BBB Wise Giving Report for
Canine Companions for Independence

BBB Wise Giving Report issued August 2011
BBB Wise Giving Report expires August 2013


This BBB Accredited charity meets all 20 Standards for Charity Accountability. Find out more...


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Charity Contact Information

Name: Canine Companions for Independence
Address: PO Box 446
  Santa Rosa, CA 95402
Phone: 866-224-3647
707-577-1700
Web Address: www.cci.org
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BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1978, California
Affiliates: Canine Companions for Independence North Central Regional Training Center, Canine Companions for Independence Northeast Regional Training Center, Canine Companions for Independence Northwest Regional Training Center, Canine Companions for Independence Southeast Regional Training Center, Canine Companions for Independence Southwest Regional Training Center, Colorado Satellite Office, and 35 chapters

Stated Purpose: "to enhance the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships."

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Evaluation Conclusions

               

CCI meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

               

CCI provides adults and children with disabilities an assistance dog that is trained in about 40 commands to assist with physical tasks. These tasks allow a person with a disability the ability to live more independently. Dogs are trained to retrieve items, turn lights on and off, open and close doors, pull a wheelchair and more. CCI serves a range of disabilities including spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, SMA, deaf and hard of hearing, Down syndrome, autism and developmental delays. The organization also provides assistance dogs to veterans with injuries resulting from military service. CCI reports that its assistance dogs and graduate follow-up services are provided free of charge.

For the year ended December 31, 2010, CCI's program expenses were:

  
Training and follow-up 5,497,404
Public information 2,169,016
Breeding and puppy raising 2,110,725
Veterinary 1,691,403
Total Program Expenses: $11,468,548
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Governance

               

Chief Executive : Corey Hudson, Chief Executive Officer
Compensation*:
 $221,335

Chair of the Board: Anne Gittinger
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Corporate Executive, Retail

Board Size: 18

Paid Staff Size: 170

*2010 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
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Fund Raising

               

Method(s) Used:

Direct mail, special events, print advertisements, grant proposals, Internet appeals, planned giving arrangements, and cause-related marketing.
Fund raising costs were 16% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $14,011,068, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)
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Tax Status

               

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.
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Financial

               

The following information is based on CCI's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2010.

Source of Funds  
Contributions 8,519,789
Bequests 3,966,830
Special events, net 1,377,415
Net investment income 1,360,448
Program service revenue 322,996
Capital campaign support 147,034
Change in value of beneficial interests in true assets 44,600
Other 3,924
Total Income $15,743,036


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Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 78%  Fund Raising: 15%  Administrative: 7% 

Total income   $15,743,036
  Program expenses $11,468,548
  Fund raising expenses 2,196,919
  Administrative expenses 973,910
 
Total expenses   $14,639,377
Income in Excess of Expenses   1,103,659
Beginning net assets   43,144,513
Ending net assets   44,248,172
Total liabilities   1,407,398
Total assets   $45,655,570

Note: According to CCI, the organization received in-kind contributions that totaled $75,884 which includes veterinary services ($55,243), groundskeeping services ($17,400), equipment ($2,752), and team tranining supplies ($489).

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An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.

This report is not to be used for fund raising or promotional purposes.

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