BBB Wise Giving Report for
Paws With A Cause

BBB Wise Giving Report issued September 2010
BBB Wise Giving Report expires September 2012


This BBB Accredited charity meets all 20 Standards for Charity Accountability and is a Seal Holder. Find out more...


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Charity Contact Information

Name: Paws With A Cause
Address: 4646 South Division
  Wayland, MI 49348
Phone: 800-253-7297
616-877-7297
Web Address: www.pawswithacause.org
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BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1979, Michigan
Affiliates: None
Stated Purpose: "to train assistance dogs nationally for people with disabilities, provide lifetime team support which encourages independence and promote awareness through education."

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Evaluation Conclusions

               

Paws With A Cause (PAWS) meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

               

Paws serves people with disabilites through custom-trained assistance dogs. The organization trains service dogs, hearing dogs, seizure response dogs, social support dogs and service dogs for children with autism to increase independence for people with disabilities. PAWS reports that all of its dogs are placed at no cost to clients.

For the year ended December 31, 2009, PAWS' program expenses were:

  
Training and services 2,823,739
General education 339,393
Total Program Expenses: $3,163,132
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Governance

               

Chief Executive : Michael D. Sapp, Sr., CEO
Compensation*:
 $106,561

Chair of the Board: Douglas J. Dok, Jr.
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Attorney

Board Size: 12

Paid Staff Size: 46

*2009 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, television, radio, grant proposals, planned giving, Internet appeals, and membership appeals.
Fund raising costs were 16% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $3,595,124, 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 PAWS's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2009.

Source of Funds  
Contributions 2,650,837
Support from federal/state combined campaigns 587,342
Support from United Ways 570,937
Investment gains 330,828
Other revenue 35,838
Special events (net) -213,992
Total Income $3,961,790


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Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 77%  Fund Raising: 15%  Administrative: 8% 

Total income   $3,961,790
  Program expenses $3,163,132
  Fund raising expenses 590,903
  Administrative expenses 310,954
 
Total expenses   $4,064,989
Expenses in Excess of Income   (103,199)
Beginning net assets   6,148,917
Ending net assets   6,045,718
Total liabilities   145,922
Total assets   $6,191,640

Note: For the year ended December 31, 2009, PAWS had in-kind income in the amount of $266,999 in the form of publicly traded securities ($170,680) and donated materials and services ($96,319).

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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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