant funding was re-directed, and fundraising events were cancelled. We developed several online/social media fundraisers, and contacted our major donors to ensure our mission continued through the pandemic.
Impact & Results
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
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