How Companies and Foundations Can Fund K9 Protection

A company or foundation can protect working K9s by funding their equipment directly. At Project Paws Alive (PPAK9), $1,400 outfits one K9 with a custom-fit ballistic vest, and a $350 gift supplies a K9 first aid kit. PPAK9’s overhead is covered separately, so 100% of donations go to equipment.

Here is how corporate and foundation giving works, step by step.

What does a corporate or foundation gift pay for?

PPAK9 provides bullet and stab protective vests, first aid kits, NARCAN kits, vehicle heat alarms, and pet oxygen masks to underfunded Law Enforcement, Fire, Search & Rescue and Military K9 units. Every piece goes to an agency that requested it and could not otherwise afford it.

Gifts add up in clear units. Five vests is $7,000. Ten first aid kits is $3,500. A funder can choose the equipment, or leave the choice to PPAK9 and fund the next agency in line. More than 400 agencies are on the waiting list right now.

What does a funder receive?

Every grant comes with a recognition program. Each funded vest and first aid kit carries an embroidered patch with the funder’s name or message, so your support travels into the field on every shift. PPAK9 also sends photographs of the officer and K9 with the funded equipment, with your name or logo added, for use in your own communications. Finally, PPAK9 arranges a meeting between the funder and the K9 team, in person where geography allows and by video call where it does not.

Why does a vest take weeks?

Every PPAK9 vest is custom-made to the exact measurements of the K9 who will wear it. That is what gives the dog a snug fit and full coverage of the chest and belly, where the vital organs sit. Custom production takes 8 to 10 weeks. PPAK9 orders equipment once the full grant is in hand, and funders receive vest photographs and a final report about 12 to 14 weeks after funding. First aid kits and other equipment arrive sooner, with photographs about 4 to 6 weeks after funding. For a closer look at what goes into a vest, read what NIJ ratings mean for a K9 vest.

Can a funder choose which agency or K9 unit it supports?

Yes, when feasible. PPAK9’s goal is to honor a funder’s request for a certain region, type of agency, or kind of K9 unit. If a request cannot be met, the funds go to the next agency in the queue, so the money is never idle.

Why does K9 protection belong in public safety giving?

K9s work the same dangerous calls as their handlers. The Officer Down Memorial Page recorded 25 K9 line-of-duty deaths in 2023, as reported by Police Magazine. Human officers have had body armor for decades. IACP and DuPont Kevlar report more than 3,100 officer lives saved by body armor since 1987. Many departments simply do not have the budget to give their K9s the same protection.

Do employer matching programs work with PPAK9?

Many employers match donations from employees. Ask your HR team whether your program accepts gifts to 501(c)(3) organizations, and use PPAK9’s EIN, 46-0874586. A company can also combine a matching program with a direct sponsorship of one or more vests. Donors who give through a fund can also read how to use a donor-advised fund to protect police K9s.

How do I know PPAK9 is legitimate?

PPAK9 is a nationwide 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2012 by law enforcement veterans. It holds GuideStar’s Platinum Seal of Transparency, the highest distinction, awarded to the top 1% of nonprofits. You can review the GuideStar profile before you give. More answers are on our FAQs page, and you can see where your gift goes.

How do I start?

To discuss a corporate, foundation, or employee giving program, email Admin@PPAK9.org. If you would rather give now, you can protect a K9 today: donate here. Protecting the K9s who protect you.

Project Paws Alive, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.