Maddie’s® 30th Anniversary Hero Awards Provide $300K in Grants, #ThanksToMaddie

PLEASANTON, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In honor of its 30^th anniversary, Maddie’s Fund^®, a national family foundation established by Dave and Cheryl Duffield to revolutionize the status and well-being of companion animals, surprised 10 animal well-being organizations with $30,000 grants each. These organizations were awarded the Maddie’s^® 30^th Anniversary Hero Awards, part of the Foundation’s continued celebration of three decades of advancing the well-being of companion animals and the people who care for them.

The ten organizations receiving these anniversary surprise grants are: Atlanta Dog Mom Full Hearts, Every Dog Behavior & Training, Free Dog Trainers, Good Shepherd Humane Society, Heart LA, Love for Animals Outreach, Loving Paws, Lucky Dog Rescue, Operation Kindness, and The NAGI Foundation. Each organization will use the funding to continue building stronger communities and support the human-animal bond.

“These ten organizations stood out at Humane World for Animals’ Animal Care Expo 2025 for their thoughtful, inclusive approach to community-centric care,” said Mary Ippoliti-Smith, Maddie’s Fund Executive Leadership Team. “Their work reflects the values of connection, access, and compassion that have been a cornerstone of Maddie’s Fund’s mission for the past 30 years. We’re proud to support organizations that are leading the way with their bold ideas and progressive actions.”

This grant announcement followed an inspiring Animal Care Expo 2025, which took place April 15–18 at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas. Thousands of attendees, ranging from national and international community-based animal organizations and animal shelters to volunteers and veterinary staff, came together to engage, learn and connect around innovative practices that strengthen the human-animal bond.

About Maddie’s Fund

Established in 1994 by Dave and Cheryl Duffield, Maddie's Fund^® is a family foundation and fulfillment of a promise to their dog, Maddie. She provided them joy for over ten years and continues to inspire us today.

Due to their generosity and vision, the Foundation has awarded over $287.5 million in grants toward increased community collaborations and live outcomes, pioneering shelter medicine education, establishing foster care as a standard across the U.S. and driving innovation in access to care. Maddie’s Fund proudly offers the industry a national voice, important funding opportunities for bold ideas, learning resources and access to collaborate and share innovative solutions.

The Foundation invests its resources in keeping with Dave & Cheryl’s promise, that pets and their people would enjoy the same experience they had with Maddie. We are committed to keeping pets and people together, creating a safety net of care for animals in need and operating within a culture of inclusiveness and humility. #ThanksToMaddie.

Learn more at MaddiesFund.org.