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Guide Dogs for the Blind Inc

EIN 94-1196195 · San Rafael, CA

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

GUIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND EMPOWERS LIVES BY CREATING EXCEPTIONAL PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN PEOPLE, DOGS, AND COMMUNITIES.

Income
$91.8 million
Spending
$66.6 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
81 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 64%
Employees
390
Volunteers
800
Highest pay
$495,390, ceo/president

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 95% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 81.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 7% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 27% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 26% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 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 35% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 13 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. $51.9 million spent. GUIDE DOG PROGRAMSGDB IS RECOGNIZED AS A WORLD LEADER IN THE BREEDING, SOCIALIZATION, AND TRAINING OF GUIDE DOGS ALONG WITH UNPARALLELED SUPPORT OF ITS GUIDE DOG TEAMS. DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025, GDB SERVED ALMOST 2,000 GUIDE DOG TEAMS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. GUIDE DOG TEAMS TRAIN AND GRADUATE FROM GDB'S CAMPUSES IN CALIFORNIA AND OREGON, AND IN HOME CLIENT TRAINING SERVICES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE. AS PART OF GDB'S COMMITMENT TO CLIENT SERVICE AND SUPPORT, CLIENTS HAVE ONGOING ACCESS TO ON CAMPUS VETERINARY SERVICES, VETERINARY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, DEDICATED FIELD SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES, 24/7 CALL IN SUPPORT, AN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, AND MUCH MORE. (CONTINUED ON SCH O)ORIENTATION & MOBILITY IMMERSION PROGRAMAPPROXIMATELY FIVE YEARS AGO, GDB EXPANDED ITS SERVICE OFFERINGS TO INCLUDE A FREE ORIENTATION & MOBILITY IMMERSION ("OMI") PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE INTERESTED IN LEARNING ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY SKILLS FOR SAFE, INDEPENDENT TRAVEL, INCLUDING THOSE SKILLS THAT ARE MOST RELEVANT TO GUIDE DOG HANDLING. GDB PROVIDES SERVICES TO NEW CLIENTS AS WELL AS TO CURRENT GUIDE DOGS HANDLERS WHO MAY NEED TO ENHANCE THEIR MOBILITY SKILLS. OMI TRAINING IS CONDUCTED AT BOTH CAMPUS LOCATIONS AND IN-HOME, WITH 378 CLIENTS SERVED TO DATE AND 74 CLIENTSSERVED DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025.K9 BUDDY PROGRAMGDB'S K9 BUDDY PROGRAM MATCHES SPECIALLY SELECTED DOGS, WHO WERE NOT SUITED TO BECOME GUIDE DOGS, AS WONDERFUL PETS AND BUDDIES TO PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED, INCLUDING CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND ADULTS OF ALL AGES. A DOG CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE HEIGHTENING OF SENSORY DEVELOPMENT AND ENHANCED SELF ESTEEM. DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025, 29 K9 BUDDY TEAMS WERE CREATED AT NO COST TO THE CLIENT OR THEIR FAMILIES.YOUTH PROGRAMSWHILE GDB'S GUIDE DOG AND OMI PROGRAMS PRIMARILY SERVE ADULTS, GDB ALSO SEEKS OUT WAYS BEYOND ITS K9 BUDDY PROGRAM TO ENGAGE YOUTH WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED. GDB HAS SEVERAL FREE PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE THE GUIDE DOG LIFESTYLE STARTING AT A YOUNG AGE.CAMP GDBAT CAMP GDB, PARTICIPANTS EXPLORE THE COMPANIONSHIP, INDEPENDENCE, AND RESPONSIBILITY OF HAVING A GUIDE DOG. CAMPERS EXPERIENCE HANDSON FUN AND UNIQUE ACTIVITIES WITH DOGS AND LEARN WHY ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY ("O&M") SKILLS ARE SO IMPORTANT FOR A SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP WITH A GUIDE DOG. THERE WERE TWO CAMP SESSIONS THIS YEAR FOR YOUTH AGES 14-17 DURING WHICH CAMPERS VISITED GDB'S OREGON CAMPUS AND EXPERIENCED WALKING WITH A GUIDE DOG IN HARNESS, HAD EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS WITH VETERINARIANS AND KENNEL STAFF, AND SNUGGLED WITH DOGS. CAMPERS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN ARCHERY, TANDEM BIKE RIDING, AMONG OTHER ACTIVITIES, AND CARED FOR A DOG OVERNIGHT.CAREERS & CANINE CONNECTIONSGDB AND AMERICAN PRINTING HOUSE ("APH") CAREER CONNECT COLLABORATED TO PROVIDE A WEEKLONG PROGRAM CALLED CAREERS & CANINE CONNECTIONS AT THE HULL CENTER IN SANDY, OR., NEAR GDB'S BORING CAMPUS. PARTICIPANTS RANGED IN AGE FROM 18-24 AND EXPERIENCED A DEEP DIVE INTO CAREER EXPLORATION AND HOW A GUIDE DOG MIGHT FIT INTO THEIR FUTURE EMPLOYMENT. THEY DISCOVERED A VARIETY OF CAREER OPTIONS, THE VALUE OF NETWORKING FOR BOTH WORK AND GREATER INDEPENDENCE, COMPARED MOBILITY POSSIBILITIES FOR WORK RELATED TRAVEL, RECEIVED VOCATIONAL AND EMPLOYMENT MENTORSHIP, AND PARTICIPATED IN UNIQUE HANDS ON EXPERIENCES WITH DOGS.ADVOCACY EFFORTSIN ADDITION TO ITS FULL COMPLEMENT OF FREE CLIENT PROGRAMS, GDB WORKS TO EDUCATE ITS COMMUNITY ABOUT LEGISLATION THAT SUPPORTS ACCESSIBILITY AND FURTHERS INCLUSION. THIS YEAR, ADVOCACY EFFORTS INCLUDED EDUCATIONAL CONTENT, EVENTS, AND MEDIA EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THE PERVASIVE ISSUE OF RIDESHARE DENIALS TO GUIDE DOG HANDLERS IN NORTH AMERICA. ADVOCACY EFFORTS ALSO INCLUDED COLLABORATING WITH LEADERS FROM OTHER GUIDE DOG SCHOOLS TO SHARE DATA, STRATEGIES, AND GLOBAL INSIGHTS ON GUIDE DOG ACCESS CHALLENGES AT THE 2025 INTERNATIONAL GUIDE DOG FEDERATION CONFERENCE.SUPPORT NETWORKGDB HAS THOUSANDS OF PASSIONATE VOLUNTEERS WHO DONATE THEIR TIME, TALENTS, AND HEARTS TO GDB; THEY PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN MAKING GDB'S MISSION A REALITY. GDB HAS ALMOST 3,000 VOLUNTEER PUPPY RAISERS IN 9 WESTERN STATES, SEVERAL HUNDRED BREEDER CUSTODIANS AND FOSTER CARE VOLUNTEERS, AND NEARLY 800 CAMPUS VOLUNTEERS EACH YEAR. VOLUNTEERS WELCOME DOGS INTO THEIR HOMES, ACT AS PROGRAM AMBASSADORS, PROVIDE ADMINISTRATIVE HELP, AND SUPPORT THE MISSION IN A MULTITUDE OF WAYS.GDB DOES NOT RECEIVE ANY GOVERNMENT FUNDING. ITS GENEROUS DONORS HELP GDB FULFILL ITS LIFE CHANGING MISSION THROUGH GENERAL CONTRIBUTIONS, PEER-TO-PEER FUNDRAISING, GRANTS, HONOR AND MEMORIAL GIFTS, BEQUESTS, AND NUMEROUS ESTATE PLANNING VEHICLES. DONORS ARE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO GDB THROUGH GIVING SOCIETIES, DEDICATED TO THOSE WHO HAVE MADE A SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTION. GDB'S LEGACY SOCIETY HONORS THE VISION OF THOSE WHO HAVE INCLUDED GDB IN THEIR ESTATE PLANS.

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 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 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 June 1955.

    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.