Giving Paws: A Tail of Two Loans

There are many extraordinary nonprofits out there doing impactful work in their communities, but few that resonate with the public as much as organizations that specialize in animal rescue. Recently, LENDonate had the pleasure of helping two nonprofits in the animal rescue sector secure funds for very different purposes. Both are unique in the services they provide. Let’s look at how LENDonate was able to help each continue the inspiring work they do in challenging times.

Leave No Paws Behind

Leave No Paws Behind (LNPB), a California-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization an all-breed, all foster-based rescue, specializing in seniors, terminal and end of life animals, and pets with special needs. Many of them with minor and treatable medical needs and disabilities are cared for and placed in foster care until they are adopted. The more seriously challenged rescues are placed in hospice or long-term foster care, giving them the comfort, love, and care they would not otherwise have.

LNPB recently opened a low-cost clinic to enable under-resourced communities to gain access to the care their pets need so they can remain at home and not be abandoned at shelters. As a small nonprofit, LNPB relies almost entirely on donations and small fundraising events to carry out its mission.

The Challenge

While LNPB worked to open their new veterinary clinic, COVID-19 struck and turned their plans upside down. This clinic was in even greater demand with the challenges of the pandemic and animal rescue skyrocketing. Determined to open this clinic, LNPB turned to borrow money to fund the clinic. This money helped them complete construction, build critical infrastructure, and hire needed staff to run the clinic. But this money was only available with high-cost loans causing a devastating strain on their already limited cash flow. How could they ease this cash drain to run the clinic and buy some time to repay these loans? While LNPB was able to get its doors open in the middle of the pandemic, the organization looked to refinance its loans and ease the burden on their finances.

The Solution

With the help of LENDonate’s network of philanthropists and lenders, Leave No Paws Behind was able to launch a successful campaign to consolidate their loan debt and repay the high-cost loans. With a $150,000 note, financed over 3 years at a much more favorable rate of 8.8%, LNPB has been able to ease their financial burden and relax its cash flow strain. The LNPB Clinic is now open, offering state-of-the-art veterinary care at low and affordable costs. With help from LENDonate, families in need of veterinary care that they might not have been able to afford now have access to the care they need at the Leave No Paws Behind clinic. Their pets can now remain at home with their loving families.

A Pathway to Hope

For over 10 years, A Pathway to Hope (Pathway) has been a foster-based animal rescue organization that believes the most effective way to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome dogs and cats, is in the comforting environment of a home. Homeless dogs and cats are integrated into daily life with training support. This all-volunteer rescue at heart provides sanctuary space and is a beacon of hope for dogs and cats deemed unadoptable.

The Challenge

Over the years, Pathway has tried many ways to care for and train these stray dogs and cats for home life. They have tried boarding, shelters, and kennel-based environments to save more lives. Unfortunately, the lack of stability in these environments has made it difficult for the animals to make the progress needed to become adoptable. A Pathway to Hope believes that a stable home environment is a key to an animal’s ability to recover and find a home.

Therefore, Pathway decided to find a home where an experienced and dedicated trainer would live with these dogs and cats, and provide them with daily, intensive training to prepare them for home life. They began their search for “Hope’s Home.”, their very own animal rehabilitation and rescue home. ButA Pathway to Hope needed funding to buy this home. They felttheir dream was years away from becoming a reality.

The Solution

When A Pathway to Hope first reached out to LENDonate, they thought it would take years to make “Hope’s Home” a reality. Pathway started concerted efforts to raise the money it needed. In the meantime, after examining their finances and speaking with their leadership about their goals, LENDonate was able to support pathway with a loan to set their plan in motion.LENDonate granted them a $204,000, 5-year loan at 4.5% interest. This influx of capital was instrumental in helping Pathway purchase the perfect property to give life to “Hope’s Home”. Pathway successfully closed on the property, and “Hope’s Home” has become a reality! Renovations are now underway. The property will have dog rooms, cat rooms, a dog training space, walking trails, outdoor feral cat shelters and a ‘Garden of Hope’ for donors.

Conclusion

With the help of LENDonate and our extensive network of philanthropists and investors, two well-deserving nonprofit animal rescue organizations, with two very different sets of financial needs, found success in bringing their much-needed services to their local communities. At LENDonate, we pride ourselves in helping nonprofits of all sectors secure the funding they need to prosper and enact positive change in the world. Whether you are a nonprofit looking for funding, or a potential lender wishing to contribute to supporting social change, LENDonate is here to match you with the perfect partner to achieve your goals.