Portland, ME (1/06) - In order to expand their philanthropic program nationally, Planet Dog has created the Planet Dog Foundation (PDF).  PDF will take the place of Planet Dog Philanthropy (PDP), Planet Dog's non-profit arm, and is the result of a re-focused mission and refined grant-making priorities. 

In 2005, the PDP Board of Directors engaged in a facilitated strategic planning process to look back over the previous 5 years and assess where the organization wanted to move over the next 5 years.  The goals from the earliest days of the charitable giving program were to eventually expand the grant program nationwide, and to make maximum impact with the limited resources available from a small, but growing company. 

With renewed energy and a clearer sense of purpose, the mission of the new Planet Dog Foundation (PDF) is to promote and celebrate programs in which dogs serve and support those in need.  The PDF grant program is designed to financially support not-for-profit partners nationwide.  Its goal is to fund new and proven initiatives that bring people and pets together for mutual benefit and support.           

Funding will be allocated nationwide to promote "working" dogs that are improving and saving human lives such as service dogs, therapy dogs, search and rescue dogs and police, fire and military dogs.  PDF will also support service-oriented canine activities such as animal assisted therapy and other innovative canine service programs. 

"As a company that celebrates all things dog, it made perfect sense to focus our philanthropy to support the many ways in which dogs enrich our lives and give back to people in need," says Kristen Smith, PDF's Executive Director.  "We are extremely proud of Planet Dog's first 5 years of philanthropy, and excited to embark on the next 5 and beyond," adds Smith.

In 2000, Planet Dog created Planet Dog Philanthropy (PDP), a 501 (c) 3 grant-making organization with an ambitious agenda:  to fund creative and effective programs working for the environment, animal welfare and education.  PDP was conceived to give back and help our earth, our animals and our children through inventive and progressive grantmaking.  It accomplished this by generating knowledge, developing new solutions to problems and promoting activities that strengthen communities.    

Since 2000, PDP has awarded 21 grants totaling more than $75,000 to better the world around us.  Because of limited resources, grants were targeted only within New England.  Awards across the three focus areas helped enable small, innovative community programs to move to the next level and grow.

Like PDP, a percentage of Planet Dog's annual profits will be donated to PDF to support the new grantmaking program.  PDF giving will be allocated in two funding streams, with the majority earmarked for smaller organizations.  Because the grants do not exceed $5,000, PDF will review annual operational budgets to fund those organizations best able to maximize a PDF grant.

"As a small company doing big things, we are looking to support like-minded organizations that will most benefit from our support," says Alex Fisher, Planet Dog's co-founder and Chief Creative Officer.  "From the beginning, we knew we wanted to build a socially responsible company that not only enhanced the lives of dogs and their best-friends, but one that also improved the world around us by giving back," adds Fisher.

For more information about programs Planet Dog has supported in the past or to learn more about the new Planet Dog Foundation, please visit www.planetdogfoundation.org.