Paragon Service Dogs
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
PARAGON SERVICE DOGS'S (PSD'S) MISSION IS TO EMPOWER D/DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING INDIVIDUALS BY PURPOSEFULLY TRAINING SPECIALLY SELECTED DOGS TO ALERT TO SOUNDS, CAREFULLY MATCHING THESE DOGS WITH D/DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING HANDLERS AND SUPPORTING THE PAIRED TEAMS THROUGHOUT A LIFETIME OF THE MATCH.
- Income
- $1.4 million
- Spending
- $1.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 3.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 99%
- Employees
- 12
- Volunteers
- 100
- Highest pay
- $130,291, executive di
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.8 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 24% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 9% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 6% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 256 of 6 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 (2)
- $1.0 million spent. THE ORGANIZATION OPERATES THE FOLLOWING MAJOR PROGRAMS: DOG TRAINING PROGRAM - INTENTIONALLY DESIGNED AND EXTENSIVELY FOCUSED SOUND AND BEHAVIOR TRAINING FOR DOGS. CLIENT TRAINING PROGRAM - COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING OF THE D/DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING HANDLER. VOLUNTEER PROGRAM - VOLUNTEERS PLAY AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN THE SUCCESS OF THE ORGANIZATION. THE ORGANIZATION OFFERS A WIDE VARIETY OF VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEENAGERS TO RETIREES. SEE SCHEDULE O
- TEAM TRAINING PROGRAM - INTENSE DOG AND HANDLER TEAM TRAINING WITH PUBLIC ACCESS AND SOUND ALERT TESTING. TEAMS PARTICIPATE IN ONGOING SKILL DEVELOPMENT WORK TO EARN FULL CERTIFICATION STATUS AND PERFORM VIRTUAL WORK WITH THE ORGANIZATION'S STAFF FOR ANNUAL RECERTIFICATION AND PUBLIC AND SOUND WORK BEST PRACTICES FOR THE LIFE OF THE MATCH. OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PROGRAM - THE ORGANIZATION'S OUTREACH AND EDUCATION AWARENESS PROGRAMS SEEK TO INFORM AND INSPIRE D/DEAF AUDIENCES, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC, ABOUT PARAGON SERVICE DOGS'S MISSION-DRIVEN WORK, THE HEARING DOG'S ROLE, AND SERVICE DOGS IN GENERAL. THIS PAST YEAR PSD: (1) STARTED ELEVEN PUPPIES; (2) STARTED 13 DOGS IN ADVANCE TRAINING; (3) CERTIFIED TEN HEARING DOG AND D/DEAF HANDLER TEAMS; (4) SUPPORTED 104 ACTIVE TEAMS; (5) RE-CERTIFIED 73 TEAMS; (7) LAUNCHED GOOD TALK COUNSELING, OUR MENTAL HEALTH SOCIAL ENTERPRISE PROGRAM; (8) SERVED 30 CLIENTS THROUGH GOOD TALK COUNSELING; (9) UTILIZED 100 VOLUNTEERS FOR 75,000 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER SERVICE VALUED AT 2,609,250.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
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.
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.
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.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 1979.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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.