The Duffield Family Foundation (Maddie's Fund)

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $9.9 million (2023)
Total Assets: Approximately $260-281 million
Grant Range: $3,000 - $1,500,000+
Geographic Focus: National (United States)
Application Method: Mixed (various grant programmes with different cycles)
Cumulative Grants Awarded: Over $301 million since 1994

Contact Details

Address: 6150 Stoneridge Mall Road, Suite 125, Pleasanton, CA 94588

Phone: (925) 310-5450

Email: grants@maddiesfund.org

Website: www.maddiesfund.org

Grants Portal: Available through website for online applications

Overview

Maddie's Fund, formally known as The Duffield Family Foundation (EIN: 94-3362163), was established in 1994 by Dave and Cheryl Duffield, co-founders of PeopleSoft and Workday, as a promise to their beloved miniature schnauzer, Maddie. The foundation celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2024, having awarded over $301 million in grants to animal welfare organisations nationwide. With assets of approximately $260-281 million and annual giving around $9.9 million, Maddie's Fund operates as the nation's leading family foundation focused exclusively on companion animal welfare. The organisation's mission is to create a no-kill nation where all healthy and treatable shelter dogs and cats are guaranteed a loving home. In recent years, the foundation has evolved its strategy to focus on keeping pets and people together through community-centric programmes, access to veterinary care, and reducing barriers to pet ownership. The foundation made 295 grant awards in 2024, supporting organisations ranging from small community-based groups to major national partnerships.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

Innovation Grants: Up to $5,000 to help implement new programmes or expand existing programmes at local shelters and rescue organisations addressing specific lifesaving categories. Applications are made available when opportunities are announced (rolling basis for different grant cycles).

Community Conversations Grants: Up to $10,000 in monthly grants awarded to participants in their weekly Monday Zoom collaborative sessions for animal welfare professionals. Additionally, $3,000 monthly grants awarded to contributors in the Animal Welfare Professionals community on Maddie's Pet Forum.

BIPOC-Led Operating Support Grants: $5,000 to $50,000 in unrestricted operating support for organisations led by Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour supporting dogs, cats, and their people. 109 new grantee organisations received operating support grants in recent cycles.

Research Grants: Focused on access to veterinary care and practical applications related to pet lifesaving, animal welfare leadership, and foster care utilisation. Recent grants have supported projects like the AlignCare Project (University of Tennessee received $3.4 million to expand national reach). Five new research grants approved in recent cycle.

National Partnership Grants: Strategic investments in large-scale initiatives including Human Animal Support Services and Maddie's Million Pet Challenge Projects. These grants typically range from $200,000 to $1.5 million. Eighteen new partnership grants approved in recent cycle.

Education Grants: Supporting conference scholarships, shelter medicine training, Maddie's University course development, and in-person, online, and hybrid training opportunities. Twelve education grants approved in recent cycle.

Challenge Grants: Annual themed challenges awarding grants up to $10,000 (e.g., Open Arms Challenge in 2024 awarded $500,000 total to 107 organisations).

Leadership Grants: Modest-sized grants averaging $70,000 to veterinarians and researchers.

Priority Areas

Creating no-kill communities and increasing live outcomes for shelter animals
Keeping pets and people together through community collaborations
Reducing barriers to veterinary care and improving access for families with limited means
Supporting foster care programmes as a standard practice
Advancing shelter medicine education and veterinary curriculum development
Supporting BIPOC-led animal welfare organisations
Implementing innovative, community-centric solutions
Collecting and reporting shelter statistics for data-driven decision making
Supporting organisations serving dogs and cats exclusively

What They Don't Fund

Individuals
For-profit organisations
Organisations outside the United States
U.S. Territories (currently unable to accept applications)
Animal welfare work not focused on dogs and cats (e.g., wildlife, farm animals, exotic pets)
Organisations not in good standing with the IRS (for 501c3s)
Organisations that don't publicly share annual statistics on their website
Organisations with past Maddie's Fund grants who are not current on grant reporting requirements

Governance and Leadership

Board Chair & Executive Leadership: Amy Zeifang, daughter of founders Dave and Cheryl Duffield, serves as Chair of the Board and is part of the Executive Leadership Team. She brings business expertise from her work with Workday and PeopleSoft.

Executive Leadership Team: Amy Zeifang, Dr Laurie Peek, and Mary Ippoliti-Smith comprise the current leadership team, named following the retirement of Rich Avanzino, who served as the foundation's first executive director and president for many years.

Founders: Dave Duffield (co-founder of PeopleSoft and Workday) and Cheryl Duffield established the foundation in 1994 and have endowed it with over $300 million.

Quote from Leadership: Amy Zeifang (September 2024): "We are committed to nurturing the bond between pets and people, supporting the organisations and individuals that carry out this invaluable work and championing the accomplishments of others. We can't wait to see where the next 30 years take us."

On AlignCare partnership: "AlignCare's mission to improve access to veterinary care, especially for those with limited means, is profoundly meaningful for families throughout our country."

On innovative approaches: "The lifesaving work of the Million Cat Challenge and the mind-shift they are creating is extraordinary."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Grants Portal: Maddie's Fund uses a centralised online Grants Portal for most applications. Organisations should visit the portal login page to create an account and fill out organisation and contact information before applying.

Application Timing: Applications are only accepted during designated application periods for each specific grant programme. Applications submitted before the application round opens or after it closes may be declined. Grant opportunities and deadlines vary by programme.

Sign Up for Notifications: Organisations should join the Maddie's Mailing List to receive emails when new grant opportunities or application periods open.

Pre-Application Contact: If you have questions about the application or wish to clarify anything, contact the Grants Team BEFORE submitting. Once submitted, applications may be considered final and changes may not be permitted.

Contact: Grants Team at (925) 310-5450 or grants@maddiesfund.org

Information Resources: Maddie's Fund offers webcasts providing an overview of various grant programmes, the Grants Portal, and the application process. These are recommended viewing even for organisations that have applied previously.

Community Conversations Path: For the weekly Community Conversations grants, attend Monday Zoom sessions (averaging 200 live attendees from over 5,000 registrants).

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines vary by grant programme and are not publicly standardised across all grant types. Applicants should expect communication based on the specific programme guidelines.

Success Rates

With 295 awards made in 2024, 263 in 2023, and 272 in 2022 from an undisclosed number of applications, specific success rate percentages are not publicly available. However, the foundation notes that due to high application volume, they may not be able to follow up on incomplete applications.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy or waiting period for unsuccessful applicants is documented in public materials. Organisations should contact the Grants Team directly to enquire about reapplication after an unsuccessful attempt.

Application Success Factors

Understand Eligibility Requirements First: Organisations must be U.S.-based 501c3 public charities or government animal well-being organisations focused exclusively on dogs and/or cats. Ensure you publicly share annual statistics on your website, and if you shelter pets, share relevant intake/outcome benchmarks.

Contact Before Submitting: Maddie's Fund specifically encourages organisations to reach out with questions before submitting applications, as changes after submission may not be permitted. Use this opportunity to clarify alignment with programme priorities.

Match Your Needs with Funder Priorities: Successful proposals demonstrate clear understanding of the seven basic elements of grant proposals and how organisational needs align with Maddie's current strategic priorities around keeping pets and people together, reducing barriers to care, and community collaborations.

Be Complete and Thorough: Due to high application volume, incomplete applications may not receive follow-up. Ensure all required information is included before submission.

Demonstrate Community Impact: The foundation "tends to support smaller, community-based groups that have a large and positive impact on the lives of dogs and cats in their communities." Emphasise local impact and community-centric approaches.

Show Innovation and Creative Thinking: Maddie's Fund actively seeks "innovative solutions and creative thinking through inclusive and community-centric programmes and projects." Highlight novel approaches or expansions of proven programmes.

Data-Driven Approach: Organisations that collect, report, and utilise data to inform decisions align well with Maddie's focus on "data-driven decision making." Demonstrate your commitment to transparency and measurement.

Watch Informational Resources: The foundation provides webcasts and educational materials about their application process—utilising these resources demonstrates seriousness and preparation.

Participate in Community: Engagement in Maddie's Community Conversations (Monday Zoom sessions) and Pet Forum not only provides grant opportunities but also demonstrates commitment to the broader animal welfare community.

Recent Funding Examples: Study recent grantees like Palm Valley Animal Society, Santa Rosa County Animal Services, San Diego Humane Society, Kansas City Pet Project, Atlanta Dog Mom Full Hearts, Every Dog Behaviour & Training, Good Shepherd Humane Society, and AlignCare Project to understand what types of organisations and programmes receive funding.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Multiple pathways to funding: With grants ranging from $3,000 to over $1 million across various programmes, organisations of all sizes can find appropriate funding opportunities—but must apply to the right programme for their needs and organisational capacity.
Strategic timing matters: Because grant programmes have specific application windows that vary throughout the year, joining the mailing list and monitoring the grants portal regularly is essential to not missing opportunities.
Relationship building is valuable: The Community Conversations programme (weekly Monday Zooms) offers both grant opportunities and networking—with 200+ live participants weekly, these sessions provide visibility and connection to the foundation's priorities.
Data transparency is non-negotiable: Public sharing of annual statistics and shelter benchmarks is a requirement, not a preference—ensure your organisation is prepared to meet this standard before applying.
Community impact over organisational size: The foundation explicitly favours "smaller, community-based groups that have a large and positive impact," suggesting strong local outcomes can outweigh organisational scale or budget size.
Pre-submission consultation is encouraged: Unlike many funders, Maddie's Fund actively welcomes questions before submission—take advantage of this to strengthen your application and confirm alignment with programme goals.
Focus on the human-animal bond: Applications should emphasise "keeping pets and people together" and reducing barriers to care, reflecting the foundation's evolved mission beyond traditional shelter lifesaving to broader community well-being.

References

Accessed: December 22, 2025

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