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Animals : Animal Rights, Welfare, and Services

Canine Companions for Independence

Exceptional dogs for exceptional people

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Impact Information is available from our partner, GlobalGiving

three stars

88.43

2965 Dutton Avenue P.O. Box 446
Santa Rosa, CA 95402
tel: (800) 572-2275   Web Site
EIN: 94-2494324

Board Leadership
John McKinney
Board Chair

CEO
Paige Mazzoni
Chief Executive Officer

 
 
  Score
(out of 100) 		Rating
Overall Score & Rating 88.43 three stars
  Financial 83.64 three stars
  Accountability & Transparency 100.00 four stars
This rating was published 12/21/2018 and includes data from FY2017, the most recent 990 received at that time.
Why isn't this based on more recent data?

Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Santa Rosa, California, Canine Companions for Independence enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly-trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships. Canine Companions trains four types of assistance dogs to master over 40 specialized commands: Service Dogs, Skilled Companions, Hearing Dogs and Facility Dogs. After completing training, the dogs are teamed with a graduate during an intensive two week training period (Team Training). For the fourth consecutive year, Canine Companions placed over 300 assistance dogs, and in November 2018, the 6,000th assistance dog in the organization's history was placed. All assistance dogs and follow-up services are provided free of charge to recipients. In 2018, the organization implemented a program to serve veterans with PTSD. In the spring of 2019, ground was broken on a new North Central campus that will be located in New Albany, Ohio.

Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Santa Rosa, California, Canine Companions for Independence enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly-trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships. Canine Companions trains four types of assistance dogs to master over 40 specialized commands: Service Dogs, Skilled Companions, Hearing Dogs and Facility Dogs. After completing training, the dogs are teamed with a graduate during an intensive two week training period (Team Training). For the fourth consecutive year, Canine Companions placed over 300 assistance dogs, and in November 2018, the 6,000th assistance dog in the organization's history was placed. All assistance dogs and follow-up services are provided free of charge to recipients. In 2018, the organization implemented a program to serve veterans with PTSD. In the spring of 2019, ground was broken on a new North Central campus that will be located in New Albany, Ohio.

Impact Information

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GlobalGiving Status
Leader Status
This organization has earned GlobalGiving Leader Status by demonstrating active engagement and/or effectiveness over the past year. GG Rewards is the system GlobalGiving uses to reward nonprofits that demonstrate listening to the people they serve, learning, and improving their impact. Organizations receive points which translate into their Status: 52% of organizations are Partner, 22% are Leader, and the top 26% of organizations are Superstar. GlobalGiving is a trusted Impact Information partner of Charity Navigator.
Additional Badges from GlobalGiving
Vetted
This organization has been vetted by GlobalGiving.
GlobalGiving is the largest global crowdfunding community connecting nonprofits, donors, and companies in nearly every country. For donors, GlobalGiving provides an additional layer of vetting and due diligence for each of its nonprofit partners every two years, which may include site visit verification. For nonprofits, GlobalGiving works to provide nonprofits access to the tools, training, and support they need to be more effective. GlobalGiving's aim is to drive more donations to more effective, community-led organizations. GG Rewards is the system that GlobalGiving uses to recognize and reward its nonprofit partners for their efforts to learn, improve, and grow their impact. Within the GG Rewards system, organizations receive points for their Effectiveness (commitment to learning) and Engagement (participation on the GlobalGiving community). These points will translate into the GG Rewards Status (Partner, Leader, or Superstar). GlobalGiving's nonprofit partners also receive badges (visible on their Charity Navigator profile) when they are verified by a GlobalGiving site visit, when they have demonstrated exceptional efforts to learn from feedback, improve, and grow their impact, or when they have been named as an exceptional nonprofit through GlobalGiving's Project of the Month program.
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This impact information is current as of March 2019, when it was provided to us by GlobalGiving. At this time, Impact information published on this organization's page has no effect on its rating per our methodology. Further, the availability of GG Rewards information for charities on our site has no effect on Charity Navigator's evaluation of GlobalGiving.

Learn more about how we calculate the overall score and rating.

Financial

three stars

83.64

Accountability & Transparency

four stars

100.00

This rating was published 12/21/2018 and includes data from FY2017, the most recent 990 received at that time.
Why isn't this based on more recent data?
Overall Rating Chart
  Program Expenses
(Percent of the charity's total expenses spent on the programs
and services it delivers)		 71.5%
  Administrative Expenses 6.2%
  Fundraising Expenses 22.2%
  Fundraising Efficiency $0.20
  Working Capital Ratio (years) 2.75
  Program Expenses Growth 11.2%
  Liabilities to Assets 4.5%
All data for Financial Performance Metrics calculations was provided by Canine Companions for Independence on recent 990s filed with the IRS.
All data for Financial Performance Metrics calculations was provided by Canine Companions for Independence on recent 990s filed with the IRS.
Information Provided on the Form 990  
  Independent Voting Board Members
  No Material diversion of assets
  Audited financials prepared by independent accountant
  Does Not Provide Loan(s) to or Receive Loan(s) From related parties
  Documents Board Meeting Minutes
  Provided copy of Form 990 to organization's governing body in advance of filing
  Conflict of Interest Policy
  Whistleblower Policy
  Records Retention and Destruction Policy
  CEO listed with salary
  Process for determining CEO compensation
  Board Listed / Board Members Not Compensated
Is the following information easily accessible on the charity's website?  
  Donor Privacy Policy
  Board Members Listed
  Audited Financials
  Form 990
  Key staff listed

Highly Rated

Charity Name & State Overall Score Overall Rating
Canine Companions for Independence (CA) 88.43 three stars
Guide Dogs for the Blind (CA) 93.87 four stars
Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind (NY) 89.63 three stars
Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation (CT) 96.74 four stars
Puppies Behind Bars (NY) 98.04 four stars

Compare These Charities (Highly Rated)

REVENUE  
Contributions  
   Contributions, Gifts & Grants $23,255,721
   Federated Campaigns $38,236
   Membership Dues $0
   Fundraising Events $3,126,997
   Related Organizations $0
   Government Grants $84,999
Total Contributions $26,505,953
   Program Service Revenue $2,534,306
Total Primary Revenue $29,040,259
   Other Revenue $2,095,158
TOTAL REVENUE $31,135,417
   
EXPENSES  
   Program Expenses $19,005,419
   Administrative Expenses $1,660,152
   Fundraising Expenses $5,520,117
TOTAL FUNCTIONAL EXPENSES $26,185,688
   
Payments to Affiliates $0
Excess (or Deficit) for the year $4,949,729
   
Net Assets $68,132,050

Program names and associated costs are listed for the top programs as reported on the charity's most recently filed Form 990. The top programs displayed will include the largest three programs, or those programs covering at least 60% of the charity's total expenses, whichever comes first.

Program Name Amount Spent % of Program Expenses
Training $8,842,602 46.5%
Breeding and Puppy Raising $4,402,626 23.2%
Public Information and Local Presence $3,480,983 18.3%

Ratings History

Form 990 FYE Date Published Overall Score Overall Rating
CN 2.1
2017-12 12/21/2018 88.43 three stars
2016-12 04/01/2018 88.11 three stars
2015-12 02/01/2017 86.55 three stars
2014-12 06/01/2016 86.63 three stars
 
CN 2.0
2014-12 12/22/2015 84.88 three stars
2014-12 12/01/2015 84.62 three stars
2013-12 06/01/2015 88.55 three stars
2012-12 02/01/2014 84.24 three stars
2011-12 04/01/2013 86.39 three stars
2010-12 02/01/2012 91.04 four stars
2009-12 09/20/2011 89.19 three stars
 
CN 1.0
2009-12 12/22/2010 84.71 three stars
2008-12 12/01/2009 85.08 three stars
2007-12 04/01/2009 81.16 three stars
2006-12 05/01/2008 78.35 two stars
2005-12 10/01/2006 81.60 three stars
2004-12 10/01/2005 78.47 two stars
2003-12 09/01/2004 82.86 three stars
2002-12 10/01/2003 80.99 three stars
2001-12 10/15/2002 95.85 four stars

The data displayed on this tab is provided by the IRS in the form of Publication 78 and the Business Master File (BMF).

EIN 94-2494324
Name in IRS Master File CANINE COMPANIONS FOR INDEPENDENCE
NTEE Code P8X
NTEE Classification [Not Provided by IRS]
NTEE Type [Not Provided by IRS]
Classification Charitable Organization
Subsection 501(c)(3)  (View the list of codes)
Activities (30) School, college, trade school, etc.
Foundation Status Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public   170(b)(1)(A)(vi)
Deductibility Contributions are deductible
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).
Group Name [Not Applicable]
Ruling Date February, 1979
Filing Requirement 990 (all other) or 990EZ return
Fiscal Year End December
IRS Forms 990
(provided courtesy of Foundation Center)		 (Log In or Register Now to View Forms 990!)
  • December, 2017
  • December, 2016
  • December, 2015
  • December, 2014
  • December, 2013

The data displayed in this profile is provided by the IRS for free in the form of Publication 78 and the Business Master File (BMF).

Compensation % of Expenses Paid to Title
$18,462 0.07% Kathryn M Marquet Interim CEO (started 11/13/17)
Other Salaries of Note
$227,593 0.86% Paul E Mundell CEO (thru 11/10/17)

Highly Rated

Charity Name & State Overall Score Overall Rating
Canine Companions for Independence (CA) 88.43 three stars
Puppies Behind Bars (NY) 98.04 four stars
Can Do Canines (MN) 96.19 four stars
Guide Dogs of the Desert (CA) 87.87 three stars
The Gentle Barn (CA) 94.42 four stars

Compare These Charities (Highly Rated)

This charity has an official representative registered with Charity Navigator.

Charity Contact Info

Canine Companions for Independence
2965 Dutton Avenue
P.O. Box 446
Santa Rosa, CA 95402
tel: (800) 572-2275
fax: (707) 577-1712
TTY: (707) 577-1756
EIN: 94-2494324

Visit Web Site

Board Leadership

John McKinney
Board Chair

CEO

Paige Mazzoni
Chief Executive Officer

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