Best Friends Animal Society
Best Friends Animal Society is based in Kanab, Utah, and makes grants supporting animal welfare organizations and lifesaving programs. Its stated purpose is to help bring about a time when there are no more homeless pets by promoting exemplary animal care and building community programs and partnerships.
Key facts about Best Friends Animal Society
In short: Best Friends Animal Society gave $14.3M across 418 grants in 2025 (avg $34K). 48% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 23-7147797
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $14,261,469
- Grants made (2025)
- 418
- Average grant
- $34,118
- Median grant
- $12,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 48% first-time grantees (200 of 418, 2025)
- Total assets
- $194,689,106
- How to apply
- For the Rachael Ray grants, organizations must be Best Friends Network Partners, and only one proposal may be submitted per organization. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The listed next deadline for Pet Lovers’ Choice Awards is April 6, 2027.
- Next open deadline
- April 6, 2027 (Pet Lovers' Choice Awards)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$194.7M
-2.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$14.3M
-11.2% YoY
Grant Count
418
+36.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$34K
-34.8% YoY
Is Best Friends Animal Society open to new grantees?
48%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 200 of 418 grantees (48%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $50K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $16K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
Best Friends’ stated mission is “to bring about a time when there are no more homeless pets.” Its filing says it pursues this purpose by demonstrating and promoting exemplary animal care and building community programs and partnerships.
Its grant programs support efforts such as adoption, spay/neuter, return-to-home, and other lifesaving programs. The Rachael Ray Save Them All Grants support projects to increase the lifesaving of cats and dogs in U.S. shelters. The Rachael Ray No-Kill Excellence Grants support no-kill organizations maintaining their lifesaving work and helping other organizations in their communities reach a 90% save rate. Eligible project examples include medical care, staffing needs, mentorship, community partnerships, shelter operations, and pet-retention services.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, Best Friends reported making 307 grants totaling $16,053,157. Grant amounts ranged from $5,125 to $2,350,000, with a median of $17,405. The largest reported grants included $2,350,000 to Austin Pets Alive, $1,394,250 to Jacksonville Humane Society, and $865,525 to Operation Kindness, each for program service support.
Review Cycle
The listed next deadline for Pet Lovers’ Choice Awards is April 6, 2027. The 2027 Rachael Ray grant-cycle dates are listed as coming soon.
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Best Friends Animal Society
Best Friends Network Partner Grants
Best Friends Animal Society
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Pet Lovers' Choice Awards
Best Friends Animal Society
Amount
Up to $20,000
Deadline
April 6, 2027
Rachael Ray No-Kill Excellence Grants
Best Friends Animal Society
Amount
Up to US $60,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Ready to take the next step with Best Friends Animal Society?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Rachael Ray grant programs require projects to be implemented in the United States. Best Friends Network Partners include animal welfare organizations across all 50 states.
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $4.0M (2019) to $16.1M (2024). In 2025 it made 418 grants totaling $14.3M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Austin Pets Alive ($1.1M). Together the top 10 received $5.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
1,401 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1,164 grants of 1,401 (83%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Austin Pets Alive | Program service support | $1,121,824 |
| Jacksonville Humane Society | Program service support | $855,400 |
| Operation Kindness | Program service support | $725,525 |
| MSPCA | Program service support | $519,600 |
| San Diego Humane Society | Program service support | $410,198 |
| Humane Society of North Texas | Program service support | $407,500 |
| The Underground Dog | Program service support | $359,000 |
| Richmond Animal League Inc | Program service support | $279,759 |
| Humane Society of Northeast Georgia | Program service support | $263,255 |
| Humane Society for Greater Savannah | Program service support | $241,083 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $200,572,201 | $148,272,851 | $173,381,071 | $16,053,157 |
| 2023 | $216,306,392 | $173,491,983 | $148,139,598 | $12,562,190 |
| 2022 | $178,197,428 | $141,488,178 | $123,525,355 | $6,085,475 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $194,689,106 | $200,572,201 | $216,306,392 |
| Revenue | $173,780,697 | $148,272,851 | $173,491,983 |
| Expenses | $175,675,944 | $173,381,071 | $148,139,598 |
| Net Investment Income | $7,154,904 | $4,232,138 | $3,909,922 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 30, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 5, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 7, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS December 13, 2024)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 21, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Abigail Jones as board vice-chair; Lynn Flanders as board treasurer; Micarl Hill, Oke Mueller, Lona Williams, Denise Clark, and Phefelia Nez as board members; Alfred Battista as board chair and internal consultant; Gregory Castle as co-founder and internal consultant; and Bernadette Mejia as board secretary and director of principal gifts.
Best Friends Animal Society is led by Julianne Castle, Board Member & Chief Executive Officer since 2025 (on filings since 2019); 19 of 26 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Julianne Castle
Board Member & Chief Executive Officer
CEO → Chief Executive Officer, 2021
Chief Executive Officer → Board Member & Chief Executive Officer, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$210K (2019) → $536K (2025)
Alfred Battista
Board Chair, Co-Founder & Internal Consultant
Board Chair Internal Consultant → Board Chair & Internal Consultant, 2024
Board Chair & Internal Consultant → Board Chair, Co-Founder & Internal Consultant, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$151K (2019) → $204K (2025)
Bernadette Mejia
Board Member, Co-Founder & Director of Principal Gifts
Director of Principal Gifts → Board Secretary & Director of Principal Gifts, 2024
Board Secretary & Director of Principal Gifts → Board Member, Co-Founder & Director of Principal Gifts, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$116K (2019) → $186K (2025)
Karen Gallardo
Senior Director, Major & Planned Giving
Senior Director - Major & Pla → Senior Director - Major & Planned Giving, 2022
Senior Director - Major & Planned Giving → Senior Director, Major & Planned Giving, 2024
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$205K (2019) → $284K (2025)
Erika Westbay Arnold
Director & Process Excellence
Director - Process Excelle → Director - Process Excellence, 2022
Director - Process Excellence → Director & Process Excellence, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$180K (2020) → $203K (2025)
Cyrus Mejia
Board Member, Co-Founder & Internal Consultant
Internal Consultant → Co-Founder & Internal Consultant, 2024
Co-Founder & Internal Consultant → Board Member, Co-Founder & Internal Consultant, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$85K (2019) → $98K (2025)
Gregory Castle
Board Member, Co-Founder & Internal Consultant
Board Member & CEO Emeritus → Co-Founder & Internal Consultant, 2023
Co-Founder & Internal Consultant → Board Member, Co-Founder & Internal Consultant, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$238K (2019) → $178K (2025)
Greta Palmer
Chief Marketing & Communications Officer
Chief Brand & Communications Officer → Chief Brand & Communications, 2021
Chief Brand & Communications → Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$159K (2019) → $232K (2025)
Holly Sizemore
Chief Mission Officer
Chief Mission Officer → Chief Missions Officer, 2020
Chief Missions Officer → Chief Mission Officer, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$157K (2019) → $236K (2025)
Judah Battista
Chief Sanctuary Officer
Chief of Staff → Chief Sanctuary Officer, 2021
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$147K (2019) → $234K (2025)
Marc Peralta
Chief Program Officer
Senior Director of National No-Kill Advancement → Senior Director - National No Kill Advancement, 2020
Senior Director - National No Kill Advancement → Chief Program Officer, 2021
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$152K (2019) → $226K (2025)
Stephen Howell
Chief Operating & Financial Officer
Chief Operating Officer → CFO & COO, 2022
CFO & COO → Chief Operating & Financial Officer, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$255K (2019) → $459K (2025)
Susan Citro
Chief Experience Officer
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$190K (2019) → $296K (2025)
Valerie Dorian
Chief Development Officer
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$207K (2019) → $284K (2025)
Amy Starnes
Principal & Growth Initiatives
Chief Innovation Officer → Principal & Growth Initiatives, 2025
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$124K (2021) → $220K (2025)
Elise Traub
Chief External Affairs Officer & Chief of Staff
Senior Director Office of External Affairs → Chief External Affairs Officer & Chief of Staff, 2023
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$155K (2021) → $224K (2025)
Joseph Angelo
Chief People & Culture Officer
Board Member → Chief People & Culture Officer, 2024
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$263K (2024) → $300K (2025)
Rebecca Huss
General Counsel
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$172K (2021) → $248K (2025)
Susan Cosby
Senior Advisor, Strategy & Integration
Senior Director - Lifesaving Centers → Senior Advisor, Strategy & Integration, 2024
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$153K (2021) → $195K (2025)
Abigail Jones
Board Vice Chair
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Denise Clark
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lona Williams
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lynn Flanders
Board Treasurer
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Micarl Hill
Board Secretary
Board Member → Board Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Oke Mueller
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Phefelia Nez
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (10)
- Former: Erin Katribe (2024) — Director & National Veterinary Program
- Former: Jose Ocano (2019–2023) — Senior Director - Talent & Culture
- Former: Tara Timpson (2022–2023) — Staff Veterinarian
- Former: Molly Jordan Koch (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Angela Embree (2019–2021) — Chief Information Officer
- Former: Mary McDonell (2021) — Senior Director - Finance
- Former: Charles Bradbury (2020) — General Manager of Hospitality
- Former: Brent Toellner (2019) — Senior Director of National Programs
- Former: Elissa Jones (2019) — Senior Director, Communications & Creative
- Former: Teresa Bodem-Linebaugh (2019) — Director of Opertaions & Strategic Projects
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $536K, to Julianne Castle (Board Member/Chief Executive Officer). 19 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 5001 Angel Canyon Road, Kanab, UT 84741
Phone: (435) 644-2001
Website: https://bestfriends.org
Frequently asked questions about Best Friends Animal Society
How much does Best Friends Animal Society give each year?
Best Friends Animal Society gave $14.3M across 418 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $16.1M across 307 grants.
What is Best Friends Animal Society's typical grant size?
Best Friends Animal Society's median grant in 2025 was $12,500, and its average grant was $34,118, across 418 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Best Friends Animal Society that year got $17K on average.
Does Best Friends Animal Society give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 418 grants with a stated purpose on Best Friends Animal Society's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program service support" (418 grants).
Who are Best Friends Animal Society's largest grantees?
Best Friends Animal Society's largest 2025 grantees include Austin Pets Alive ($1,121,824), Jacksonville Humane Society ($855,400) and Operation Kindness ($725,525), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 19% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Best Friends Animal Society?
Best Friends Animal Society reported $194.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $173.8M.
What does Best Friends Animal Society fund?
Best Friends’ stated mission is “to bring about a time when there are no more homeless pets.” Its filing says it pursues this purpose by demonstrating and promoting exemplary animal care and building community programs and partnerships. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Best Friends Animal Society?
For the Rachael Ray grants, organizations must be Best Friends Network Partners, and only one proposal may be submitted per organization. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Best Friends Animal Society make grants?
The Rachael Ray grant programs require projects to be implemented in the United States. Best Friends Network Partners include animal welfare organizations across all 50 states.
What is Best Friends Animal Society's EIN?
Best Friends Animal Society's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7147797. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Best Friends Animal Society by hand.
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