Tax credits boost capital campaign for Rescue One

Springfield-based nonprofit Rescue One made a move to new clinic and office space this month in a prelude to plans to relocate to a multimillion-dollar headquarters at a yet-to-be determined date. 

Officials with the 501(c)(3) organization, which unites foster dogs and cats with permanent owners and provides medical services for rescues, say it is amid a quiet phase of a capital campaign to raise money for the future operations center. The nonprofit in 2021 purchased a 4-acre property in northwest Springfield for $160,000 with the intent of building a 14,000-square-foot facility at 3859 W. Nichols St., according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting.

Rebekah Redwing, Rescue One’s administrative manager, said the organization has raised roughly $600,000 through private donations toward the project’s estimated $4.5 million cost. She said the nonprofit desires to raise another $1.5 million-$2 million before launching a public phase of the capital campaign. Naming opportunities for various elements of the project, including the building, outdoor play yard and multipurpose event space, are available, according to officials. 

“Once we hit around 60% to 70% of our overall goal is when we’ll go to the public and ask them to help us raise the rest of the money,” she said.

Its future headquarters will include 17 dog boarding kennels for short-term stays, five community cat rooms and meet-and-greet areas for people to visit animals up for adoption, as well as space for offices, training and supply storage, according to officials. Additionally, roughly 4,000 square feet of the building will be dedicated to a veterinary clinic for rescue animals.

Since its founding in 2013, the nonprofit has adopted out roughly 14,000 dogs and cats through its volunteer foster program. According to Rescue One’s website, its euthanasia rate for medical and aggression purposes combined is less than 1% of the animals that have come into its care.

Getting credit
Officials hope that the nonprofit’s recent approval for state tax credits will boost its campaign efforts.

Rescue One is among eight Springfield-area organizations that received Neighborhood Assistance Program tax credits this summer from the Missouri Department of Economic Development. The eight recipients, which included Boys & Girls Club of the Ozarks in Branson and Council of Churches of the Ozarks Inc., received nearly $2 million out of $7.2 million in tax credits announced by the state agency, according to past SBJ reporting.

Redwing said Rescue One’s $249,960 in tax credits are specifically designated for those who donate toward its planned headquarters.

“If someone gives us a $100,000 donation toward our capital campaign, they’ll receive $50,000 in tax credits,” she said. “That’s pretty huge for us.”

Rescue One officials were unsure if they would be approved for the tax credits, as it marked the first time the nonprofit has ever applied for them.

“We worked really hard on it, and we also heard it was pretty common to not be approved your first time, so we were prepared to reapply,” Redwing said, noting staff had to attend workshops with the state and fill out paperwork upon approval. “When we got the news, it was kind of surreal. We’re really excited about it.”

The organization in 2022 reported over $1.1 million in revenue and net assets of roughly $843,000, according to its most recent 990 form on file with the IRS.

Aside from animal rescue, the nonprofit also provides low-cost vaccine clinics as well as a SafePet program, in which it works with Harmony House and the Greene County Family Justice Center to temporarily find foster homes for pets of individuals in domestic violence situations. Additionally, Rescue One in 2018 began Puppies 4 Parole, a program that allows select individuals in prison the chance to become trainers for rescue dogs.

Rescue activity
Stephanie Shelton, Rescue One executive director, said the organization earlier this month consolidated operations into a single 5,000-square-foot facility at 2000 S. Stewart Ave. It opened the new location on Sept. 14.

“We were having difficulties in the clinic we were at with repairs and flooding, and so we ended up moving to a space that is big enough that has our office and our clinic in one location,” she said, adding it previously operated out of leased spaces at East Bennett Street and South Stewart Avenue, which is near its new home.

Rescue One signed a two-year lease for an undisclosed rate with C. Arch Bay Co., Shelton said. Volunteers and staff did most of the renovation for the space, helping keep startup costs to roughly $3,000. She said it most recently housed furniture store One of a Kind Inc., which shuttered.

Founded in 2013, the nonprofit receives help from around 500 volunteers, Redwing said, but also has 18 paid employees. Its animal intake in 2023 was 2,223, up slightly from 2,191 the year prior. Still, it was shy of the record 2,271 animals rescued in 2020.

“I don’t think we’ll surpass it,” she said of animal intake for this year compared to 2023. “I think we’ll be pretty close.”

Officials are uncertain how long the nonprofit will occupy its new facility, noting success in fundraising for the headquarters will largely dictate that.

“We would like to have at least 75% just to make sure that the project goes smoothly and that we can reach our goal while building the facility,” Redwing said of funding desired before starting construction.

Shelton said Branco Enterprises Inc. is general contractor for the project designed by nForm Architecture LLC. Construction of the facility, which would be located southwest of the Interstate 44 and West Bypass interchange, is estimated to take 10 months to complete.

Headquarters plans were temporarily put on hold in 2022 and 2023 amid rising project costs, which Shelton said reached as high as $9 million.

“There was no change to the plan at all. It was just the cost of materials and construction,” she said. “We had to wait until those numbers came back down. We’re now sitting at about $4.5 million. We also ran into some issues with our sewer extension, and we just got those resolved, so we’ve had some setbacks.”

Aside from its capital campaign, Rescue One has been active with fundraisers for its daily operations. Its largest annual event, Party 4 Paws, was held earlier this month at Hickory Hills Country Club and raised a record $155,200, Redwing said.

“It’s about $24,000 more than last year,” she said. “It started six years ago, and we had made $19,000, so in six years it’s grown quite a bit.”

Another yearly fundraiser, The Fast and the Furriest 5K Run/Walk, is set for Oct. 5. Redwing said the 10th annual event, which is held in the Rountree neighborhood, typically nets $15,000 for the organization. She said around 450 people are expected to participate this year.