Annual Report/Story of Philanthropy

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A Story of Philanthropy Directed to Animal Welfare
Thirty-two years before Leona Helmsley left twelve million to her dog Troubles, Louise Harrison and her sister Margaret Collbran recognized the importance of animals in the lives of people. Louise Harrison established the AAF and Margaret Collbran's bequest left much of her estate to the Dumb Friends League. The sisters had no heirs. Perhaps less ardent than Ms. Helmsley, and much less wealthy, but the two ladies together left their mark on animals in Colorado

Animals receiving bequests is not a new phenomena. Far into human history animals have been domesticated for human use-for work, food, and companionship. Louise cared that her legacy be about serving the needs of animals. It is through her sense of equity of life for all living things that AAF takes its direction.

AAF is a founding member of Animal Grantmakers (www.animalgrantmakers.org), an affinity group of funders learning and sharing ideas for promoting animal well-being. AAF funds the Alliance for Contraception of Cats and Dogs and has been a past supporter for the National Council of Pet Overpopulation Study and Policy. In instances where programs outside of Colorado have a potential for impacting animals living in Colorado, AAF considers such programs, but on a very limited basis.

AAF requires pre-application correspondence (letter or email), briefing us on the scope and scale of any new venture. AAF generally funds for one year only with one subsequent year of funding eligibility. AAF, as a general rule, does not fund a program more than two years in a row. We fund long-standing programs and have a preference for helping new ideas or efforts that haven't been tried before in a particular community.