Charlotte’s Litter, a program supported by Charlotte Helen Bacon Foundation, was founded in honor of Charlotte Helen Bacon, a young avid dog lover, who tragically lost her life on December 14, 2012 in Sandy Hook, CT. We, her family and friends, received comfort and love bestowed upon us from local Comfort and Therapy dogs. In honor of our Charlotte and the care we received, Charlotte’s Litter was founded.

The program’s aim is to advocate for animal assisted activity with Therapy/Comfort Dogs and their roles as supportive friends and trusted companions.  We strive to support as many programs as possible to make Therapy/Comfort Dogs accessible to every man, woman, and child.

The Charlotte’s Litter Therapy Dog Program advocates for therapy dog programs in educational settings and is committed to financial support for K-12 schools that provide these services. The Charlotte’s Litter Grant Program accepts grant applications all year and makes determination on eligibility twice a year in January and August. To apply, organizations must meet the following criteria and guidelines. Charlotte’s Litter is a program of the Charlotte Helen Bacon Foundation.

*Deadline for February Grant: January 31

*Deadline for August Grant: July 31

Learn about our grant recipients and view our testimonials.

Grant Criteria: 

Purpose of grants:

To increase the availability of qualified dog handlers, therapy dogs, and effective programs that utilize therapy dogs in educational settings. Schools chosen to receive funding will be spotlighted and recognized on the recipients page.

Restrictions for grant usage.

• Grants may only be applied to training, current programs, or developing programs that use therapy dogs in K-12 schools (public or private).
• Charlotte’s Litter believes strongly that ownership of a therapy dog must lie with the institution and will not accept grant applications requesting funds for the purchase of a dog.
• We expect that all dogs have successfully completed basic obedience training. Grants will not be considered until this minimum level of training is completed.
• Charlotte’s Litter only funds educational institutions classified as tax-exempt by the Internal Revenue Service.  Individuals are not eligible.
• Please note: Other foundations/organizations supporting this kind of work financially or programmatically are not eligible to receive funds through a Charlotte’s Litter grant.

For Continuing and Existing Programs:

Your written proposal should include the following.

• A description and history of your institution/school district
• An outline of your program and continued training
• Detailed description of who and how your program reaches students
• A track record of long-time service demonstrating deep connections between your therapy dog and students. This is your place to WOW us with your most compelling story.
• Annual costs incurred by your organization. Please be specific.
• Organization legal name, mailing address, phone number, and email
• A copy of your IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter or other tax exempt document
• Organization form 990

For New Programs and Pilot Programs:
Your written proposal should include the following.

• A description and history of your school district/institution
• A timeline of your training program including therapy dog certification and school program start date.
• Inclusion of signed contracts by dog training organization
• Progress report and successful milestones your dog has reached.
• Detailed description of who and how your program reaches students.
• Costs incurred by your school district/institution to implement this program. Please be specific.
• Institution/school districts legal name, mailing address, phone number, and valid email address
• A copy of your IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter or other tax exempt document
• 990 form

Completion of Grant Evaluation Report.

• All schools are required to complete a Grant Evaluation Report within 12 months after receiving funding. Criteria for the report will be provided to the organization when initial funding is received. Failure to submit the report, will forfeit the school’s eligibility for future support.
• Proposal and documents can be mailed to CHB Foundation, PO Box 681, Newtown, CT 06470 or emailed to charlotteslitter@gmail.com. Charlotte’s Litter reserves the right to determine appropriate funding allocation.

Grant Evaluation:

A Grant Evaluation Report must be submitted by the organization within 12 months of receiving funding from Charlotte’s Litter. The report should include the following criteria:

1.Identification

• Organization
• Project/Program
• Period covered by this report

2.Results to date

• Your actual results and how they relate to your original projected results
• Changes you made to the program/project’s initial concept and why
• How you evaluated your program/project (questionnaires, surveys, etc.)
• Number of people actually served
• Do you plan to continue the program/project?

3.Public Relations

• If possible, please provide any quotes or human interest stories that illustrate the success of the program/project
• Please attach copies of any news article, photos of your program in action, support letters, evaluation or other relevant information

Evaluation report can be mailed to  CHB Foundation, PO Box 681, Newtown, CT 06470 or emailed to charlotteslitter@gmail.com.  Failure to submit the form, will forfeit the organization’s eligibility for future funding.

Dalmatian by Charlotte Bacon

Lily by Charlotte Bacon

Puppy Poodle by Charlotte Bacon