A recent comment listing organizations supposedly harmed by HB25-1137 has inadvertently highlighted the very issues this bill seeks to address. It's crucial to understand that every organization currently receiving funds from the Colorado Pet Overpopulation Fund (CPOF) remains eligible to apply for grants under HB25-1137. Not a single one is eliminated. This bill isn't about taking away resources; it's about expanding access and ensuring transparency.
So, what is HB25-1137 about? It's about fairness. Currently, the CPOF board, largely controlled by members of well-funded organizations, dictates who receives grants. This has resulted in a system where multi-million dollar organizations have received funding, while smaller, often volunteer-run, groups are left out in the cold. There are over 300 PACFA licensees, plus dozens of spay/neuter and TNR groups, currently ineligible for CPOF grants – simply because the current board's "decision rubric" excludes them. Why should multi-million dollar organizations be prioritized over smaller groups struggling to make ends meet?
HB25-1137 will level the playing field. It introduces better transparency and governance, opening the grant application process to a wider range of organizations, particularly the smaller, underfunded groups that are the backbone of animal welfare in our communities.
Let's talk about the current beneficiaries of the CPOF. The following is from publicly available  2023 tax returns. Their financial status raises serious questions about funding priorities:
Denver Dumb Friends League (DDFL):Â CEO salary: $267,716 (plus benefits and potential bonuses). Revenue: $25,054,000. Assets: $128,064,580.
Humane Society of Pikes Peak Region (HSPPR):Â CEO salary: $216,716 (plus benefits and potential bonuses). Revenue: $21,575,856. Assets: $31,662,723.
NOCO Humane (Weld/Larimer combined):Â CEO salary: $149,280 (likely higher post-merger). Larimer Revenue: $6,740,401. Larimer Assets: $18,679,991. Weld Revenue: $2,206,685. Weld Assets: $0.
Boulder Humane Society:Â CEO salary: $162,875 (plus benefits and potential bonuses). Revenue: $7,768,852. Assets: $16,743,296.
The combined salaries of these organizations' CEOs total $796,587 – more than the entire Pet Overpopulation Fund, which is been reported to be under $700,000 last year. Their combined revenue exceeds $63 million. They could each match the entire CPOF with just 1% of their annual income.
Are these organizations undeserving? No. But are they more deserving than the hundreds of other animal welfare groups struggling to survive? That's the question HB25-1137 forces us to ask.
If you believe large, wealthy organizations with tens of millions in revenue are more
deserving of limited grant funds than the 300+ other PACFA licensees and spay/neuter groups (many of which are entirely volunteer-run), then you might oppose HB25-1137.
But if you believe a grant program like the CPOF should prioritize small, rural, TNR, and spay/neuter groups – the ones often working on the front lines with limited resources – then it's time to support HB25-1137. Contact your representatives and tell them: It's time for fairness in animal welfare funding.