Melissas Menageries Second Chances

Tax-deductible

Shawnee, KS501(c)(3)Since 2018AnimalsEIN 83-2705907

We find homes and safe refuge for animals in need of a second chance. We provide a refuge for animals in every condition. Whether they need a place to spend their last days in comfort or a chance at a new forever home, we do whatever it takes to provide the best medical care and unconditional affection.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
96¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 225 volunteers and 21 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
Is it a real charity?
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Are gifts tax-deductible?
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Is it filing on time?
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 years looks good.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Is it financially stable?
3 of 5
years in the black
Worth a look: 2 of the last 5 filings show a deficit.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
How much reaches the programs?
96%
of spending
Looks good: 96% of spending went to programs; 75% or more looks good.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
What are leaders paid?
$81K
to officers and key staff · 18% of spending
Worth a look: leaders' pay is 18% of spending; over 15% is worth a look.
Pt VII · Sec A
Do they have reserves?
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more looks good.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Who is supporting them already?
5
named funders · $64K
Looks good: 5 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more looks good.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Do they carry debt?
$1K
liabilities
Looks good: debts are 0% of assets; 50% or less looks good.
Pt X · Ln 26
Who oversees it?
8
independent of 8 voting board members
Looks good: 8 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodWorth a lookConcernTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$508K
-4% vs prior year
Spent
$441K
To programs
96%
Net assets
$186K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$508K
FY2025▼ -4%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$447K
FY2021$515K
FY2022$573K
FY2023$531K
FY2025$508K
Expenses
$441K
FY2025▼ -19%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$417K
FY2021$533K
FY2022$557K
FY2023$541K
FY2025$441K
Net assets
$186K
FY2025▲ +212%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$61K
FY2021$47K
FY2022$73K
FY2023$60K
FY2025$186K

From the FY2025 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim

Status and standing

Is it real, and can you give to it?

Tax-deductible?
Yes
Per the IRS master file.
Can I give now?
No revocation on IRS record
Not on the IRS revocation list.
Filing up to date?
Yes — filed FY2025
Legal name (IRS)Hdr · item CMelissas Menageries Second Chances
EINHdr · item D83-2705907
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
Ruling yearIRS BMFDec 2018
Year of formationHdr · item L2018
Latest filingForm 990FY2025 · Form 990
Principal addressHdr · item CShawnee, KS
NTEE classificationIRS BMFAnimals (D20)
WebsiteHdr · item Jwww.mscrescue.org

Where the money goes

What each dollar paid for.

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.96 Management & general $0.00 Fundraising $0.04
Program services96%$423K
Management & general$2K
Fundraising4%$16K
Total functional expensesLn 25$441K

Financial health

Is it on solid ground?

Program efficiency
96%
of spending reaches programs▼ -1% vs prior filing year
Operating runway
4.4mo
months of highly liquid reserves at operating expense rate▲ +529% vs prior filing year
Surplus margin
+13%
revenue over expenses, this year▲ +797% vs prior filing year

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2025 · Form 990
Total assets
$187K
FY2025▲ +120%
Total assets by fiscal year
FY2020$70K
FY2021$73K
FY2022$88K
FY2023$85K
FY2025$187K
Total liabilities
$1K
FY2025▼ -96%
Total liabilities by fiscal year
FY2020$9K
FY2021$26K
FY2022$15K
FY2023$26K
FY2025$1K
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19$68K
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$187K
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B96%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 38
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 48

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$161K
Total assetsLn 16$187K
Total liabilitiesLn 26$1K
Total net assetsLn 32$186K
Months of cash on handcomputed4.4

Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Contributions & grants$374K · 74%
Program service revenue$133K · 26%
Contributions & grants74%$374K
Program service revenue26%$133K
Investment income$2K
Total revenueLn 12$508K

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2025 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $161K · Operating expenses/yr $441K
4.4 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $423K · Total expenses $441K
96%
Management & General
Management & general $2K · Total expenses $441K
0.4%
Fundraising
Fundraising $16K · Total expenses $441K
4%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense (2-yr avg) $14K · Solicited contributions (2-yr avg) $330K
$0.04 to raise $1 (2-yr avg)
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $374K · Total revenue $508K
74%
Government reliance
Government grants — · Total revenue $508K
—
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $133K · Total revenue $508K
26%
Investment reliance
Investment income $2K · Total revenue $508K
+0.4%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $133K · Total expenses $441K
30%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $508K · Prior year $531K
-4%
Revenue CAGR
FY2020 $447K · FY2025 $508K
+3%
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $186K · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $508K · Expenses $441K
+13%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $187K
—
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $186K · Total assets $187K
99%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) — · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) — · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $187K
Excludes program-related investments (Pt X, ln 13)
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Ashley Arth · Reported title Office Manager · Highest reported compensation $41K · Total expenses $441K
9%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $167K · Total expenses $441K
38%
Peer comparison

Same NTEE category, revenue band, and state where available. Descriptive — not a grade.

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 96%——
Overhead ratio 0.4%——
Fundraising cost ratio 4%——
Revenue growth -4%——

Straight from the Form 990 — descriptive, not an evaluation. A ratio is hidden when its base is zero or too small to be meaningful; the dollars are always shown.

Leadership and pay

Who runs it, and what are they paid?

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Office Manager
$41,104Pt VII · Sec A
$39,954Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chair Emeritus
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Member at Large
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Member at Large
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Member at Large
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Member at Large
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Ashley Arth’s $41K as Office Manager is at the 45th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1221 $100K–1M animals nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 7 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Nancy Gassmann—$55,000$39,645——
Ashley Arth$41,104————
Melissa Kreisler$39,954—$17,600——
Melissa Kriesler———$34,950—
Megan Gilges————$9,696
Nancy Gassmann———$6,087—
Melissa Henderson————$3,618

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Melissas Menageries Second Chances executive salaries →

Are you one of these people? Claim this org to confirm your role

Governance & Policies

Part VI
  • 8Voting board membersPt VI · Ln 1a
  • 8Independent board membersPt VI · Ln 1b
  • Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aNo
  • Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13No
  • Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14No
  • Top official’s pay independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aNo
  • Family or business ties among leadersPt VI · Ln 2No

Mission and programs

What it does.

Connects compassionate caretakers with homeless, needy, or special needs animals.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until Melissas Menageries Second Chances claims this page.

Know this organization? Claim it to add your story

Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

1 program service account for $424K of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2025.
01

Melissa's Second Chances rescues homeless or abandoned animals and pays for medical treatment as needed as well as spay/neuter surgeries and all vaccinations. The animals are cared for and provided with shelter and food until they are adopted.

$424Kprogram expense

Run this program? Claim this org to tell your story

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
See all 5 funders →

Filing history

Every return on file.

YearRevenueExpensesChangeFiling
FY2025 Latest Viewing $508K$441K-4% 990 PDF
FY2024 Not on file
FY2023 $531K$541K-7% 990 PDF
FY2022 $573K$557K+11% 990 PDF
FY2021 $515K$533K+15% 990 PDF
FY2020 $447K$417K 990 PDF

Want to add your own materials alongside these filings? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash

Full filing: Form 990 for FY2025

Every line we hold from the return, cited to its Part and line.
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $440,803 across 14 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $81,058$81,058
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $0$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $73,123$73,123
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $694$694
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $12,078$12,078
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $119$119
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $0 · Fundraising $262$262
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,854$1,854
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $6,968$6,968
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $71,586$71,586
IX-21 Payments to affiliatesPrograms $639$639
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $14,132$14,132
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $16,478$16,478
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $144,209 · Management $1,801 · Fundraising $15,802$161,812
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $422,938 · Management $1,801 · Fundraising $16,064$440,803

Not shown yet: ratings, outcomes, and peer benchmarks. A Form 990 doesn’t report them.

Similar organizations you could support

Closest in mission — by what they do
See all organizations like Melissas Menageries Second Chances →

Run this organization? Claim this page

Compare

Search another nonprofit to view revenue, expenses, assets, key metrics, and leaders side by side

Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2025IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

If you ARE the filing organization, claim this org and add context

Made it to the end? Claim this organization

Keep this kind of thing free
Keep public charity data easy to read.

Free to the public, because obviously. Like this? Pay it forward. Don't like this? Help us get better.

Card, Apple Pay or Google Pay through Stripe. One time.
Keep this kind of thing free
Keep public charity data easy to read.

Free to the public, because obviously. Like this? Pay it forward. Don't like this? Help us get better.

Card, Apple Pay or Google Pay through Stripe. One time.

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the peer-cohort and compensation comparisons above.