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American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation Inc

EIN 13-3813813 · Raleigh, NC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood76 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF THE AKC CANINE HEALTH FOUNDATION, INC. IS TO FUND, ADVANCE, AND COMMUNICATE CANINE HEALTH RESEARCH AND SCIENCE THROUGH KNOWLEDGE AND DISCOVERY.

Income
$5.6 million
Spending
$5.8 million
Spent on programs
77%
Reserves
9.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 76%
Employees
14
Volunteers
150
Highest pay
$335,597, chief executive officer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 76 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 9.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 14% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 13% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    77% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 73% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    15 of 15 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 December 31, 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 (3)
  1. $2.7 million spent. THE AKC CANINE HEALTH FOUNDATION (CHF) FUNDS CANINE HEALTH RESEARCH TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF ALL DOGS. IN 2025, CHF AWARDED $3.2 MILLION IN COMPETITIVE GRANTS SUPPORTING 30 NEW STUDIES IN AREAS LIKE CANCER; EPILEPSY; ALLERGIES; HEART, EYE, LIVER, KIDNEY, LUNG, BRAIN, SKIN, AND IMMUNE SYSEM HEALTH; GENERAL HEALTH; BEHAVIOR. TO ACHIEVE THIS, CHF WORKS WITH MORE THAN 40 VETERINARY SCHOOLS AND RESEARCH PARTNERS. STUDIES SPAN BASIC TO TRANSLATIONAL TO CLINICAL SCIENCE. UDPATES AND OUTCOMES OF FUNDED STUDIES ARE COMMUNICATED THROUGH PEER-REVIEWED SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS, WEBINARS, CONFERENCES, BLOGS, EMAILS, NEWSLETTERS, WEBSITE, AND SOCIAL MEDIA. CHF THOUGHTFULLY INVESTS IN IMPACTFUL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TO DRIVE MEANINGFUL ADVANCES TO EXTEND THE LIFESPAN AND IMPROVE HEALTHSPAN OF DOGS.
  2. $971,016 spent. CHF PROVIDES VETERINARIANS, RESEARCHERS, AND DOG OWNERS WITH TIMELY INFORMATION ON THE LATEST ADVANCES IN CANINE HEALTH. IN 2025, CHF HOSTED 12 EDUCATIONAL WEBINARS, EACH REACHING 100700 PARTICIPANTS, ON TOPICS INCLUDING CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE, IDIOPATHIC EPILEPSY, EARLY DETECTION OF BONE CANCER, ENVIRONMENTAL RISK FACTORS FOR LYMPHOMA, DEGENERATIVE MYELOPATHY, HOOKWORM, COPPER-ASSOCIATED LIVER DISEASE, AND INSIGHTS FROM THE DOG GENOME PROJECT. CHF STAFF ENGAGED THOUSANDS OF DOG LOVERS AND PROFESSIONALS THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN MORE THAN SEVEN DOG SHOWS, VETERINARY CONFERENCES, AND BREED CLUB EVENTS. BY SUPPORTING THE DISSEMINATION OF RESEARCH THROUGH EXPERT PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS, WEBINARS, BLOGS, SOCIAL MEDIA, NEWSLETTERS, AND OUTREACH, CHF COMMUNICATES OUTCOMES TO IMPACT THE CARE AND HEALTH OF DOGS.
  3. $821,455 spent. CHF INVESTS IN TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF VETERINARY SPECIALISTS TO ADVANCE CANINE HEALTH. IN 2025, CHF SUPPPORTED CANINE SPORTS MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION RESIDENCIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA AND COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY, STRENGTHENING EXPERTISE IN CARING FOR WORKING, ATHLETIC, AND AGING DOGS. CHF ALSO FUNDED THERIOGENOLOGY RESIDENCIES AT THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, VIRGINIA-MARYLAND COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE, AND AUBURN UNIVERSITY TO ADVANCE CANINE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH. CHF SUPPORTED A PROJECT AT NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY ESTABLISHING STANDARDIZED CRITERIA FOR DIAGNOSING AND MONITORING CANINE COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION, PROVIDING PRACTICAL RESOURCES FOR VETERINARIANS AND DOG OWNERS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 November 6, 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 December 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 May 1995.

    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 November 4, 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.