Pedigree Foundation
PEDIGREE Foundation is a private foundation based in Franklin, Tennessee. Established in 2008, it supports 501(c)(3) shelters and rescue organizations working to help dogs in need find loving homes and reduce pet homelessness. Its grants are funded by the PEDIGREE® Brand and contributions from dog lovers.
Pedigree Foundation at a glance
In short: Pedigree Foundation gave $1.3M across 93 grants in 2024 (avg $14K), top state District of Columbia. 66% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,294,654
- +15.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 93
- +19.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $13,921
- -2.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $5,741,360
- +3.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 66% first-time grantees (61 of 92, 2024)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (14% 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 Pedigree Foundation
- How to Apply
-
For annual grants, eligible 501(c)(3) shelters and rescues apply online when the application cycle is open and must meet the relevant program guidelines. The filing states that grants are limited to projects benefiting dogs and are made only to U.S. organizations. Program restrictions exclude event sponsorships, debt reduction, operating deficits, grants to individuals, and endowment funding. Disaster relief applications are available year-round.
- Review Cycle
- The 2026 annual cycle closed April 13, 2026.
- Deadline
- The 2026 annual cycle closed April 13, 2026.
- Contact
Application contact: Pedigree Foundation
Mailing address: 2013 Ovation Parkway, Franklin, TN 37067
Phone: (615) 594-0069
Website: https://pedigreefoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Pedigree Foundation
Disaster Relief and/or Emergency Care for Puppy Mill Seizures
Pedigree Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
PEDIGREE Foundation: Dogs Rule Grant
Pedigree Foundation
Amount
US $100,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
PEDIGREE Foundation: Program Development Grants
Pedigree Foundation
Amount
US $10,000 - US $15,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Pedigree Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was American Humane Association ($125K). Together the top 10 received $541K.
Grant Size Distribution
527 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 500 grants of 527 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The filing states that grants are made only to U.S. organizations. The Foundation’s 2024 grants included recipients in Washington, D.C., Texas, California, Tennessee, Illinois, Utah, Georgia, Oklahoma, New York, Nebraska, and Washington state.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 93 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Pedigree Foundation open to new grantees?
66%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 61 of 92 grantees (66%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $19K. How we count
Medians: $7K first-time, $13K repeat.
- 23% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 73% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 678% of 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 $747K (2021) to $1.3M (2024). In 2024 it made 93 grants totaling $1.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American Humane Association Washington, DC | Animal Rescue Relief Purposes | $125,000 |
| Austin Pets Alive Dallas, TX | Animal Rescue Relief Purposes | $100,000 |
| Paws Chicago Chicago, IL | Animal Rescue Relief Purposes | $50,600 |
| Williamson Animal Services Inc Brentwood, TN | Animal Rescue Relief Purposes | $50,440 |
| Dallas Pets Alive Kanab, UT | Animal Rescue Relief Purposes | $50,000 |
| Shelter Animals Count-National Database Initiative Atlanta, GA | Animal Rescue Relief Purposes | $50,000 |
| Washington Humane Society SPCA Washington, DC | Animal Rescue Relief Purposes | $50,000 |
| Humane Society of Tulsa Tulsa, OK | Animal Rescue Relief Purposes | $25,000 |
| American SPCA New York, NY | Animal Rescue Relief Purposes | $20,000 |
| Nebraska Humane Association Omaha, NE | Animal Rescue Relief Purposes | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Pedigree Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Filing type: Form 990-PF (a private foundation)
EIN: 26-1121498
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $5,741,360 | $2,452,445 | $1,997,906 | $1,294,654 | 93 | $1,898,712 | $17,068 | $280,218 |
| 2023 | $5,527,907 | $3,908,505 | $2,102,530 | $1,117,184 | 78 | $2,032,342 | $41,441 | $264,441 |
| 2022 | $3,382,763 | $2,019,611 | $1,768,504 | $1,029,723 | 87 | $1,780,843 | $82,107 | $194,072 |
| 2021 | $3,717,037 | $1,647,417 | $1,386,508 | $747,067 | 103 | $1,177,229 | $246,904 | $200,813 |
| 2020 | $3,192,035 | $1,664,582 | $1,617,021 | $1,023,192 | 166 | — | $34,615 | $168,277 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Pedigree Foundation reported a distributable amount of $280K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated vision is a day when all dogs are safe, secure, fed well, cared for, and loved. It supports organizations working to end pet homelessness by helping dogs find loving homes.
Annual grant programs focus on increasing dog adoptions through foster, behavior, and transport initiatives. The DOGS RULE.® Grant supports innovative best-practice initiatives, while Program Development Grants support existing or new initiatives. The Foundation also offers disaster relief grants for nonprofit animal welfare organizations affected by disasters.
Examples of grantees’ work include American Humane Association’s efforts to promote animal safety and welfare, Austin Pets Alive’s work to reduce the killing of companion animals, and PAWS Chicago’s spay/neuter, medical, and adoption programs. These are descriptions of those organizations’ missions, not the Foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Foundation reported 93 grants totaling $1,294,654. Awards ranged from $600 to $125,000, with a median grant of $10,000. The listed grants were for “Animal Rescue Relief Purposes.”
The largest listed awards included $125,000 to American Humane Association, $100,000 to Austin Pets Alive, $50,600 to PAWS Chicago, and $50,440 to Williamson Animal Services. Other listed awards included $50,000 each to Dallas Pets Alive, Shelter Animals Count-National Database Initiative, and Washington Humane Society SPCA.
The 2026 annual cycle offered one two-year DOGS RULE.® Grant of $100,000 total ($50,000 per year) and Program Development Grants of $10,000–$15,000. The application period ran March 2–April 13, 2026, and is now past. The Foundation’s website says disaster relief grants are open year-round.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing listed Kimberly Spina, Ellen Thompson, Rob Doerfler, Tiffany Bierer, Doug Cahill, Lisa Campbell, Elizabeth Barrett, Craig Neely, and Tracey Marumoto as directors. It listed Kimberly Spina as president/director, Ellen Thompson as vice president/director, Rob Doerfler as secretary/director, and Deb Fair as executive director.
Pedigree Foundation is led by Deb Fair, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 13 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Deb Fair
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$164K (2020) → $195K (2024)
Kimberly Spina
President & Director
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Campbell
Director & President
Secretary & Director → Director, 2022
Director → Director & President, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Craig Neely
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Barrett
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ellen Thompson
Vice President & Director
Director → Vice President & Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tiffany Bierer
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tracey Marumoto
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dan Werly
Director
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Doug Cahill
Director
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Justin White
Director
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rob Doerfler
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brandon Piacine
Treasurer & Director
New on the 2024 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: Isabel Johnson (2020–2022) — Treasurer & Director
- Former: Jam Stewart (2020–2021) — Vice President & Director
- Former: Katie Coonen (2020) — Controller
- Former: Malorie Histed (2020) — Foundation Accountant
- Former: Melodie Bolin (2020) — Director
- Former: Renee Peets (2020) — Director
- Former: Steve Cavezza (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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $195K, to Deb Fair (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Pedigree Foundation
How much does Pedigree Foundation give each year?
Pedigree Foundation gave $1.3M across 93 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.1M across 78 grants.
What is Pedigree Foundation's typical grant size?
Pedigree Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $13,921, across 93 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Pedigree Foundation that year got $11K on average.
Where does Pedigree Foundation give grants?
Pedigree Foundation's top state is District of Columbia, with 14% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Texas (12%) and California (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (3 grants), Asheville, NC (3 grants), Chicago, IL (2 grants) and Kanab, UT (2 grants).
Does Pedigree Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 93 grants with a stated purpose on Pedigree Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Animal Rescue Relief Purposes" (93 grants).
Who are Pedigree Foundation's largest grantees?
Pedigree Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include American Humane Association ($125,000), Austin Pets Alive ($100,000) and Paws Chicago ($50,600), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 21% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Pedigree Foundation?
Pedigree Foundation reported $5.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $280K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Pedigree Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s stated vision is a day when all dogs are safe, secure, fed well, cared for, and loved. It supports organizations working to end pet homelessness by helping dogs find loving homes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Pedigree Foundation?
For annual grants, eligible 501(c)(3) shelters and rescues apply online when the application cycle is open and must meet the relevant program guidelines. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Pedigree Foundation's EIN?
Pedigree Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-1121498. 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Pedigree Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Pedigree Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/pedigree-foundation-morg_dd212496225744d7a8a3e4f48441f770
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_261121498_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Pedigree Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/pedigree-foundation-morg_dd212496225744d7a8a3e4f48441f770},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Pedigree 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.
Pedigree Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?