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Warrior Canine Connection Inc

EIN 45-2981579 · Boyds, MD

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SUPPORT RECOVERING COMBAT VETERANS & THEIR FAMILIES UTILIZING SERVICE DOG TRAINING/PLACEMENT.

Income
$5.6 million
Spending
$4.8 million
Spent on programs
87%
Reserves
13.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 95%
Employees
68
Volunteers
941
Highest pay
$149,622, executive director

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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 90% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 13.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 4% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    87% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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

    9 of 10 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 (3)
  1. $2.9 million spent. DOG TRAINING AND PLACEMENT: THE WARRIOR CANINE CONNECTION THERAPEUTIC SERVICE DOG TRAINING PROGRAM WORKS WITH GOLDEN AND LABRADOR RETRIEVER PUPPIES, PURPOSE BRED FOR HEALTH AND TEMPERAMENT FOR SERVICE DOG WORK. RECOVERING WARRIORS FROM NICOE AND WRNMMC, FT. BELVOIR AND CIVILIAN VOLUNTEERS WERE INVOLVED IN THE EARLY SOCIALIZATION OF THESE FUTURE SERVICE DOGS FOR DISABLED WARRIORS IN THE MEDICAL FACILITIES AND AT THE WARRIOR CANINE CONNECTION BOYDS, MD HQ. WARRIOR CANINE CONNECTION PUPPIES WERE FEATURED ON A PUPPY CAM THAT WAS VIEWED BY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD, PROVIDING THE WARRIOR CANINE CONNECTION WITH AN OUTSTANDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT THE BREEDING, CARE, THERAPEUTIC TRAINING, AND BENEFITS OF SERVICE DOGS TO WOUNDED WARRIORS. A WCC DOG MUST BE APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS OLD AND MEET INDUSTRY TRAINING STANDARDS TO BE ELIGIBLE TO BE PLACED WITH A WARRIOR. THE SEPTEMBER 20, 2025 GRADUATION CELEBRATED THE PLACEMENT OF 11 SERVICE DOGS, 6 MILITARY FAMILY SUPPORT DOGS, 5 FACILITY DOGS IN SUPPORT OF VETERANS WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES.
  2. $965,412 spent. MISSION BASED TRAUMA RECOVERY: DURING FYE 06/30/2025 & 06/30/2024, WARRIOR CANINE CONNECTION PROVIDED ITS THERAPEUTIC SERVICE DOG TRAINING PROGRAM FOR POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS (PTS) AND TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES (TBI) TO WOUNDED WARRIORS IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS: MARYLAND - WCC'S HEALING QUARTERS IN BOYDS; THE BALTIMORE VETERANS TREATMENT COURT IN BALTIMORE; THE PLATOON VETERAN SERVICES CENTER AT GOODWILL IN FREDERICK; THE SILVER SPRING VET CENTER IN SILVER SPRING, THE JESSUP CORRECTIONAL CENTER IN JESSUP. CALIFORNIA - THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS HEALTH CARE SYSTEM PALO ALTO (PAWS ACT SITE), MENLO PARK AND SAN FRANCISCO; SAN MATEO VETERANS TREATMENT COURT; AND SAN FRANCISCO VETERANS JUSTICE COURT. NORTH CAROLINA -CHARLES GEORGE VA MENTAL HEALTH CARE CENTER (PAWS ACT SITE); AT THE BUNCOMBE COUNTY VETERANS TREATMENT COURT. PENNSYLVANIA - PHILADELPHIA VA MEDICAL CENTER, PHILADELPHIA; UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA; SOUTHWEST VET CENTER, PITTSBURGH; AND DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY, PITTSBURGH; VIRGINIA - FORT BELVOIR AND THE PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY VETERANS TREATMENT COURT. ADDITIONALLY, WARRIOR CANINE CONNECTION DOGS WORKED WITH SOLDIERS IN THE WARRIOR TRANSITION UNITS AT WRNMMC, FORT BELVOIR, VA, AND MENLO PARK, CA. WARRIOR CANINE CONNECTION IS COLLABORATING WITH WRNMMC, THE UNIFORMED SERVICES UNIVERSITY OF THE HEALTH SCIENCES (USUHS) AND CIVILIAN ACADEMIC EXPERTS ON RESEARCH ASSOCIATED WITH THE NEUROBIOLOGY OF THE HUMAN-ANIMAL BOND AND THE TREATMENT OF PTSD. THESE STUDY RESULTS WERE PUBLISHED IN A PEER REVIEWED JOURNAL, MILIARY PSYCHOLOGY, IN NOVEMBER 2021. A LARGER RESEARCH STUDY TO EVALUATE THE EFFICACY OF SERVICE DOG TRAINING AS AN ADJUNCTIVE TREATMENT FOR PTSD AND TBI AND TO MAXIMIZE THE THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS TO RECOVERING WARRIORS WHO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM WAS INITIATED WITH THESE COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS IN 2015.
  3. $336,384 spent. WARRIOR CANINE CONNECTION PROVIDES MBTR SERVICES AS A SUB-CONTRACTOR, CONVERTING TO THE PRIME CONTRACTOR MID-YEAR. PER THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT, SERVICES AND DOGS ARE PROVIDED AT THE NATIONAL INTREPID CENTER OF EXCELLENCE (NICOE), AT WALTER REED NATIONAL MILITARY MEDICAL CENTER (WRNMMC) IN BETHESDA. THE REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES WERE INCLUDED IN THE MISSION BASED TRAUMA RECOVERY PROGRAM IN PRIOR YEARS. AS THIS PROGRAM CONTINUES TO GROW AND EXPAND, THE ACTIVITY IS SEPARATED TO BE RECOGNIZED AS AN INDEPENDENT PROGRAM.

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 October 2011.

    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.