Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation Inc

EIN 06-6060478 · Bloomfield, CT

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair62 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PROMOTING INCREASED INDEPENDENCE TO MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE BLIND BY PROVIDING THEM WITH HIGHEST QUALITY GUIDE DOGS.

Income
$6.4 million
Spending
$6.1 million
Spent on programs
60%
Reserves
0.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 84%
Employees
54
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$322,072, chief executive officer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 62 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 12% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 78% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    60% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 16 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 9 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (1)
  1. $3.7 million spent. 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.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since August 1990.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.