2020 Report to Friends of The Binky Foundation

As reported in our annual letter last December, we learned over the years that there are many passionate, well-intended people wanting to start an animal welfare group but do not fully understand the business or financial aspects of successfully running such a facility. This was the basis for our introducing, in the fall of 2019, our new, simplified First Steps grant program designed to provide a start-up $1000 grant to new animal welfare organizations (rescue groups, sanctuaries, shelters, etc.) that have invested in appropriate training and have a plan to achieve sustainability. In the year since inception of the program, through November 2020, we awarded 24 First Steps grants out of 52 applications received.

We also have been winding down our work-intensive Forward Steps program freeing-up our resources and our workload so that we can better focus on our First Steps grants to new organizations.  For the full year from November 2019 through November 2020, we awarded 34 Forward Steps Grants (out of 148 applications) totaling $37,639, for a total of all grants awarded during this past year of $61,639.

Not surprisingly, animal welfare groups have not been exempt from the havoc wrought by COVID-19, including restrictions on personal interface affecting rescue, shelter and adoption efforts, to the limitations on their usual fund raising efforts. Similarly, restrictions on face-to-face educational efforts required us to be flexible in our educational requirements for our new First Steps grant program by recognizing on-line equivalents to in-person training.  We will continue to listen to the problems and challenges facing our grantees and applicants in these difficult times, and will continue to be flexible in recognizing their needs while maintaining our own objectives.

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We continue to update our website and our pet remembrance page remains as popular as ever. We would love to hear from you with your comments about our website or on any other aspect of our mission.  Many thanks for your continued interest in our efforts.

With appreciation from the Board,

Michalina Bickford

Kathleen Bickford Berzock

Peter Bickford