Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

The purpose of the fidelco guide dog foundation is to provide safety, increased mobility and greater independence to people who are blind or visually impaired, by breeding and training, highly intelligent german shepherd dogs who are then matched with these clients. The organization does this, without charge, by maintaining a significant scientific breeding program, enhancing the intelligence and stamina of the dogs to enable them to spend up to 10 years providing guidance to clients. The organization is unique in that it provides "in-community" training, which means that clients do not need to travel or spend time away from their homes and places of work in order to be trained. Our highly skilled training staff, each of whom has excelled in a three-year training apprenticeship, travel to the client's community to complete training. The organization also provides annual follow up meetings and a 24/7 health and emergency hot-line. Fidelco provides successor dogs when the natural lifespan of the guide dog comes to its conclusion. The organization maintains a close and collaborative relationship with the international guide dog community, sharing best practices and contributing to the enhancement of the guide dog colony. The organization is supported by thousands of volunteers who contribute their time to daily operations and, importantly, to the foster care of puppies for the fourteen months needed to allow them to reach their maturity and readiness to be trained as guide dogs. This training averages 6-8 months for each dog. Fidelco guide dog foundation has two campuses, which include kennels, veterinary care, training and administrative areas. Over 1500 guide dog teams have been enabled, and an increasing number of clients are veterans.fidelco guide dog teams are an outstanding example of the capabilities of blind people partnered with specially-trained german shepherd dogs to live independently, with safety and dignity.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 66.6%; rating input score 67
• Program expense ratio: 60.1%; rating input score 60
• Fundraising efficiency: $6.34 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • 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: 88.9%; rating input score 89; 20th 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: 4.1%; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.06; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.12; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 18.2%; rating input score 14; 14th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -0.5% per year; rating input score 0; 12th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -0.8% per year; rating input score 0; 9th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -3.4% per year; rating input score 0; 5th percentile among comparable filings