Animal Rescue League of Boston

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
042103714
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Official website data refreshed
Aug 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location
Boston, MA, USA
Phone
(617) 426-9170 x604
Rating
89
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Animal Protection and Welfare

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$21,909,126
Expenses
$14,528,589
Assets
$140,958,576
Liabilities
$13,272,792

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

26 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • DR EDWARD SCHETTINO (PRESIDENT & CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • DR EDWARD SCHETTINO (PRESIDENT & CEO): $383,722 total reported compensation
  • DR ERIN DOYLE (CHIEF ANIMAL WELFARE & MEDICAL OFF.): $223,909 total reported compensation
  • KAREN WILLIAMS (VP OF FINANCE & ACCTG.): $197,477 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The Animal Rescue League of Boston is an unwavering champion for animals in need, committed to keeping them safe and healthy in homes.

What it reported doing in 2024

Community programs - arl meets people and animals in the communities where they live. Through strategic partnerships with local human services organizations, arl aims to keep every member of the household healthy, and families together. Community programs includes the following outreach and special initiatives: 1) field services provides technical and non-technical rescues for injured domestic animals, livestock, and raptors. 2) the community cat program helps unowned cats (feral, semi-feral, and outdoor cats) by assessing cat colonies and formulating tnr (trap/neuter/return) plans. 3) the transport waggin' i and transport waggin' ii link together arl's locations and programs, allowing transport of out-of-state animals, and assisting municipal shelters, animal control facilities, and smaller rescue groups. 4) keep pets s.a.f.e (supporting animals and families everyday) provides critical services, such as pet food and supplies, in response to urgent community needs. 5) humane education - arl seeks to create the next generation of compassionate animal advocates by presenting interactive activities for both children and adults focused on topics related to animal welfare and care.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and reported officer compensation is a large share of total spending, which may reflect staffing concentration.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 80
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 80
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 88.2%; rating input score 88
  • Program expense ratio: 80.7%; rating input score 81
  • Fundraising efficiency: $9.28 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 6 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Pass
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 33.7%; rating input score 90; 90th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 9.7; rating input score 91; 91st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.09; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 11.8%; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 5.7% per year; rating input score 100; 47th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 5.5% per year; rating input score 100; 48th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 2.7% per year; rating input score 100; 21st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 6 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 1 operating location identified
  • Where the money goes: 88.2% of revenue deployed · 80.7% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 13 of 13 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $11.7M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $384K · 26 people listed · 6 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $1.5M reported
  • Consistency: 37 of 37 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 9 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 15 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 10 filed money-flow records
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 36/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 15/100.