Total Grant Funding: $9,963,500

In May 2023, Maddie’s Fund awarded an historic grant of $6,530,000 over five years to support the vision of Companions and Animals for Reform Equity (CARE) to reimagine and construct an inclusive system built upon Human and Animal Well-Being. Goals include piloting Community Animal Care in two cities, assisting proximate leaders and expanding leadership and educational programs. Prior grants have helped CARE to conduct research and analysis about diversity in animal welfare, build CARE centers within communities, and hire additional staff to support DEI training, CARE Centers and CARE operations.

On October 6, 2022 the 2022 Avanzino Leadership Award was presented to James Evans, founder and Chief Executive Officer, for his outstanding leadership and purposeful dedication to the human-animal bond. This award recognizes significant achievement and courage to look beyond the status quo and make bold decisions to improve the lives of pets and their people.

Since 2021, Maddie’s Fund has awarded $200,000 in grants to CARE in support of the Dr. Jodie G. Blackwell Scholarship Fund, a seed fund for African American scholarships for Veterinary School. Dr. Blackwell graduated in the 2nd class of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Tuskegee University in 1950. He then opened a thriving practice, joined the faculty at Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine and is the father of Maddie’s Fund’s Avanzino Leadership Award recipient Dr. Michael J. Blackwell.