The Grey Muzzle Organization
The Grey Muzzle Organization is a Raleigh, North Carolina–based public charity that funds nonprofit animal welfare organizations working to improve outcomes for at-risk senior dogs. The organization says it has supported senior dogs since 2008 and works through grants rather than operating a shelter or rescue program itself.
The Grey Muzzle Organization at a glance
In short: The Grey Muzzle Organization gave $1.6M across 103 grants in 2025 (avg $16K), top state California. 44% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,626,691
- +54.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 103
- +17.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $15,793
- +32.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $2,925,040
- +68.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 44% first-time grantees (45 of 103, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (17% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Grey Muzzle Organization
- How to Apply
Grey Muzzle says it invites only a limited number of new organizations to apply depending on donations received, and asks interested 501(c)(3) organizations to join its mailing list and indicate interest in grants to…
Grey Muzzle says it invites only a limited number of new organizations to apply depending on donations received, and asks interested 501(c)(3) organizations to join its mailing list and indicate interest in grants to hear about a general call for letters of inquiry. The website says the 2026–2027 national grant cycle is closed and applications are expected to reopen in early 2027.
- Review Cycle
- For the Pathways Home and Staying Home grants, the listed application window was February 16 through March 15, 2026.
- Deadline
- For the Pathways Home and Staying Home grants, the listed application window was February 16 through March 15, 2026.
- Contact
Mailing address: 14460 Falls Of Neuse Rd 149-269, Raleigh, NC 27614-8227
Phone: (919) 529-0309
Website: https://greymuzzle.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 The Grey Muzzle Organization
Grey Muzzle Grants
The Grey Muzzle Organization
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Pathways Home Grant
The Grey Muzzle Organization
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Staying Home Grant
The Grey Muzzle Organization
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who The Grey Muzzle Organization funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was SPCA of Wake County ($41K). Together the top 10 received $272K.
Grant Size Distribution
400 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 400 grants of 400 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grey Muzzle says it supports animal welfare organizations nationwide. Its 2025 grant dollars were distributed across recipients in multiple states; the largest state shares listed were California (17%), Florida (11%), Texas (10%), North Carolina (6%), and Virginia (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 103 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Grey Muzzle Organization open to new grantees?
44%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 45 of 103 grantees (44%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $17K. How we count
Medians: $12K first-time, $17K 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $364K (2019) to $1.6M (2025). In 2025 it made 103 grants totaling $1.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| SPCA of Wake County Raleigh, NC | Medical Care | $41,200 |
| SPCA Florida Lakeland, FL | Medical Care | $30,000 |
| Humane Fort Wayne Inc Fort Wayne, IN | Medical Care | $26,200 |
| Animal Fix Clinic Richmond, CA | Medical Care | $25,000 |
| Animal Protection Society-Friday Harbor Friday Harbor, WA | Medical Care | $25,000 |
| Florida Keys Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Key West, FL | Dental Care | $25,000 |
| Found House Interfaith Housing Network Cincinnati, OH | Medical Care | $25,000 |
| Fresno Hope Animal Foundation Fresno, CA | Medical Care | $25,000 |
| Frosted Faces Foundation Inc Ramona, CA | Medical Care | $25,000 |
| Gateway Pet Guardians East St Louis, IL | Medical Care | $25,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The 2025 grant total covers 103 grants. Grants reported for 2024 and 2023 totaled $1,050,917 and $800,410, respectively.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,925,040 | $1,816,426 | $2,227,424 | $1,626,691 | 103 | $3,182 |
| 2024 | $1,736,564 | $2,076,439 | $1,523,436 | $1,050,917 | 88 | $7,348 |
| 2023 | $1,186,272 | $1,303,809 | $1,187,675 | $800,410 | 78 | $4,411 |
| 2022 | $1,063,463 | $1,244,488 | $1,076,434 | $694,950 | 72 | $801 |
| 2021 | $903,772 | $1,252,522 | $884,367 | $560,363 | 59 | $1,131 |
| 2020 | $530,324 | $1,049,484 | $714,647 | $491,259 | 58 | $385 |
| 2019 | $202,658 | $701,017 | $580,289 | $363,846 | 49 | $591 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Grey Muzzle’s stated mission is to improve the lives of at-risk senior dogs by providing funding and resources to animal shelters, rescue organizations, sanctuaries, and other nonprofit groups nationwide.
Its grant programs include support for senior dogs in shelters and rescues to receive care and move into adoptive, foster, or hospice homes, as well as services intended to prevent surrender by helping families keep senior dogs at home. The organization also describes an interest in collecting and sharing data about program outcomes. Its current program requirements specify that funded services must serve dogs age 7 and older.
The organizations Grey Muzzle supports have varied missions. For example, Humane Fort Wayne describes its work as providing lifesaving resources to pets and their people; Peace of Mind Dog Rescue describes itself as a resource and advocate for senior dogs and senior people; and Gateway Pet Guardians says it provides affordable pet resources and supports pet welfare in its community.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, Grey Muzzle reported 103 grants totaling $1,626,691. Grants ranged from $6,000 to $41,200, with a median of $15,000. The largest listed award was $41,200 to SPCA of Wake County for medical care. Other notable awards included $30,000 to SPCA Florida for medical care and $26,200 to Humane Fort Wayne. Several organizations received $25,000, including Animal Fix Clinic, Humane Society of North Texas, and Gateway Pet Guardians; listed purposes included medical care, dental care, and keeping senior dogs in their homes.
Grey Muzzle describes two national grant tracks: Pathways Home Grants, for programs helping senior dogs move into adoptive, foster, or hospice homes, and Staying Home Grants, for services that address challenges that could lead families to surrender a senior dog. The listed requirements include U.S. location, current 501(c)(3) status (or an eligible affiliated “Friends of” organization for a government or municipal shelter), capacity to track and report senior-dog-specific data, and agreement to standardized reporting, four quarterly updates, and a final report. Grey Muzzle’s filing narrative also describes application review and due diligence, including verification of 501(c)(3) status and review of operating budgets and policies, followed by interim and final reports from grantees.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The organization’s website lists Emily Grossheider as executive director and Dana M. Tharp as director of grants and engagement. Its website lists Barbara Giannini as board president, Jim Pikula as treasurer, Alissa Totura as secretary, and Ashley Ackley, Jan Shellhammer, and Stacey Gimbert as board members.
The 2025 filing lists Barbara Giannini as president from February, Marc Zaretsky as vice-president, Kelli Chickos as secretary, and Jim Pikula as treasurer. It lists Denise Fleck as executive director from November and Lisa Lunghofer through October.
The Grey Muzzle Organization is led by Denise Fleck, Executive Director since 2025 (on filings since 2019); 1 of 10 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Denise Fleck
Executive Director
President → Executive Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
35 hrs/week
$4K (2024) → $30K (2025)
Lisa Lunghofer
Executive Director
On filings since 2019
27 hrs/week
$69K (2019) → $0 (2025)
Barbara Giannini
President
New on the 2025 filing
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ashley Ackley
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alissa Totura
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jan Shellhammer
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tara Hare
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kelli Chickos
Secretary
Director → Vice President, 2021
Vice President → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jim Pikula
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marc Zaretsky
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (21)
- Former: Mark Casias (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Jacki McDonald (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Gregg Ruvoli (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Kristin Korzekwa (2019–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Leah Cribb (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Sharon Yateman (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Austin McLlwain (2022) — Director
- Former: Katie Beacham (2022) — Director
- Former: Tony Howe (2022) — Director
- Former: Jennifer Kachnic (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Alyssa O'Brien (2020–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Thomas Piskorski (2021) — Director
- Former: Beth Stultz-Hairston (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Jessica Rothfuss (2019–2020) — Vice President
- Former: Katie Parker (2019–2020) — Secretary
- Former: Larissa Cangialosi (2019–2020) — Treasurer & Director
- Former: Brian Eshelman (2020) — Director
- Former: Cliff Montgomery (2020) — Director
- Former: Cindra Gendron (2019) — Director
- Former: Gaynor Fries (2019) — Director
- Former: Lindsey Nuismer (2019) — Treasurer & Director
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 $30K, to Denise Fleck (Executive Director (From November)).
Frequently asked questions about The Grey Muzzle Organization
How much does The Grey Muzzle Organization give each year?
The Grey Muzzle Organization gave $1.6M across 103 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.1M across 88 grants.
What is The Grey Muzzle Organization's typical grant size?
The Grey Muzzle Organization's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $15,793, across 103 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Grey Muzzle Organization that year got $14K on average.
Where does The Grey Muzzle Organization give grants?
The Grey Muzzle Organization's top state is California, with 17% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Florida (11%) and Texas (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Dallas, TX (3 grants), Madison, WI (3 grants), Las Vegas, NV (2 grants) and Lakeland, FL (2 grants).
Does The Grey Muzzle Organization give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 103 grants with a stated purpose on The Grey Muzzle Organization's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Medical Care" (52 grants), "Keeping Senior Dogs in Their Homes" (17 grants) and "Dental Care" (15 grants).
Who are The Grey Muzzle Organization's largest grantees?
The Grey Muzzle Organization's largest 2025 grantees include SPCA of Wake County ($41,200), SPCA Florida ($30,000) and Humane Fort Wayne Inc ($26,200), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 6% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Grey Muzzle Organization?
The Grey Muzzle Organization reported $2.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.8M.
What does The Grey Muzzle Organization fund?
Grey Muzzle’s stated mission is to improve the lives of at-risk senior dogs by providing funding and resources to animal shelters, rescue organizations, sanctuaries, and other nonprofit groups nationwide. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Grey Muzzle Organization?
Grey Muzzle says it invites only a limited number of new organizations to apply depending on donations received, and asks interested 501(c)(3) organizations to join its mailing list and indicate interest in grants to… Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Grey Muzzle Organization's EIN?
The Grey Muzzle Organization's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-1965495. 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.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS January 27, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 19, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 18, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 17, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 5, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS November 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Grey Muzzle Organization's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Grey Muzzle Organization funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-grey-muzzle-organization-morg_2a5fa6649d6a4b16848aa660d662dfb0
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_261965495_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Grey Muzzle Organization funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-grey-muzzle-organization-morg_2a5fa6649d6a4b16848aa660d662dfb0},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 The Grey Muzzle Organization'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.
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