BISSELL Pet Foundation
BISSELL Pet Foundation is a private foundation based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It supports animal welfare organizations and resources for underserved communities, with work aimed at reducing pet homelessness through adoption, spay/neuter services, microchipping, and crisis and disaster response.
BISSELL Pet Foundation at a glance
In short: BISSELL Pet Foundation gave $210K across 61 grants in 2024 (avg $3K), top state Michigan. 48% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $210,021
- -84.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 61
- -66.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $3,443
- -51.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,503
- Total assets
- $2,838,834
- -38.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 48% first-time grantees (24 of 50, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (23% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to BISSELL Pet Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation’s filing describes an online standard application to be completed during the submission timeframe. Applicants seeking grants must meet the Foundation’s eligibility requirements, including being an approved Partners for Pets member in good standing for at least six months before applying. Eligible applicants must be qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofits or public local-government entities, operate in the United States for at least one year, actively work to reduce homeless-animal numbers through spay/neuter, microchipping, or adoption, and microchip all dogs and cats adopted out. Organizations that declaw cats are ineligible. The Foundation excludes funding for general operating expenses and overhead, salaries, professional development, advertising, equipment, fundraising and special events, capital campaigns and large building projects, start-up costs, grants to specific individuals or animals (except Grateful Pet awards), wildlife or marine-life rehabilitation or rescue, and political or lobbying activities.
- Review Cycle
- The filing lists application deadlines of May 1, July 6, October 1, and December 1, 2024.
- Deadline
- The filing lists application deadlines of May 1, July 6, October 1, and December 1, 2024.
- Contact
Application contact: Bissell Pet Foundation
Mailing address: PO Box 1888, Grand Rapids, MI 49501
Phone: (616) 453-4451
Email: info@bissellpetfoundation.org
Website: https://bissellpetfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from BISSELL Pet Foundation
BISSELL Pet Foundation Grants (spay/neuter, microchip, adoption)
BISSELL Pet Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
BISSELL Pet Foundation Grateful Pet Grant
BISSELL Pet Foundation
Amount
Up to $2,500 (funding or match)
Deadline
Deadline not published
BISSELL Pet Foundation RescueLove Grant
BISSELL Pet Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who BISSELL Pet Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Northshore Humane Society ($30K). Together the top 10 received $125K.
Grant Size Distribution
3,320 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 3,306 grants of 3,320 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation says its Partners for Pets network includes organizations in all 50 states. Its 2024 grant dollars were distributed primarily to recipients in Michigan (23%), Louisiana (20%), California (10%), Florida (9%), and New Mexico (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 61 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is BISSELL Pet Foundation open to new grantees?
48%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 24 of 50 grantees (48%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 28% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 96% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2022 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $210K (2024) to $5.4M (2021). In 2024 it made 61 grants totaling $210K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Northshore Humane Society Covington, LA | Transport | $30,000 |
| Pasco County Board of County Commissioners Animal Services Department Land O Lakes, FL | Crisis and Disaster Response | $15,000 |
| Espanola Humane Espanola, NM | General Program Support | $10,000 |
| Friends of Detroit Animal Care and Control Detroit, MI | General Program Support | $10,000 |
| RedRover Sacramento, CA | Spay/Neuter Grants & Vouchers | $10,000 |
| Lucky Paw Foundation Harbor Springs, MI | Donor Designated | $10,000 |
| San Diego Humane Society San Diego, CA | General Program Support | $10,000 |
| Good Shepherd Humane Society Spay & Neuter Clinic Eureka SPGS, AR | General Program Support | $10,000 |
| Big Lake Humane Society Muskegon, MI | Spay/Neuter Grants & Vouchers | $10,000 |
| PAWS Chicago Chicago, IL | Crisis and Disaster Response | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with BISSELL Pet Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,838,834 | $9,931,644 | $11,620,014 | $210,021 | 61 | $11,545,666 | $59,730 | — |
| 2023 | $4,578,467 | $10,303,334 | $8,643,694 | $1,316,301 | 184 | $8,403,264 | $56,531 | — |
| 2022 | $3,573,962 | $8,619,967 | $8,043,197 | $1,838,523 | 464 | $7,028,637 | $16,362 | $114,587 |
| 2021 | $2,894,457 | $7,214,448 | $6,787,008 | $5,403,845 | 1,662 | $6,787,008 | — | $116,363 |
| 2020 | $1,797,391 | $4,199,785 | $3,501,433 | $2,698,023 | 949 | — | — | $51,980 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s mission is to support animal welfare organizations and provide resources to underserved communities, including efforts to reduce the number of animals in shelters and rescues through adoption, spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchipping, and crisis and disaster response.
Its programs include Empty the Shelters®, which funds reduced-fee adoption events; Fix the Future®, which connects approved host organizations with contracted veterinarians for spay/neuter services; transport support; and crisis and disaster response. The Foundation reported that more than 97,740 dogs and cats were adopted through Empty the Shelters events in 2024, and more than 98,650 pets were spayed or neutered through Fix the Future that year.
Grantees include shelters, rescue groups, and spay/neuter organizations. For example, Friends of Detroit Animal Care and Control describes its mission as promoting equal access to companion animals and raising the level of animal care in Detroit. PAWS Chicago describes itself as a no-kill animal welfare organization providing spay/neuter, medical, and adoption programs.
Grantmaking
The Foundation reported 61 grants totaling $210,021 in 2024. Those grants ranged from $157 to $30,000, with a median grant of $1,503. Among the largest were $30,000 to Northshore Humane Society for transport; $15,000 to Pasco County Board of County Commissioners Animal Services Department for crisis and disaster response; and $10,000 each to Espanola Humane and Friends of Detroit Animal Care and Control for general program support. Other $10,000 awards included grants to RedRover and Big Lake Humane Society for spay/neuter grants and vouchers, and to San Diego Humane Society for general program support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists M Catherine Bissell as Director/President; Mark J Bissell as Director/Vice President; Max M Bissell as Director; Joel M Van Winkle as Secretary; and Kevin J Little as Treasurer. The Foundation identifies Cathy Bissell as its founder.
BISSELL Pet Foundation is led by M Catherine Bissell, Director & President since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
M Catherine Bissell
Director & President
Director & Vice President → Director & President, 2024
On filings since 2020
60 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark J Bissell
Director & Vice President
Director & President → Director & Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Max M Bissell
Director
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kevin J Little
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joel M Van Winkle
Secretary
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Michael D. Sukenik (2020) — Secretary
- Former: Ryan McLean (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about BISSELL Pet Foundation
How much does BISSELL Pet Foundation give each year?
BISSELL Pet Foundation gave $210K across 61 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.3M across 184 grants.
What is BISSELL Pet Foundation's typical grant size?
BISSELL Pet Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,503, and its average grant was $3,443, across 61 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from BISSELL Pet Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does BISSELL Pet Foundation give grants?
BISSELL Pet Foundation's top state is Michigan, with 23% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Louisiana (20%) and California (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Espanola, NM (3 grants), Simmesport, LA (3 grants), Land O Lakes, FL (2 grants) and Harbor Springs, MI (2 grants).
Does BISSELL Pet Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 43% of BISSELL Pet Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (26 of 61) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Grateful Pet" (12 grants), "Crisis and Disaster Response" (8 grants) and "Spay/Neuter Grants & Vouchers" (7 grants).
Who are BISSELL Pet Foundation's largest grantees?
BISSELL Pet Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Northshore Humane Society ($30,000), Pasco County Board of County Commissioners Animal Services Department ($16,000 across 2 grants) and Espanola Humane ($12,000 across 3 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is BISSELL Pet Foundation?
BISSELL Pet Foundation reported $2.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $9.9M.
What does BISSELL Pet Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to support animal welfare organizations and provide resources to underserved communities, including efforts to reduce the number of animals in shelters and rescues through adoption, spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchipping, and crisis and disaster response. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from BISSELL Pet Foundation?
The Foundation’s filing describes an online standard application to be completed during the submission timeframe. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is BISSELL Pet Foundation's EIN?
BISSELL Pet Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3853264. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 6, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work BISSELL Pet Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in BISSELL Pet Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Funders that support many of the same organizations
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). BISSELL Pet Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/bissell-pet-foundation-morg_54de3c64107e484db24b5b9a21f4074b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_383853264_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{BISSELL Pet Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/bissell-pet-foundation-morg_54de3c64107e484db24b5b9a21f4074b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from BISSELL Pet Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
BISSELL Pet Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?