Founders’ Letter to the Friends of The Binky Foundation – January 2, 2026

Twenty-one years ago, we created and funded The Binky Foundation as a way for us to vet and support organizations dedicated to saving animals and their habitats.  Over the years we realized that with our limited resources, both financial and organizational, we were best suited to serve small animal welfare groups just starting rather than more established groups requiring substantial funding and less guidance.  This ultimately led to our First Steps grants program, providing grants to new small animal welfare organizations based on the premise that their long-term sustainability depends on training, education and — most importantly — planning. Over the past five years, The Binky Foundation has awarded First Steps grants to almost 200 groups meeting our three basic requirements: (i) it is small and new, (ii) has appropriate experience and/or training, and (iii) has a purposeful plan to fulfill its mission.

An Ending . . .

The Binky Foundation has been one of the few organizations providing grants to newly created animal welfare organizations. Unfortunately, the unique nature of our First Steps grant program has now resulted in interest beyond our capacity to meaningfully attend to each request.  We have therefore made the difficult decision to discontinuing our First Steps grants program effective January 1, 2026.

And a Beginning . . .

But that does not mean we are abandoning the concept of our First Steps program.  We are proud and excited to announce our endowment of a program based on the concept of our First Steps program through Best Friends Animal Society, in our view, perhaps the most impactful animal welfare organization in the US.

The Future . . .

As Best Friends continues its nationwide efforts to save and protect animals, we are working with its Learning Advancement Team to establish the Binky Incentive Award program, which will provide grants to new small organizations dedicated to helping animals.  This program will enhance the efforts of Best Friends by promoting the importance of building towards sustainability through education, training and planning.  We look forward to Best Friends announcement of the details of its Binky Incentive Award program in the coming months.

And Playing it Forward . . .

This passing of the First Steps torch to Best Friends does not mean the end of The Binky Foundation.  We will continue our invitation-only Forward Steps program, and we will expand our efforts to provide encouragement and education for new organizations, with our focus on the importance of creating purposeful plans to achieve a sustainable future.

And, of course, we will continue our popular Remembrances page.

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We are proud of the outsized impact The Binky Foundation has achieved over the past two decades on behalf of new small animal welfare organizations. We look forward to our next chapter and to providing helpful tools for new groups to acquire the business skills and planning practices necessary for transforming a keen passion for helping animals into a sustainable animal welfare organization.

With appreciation for your support and understanding,

Michalina (“Mickey”) and Peter Bickford
Co-Founders, The Binky Foundation

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