Culver City Observer -

Found Animals Foundation, Inc. ("Found Animals") (www.FoundAnimals.org), a leading animal welfare organization that works to end pet homelessness, announces its annual Michelson Found Animals Saving Pets Challenge.

The third CrowdRise Challenge for pets is a fundraising competition, benefiting animal welfare organizations dedicated to decreasing shelter pet euthanasia. Found Animals will grant more than $150,000 to the top fundraising organizations dedicated to this cause.

"Since we launched the program in 2014 we have helped raise $3 million towards reducing pet shelter euthanasia in our country, but we're just getting started," said Aimee Gilbreath, Found Animals Executive Director.

"Our partner in this very important program – CrowdRise – has helped us, and many other animal welfare organizations save pets and enrich lives. Through each other's support and encouragement, we can make a meaningful impact in communities across the nation."

Animal shelters, rescue groups and spay/neuter clinics from around the country will compete for more than $150,000 in grants toward innovative programs that expand lifesaving capacity in their communities.

Whether the focus is cats or dogs, trap-neuter-return, spay/neuter, adoptions, or surrender prevention, Found Animals is committed to delivering practical solutions that ensure the health and safety of dogs and cats everywhere. In addition to the prize money for the top-five organizations that raise the most money, $35,000 is set aside for weekly Bonus Challenges.

If an organization does not win any of the $150,000 in grant prizes it will still keep the money it raised during the campaign.

The Saving Pets Challenge will begin receiving applications from animal welfare organizations across the country on March 1. The competition to see which organizations raise the most money will begin on July 5 and will end on August 4.

In addition to the money the individual organizations raise as part of the Saving Pets Challenge, the top-five organizations that raise the most money will also receive a cash grant from Found Animals:

· First place: $50,000

· Second place: $30,000

· Third Place: $20,000

· Fourth Place: $10,000

· Fifth place: $5,000

In addition, more than $35,000 in weekly "Bonus Challenges" will be awarded, for which every organization has an opportunity to win, not just the top fundraisers.

There are no restrictions on the type of projects participants can raise money for, provided they are a US-based 501(c)(3) organization and address the common goal of saving pets from euthanasia in shelters. Teams can raise money for projects that prevent shelter intake or accelerate live releases.

The inaugural Michelson Found Animals Saving Pets Challenge Fundraiser raised more than $1 million in 2014, and more than $1.8 million in 2015. In the last two years, the fundraising competition has reached more than 500 humane societies, municipal sheltering agencies, spay/neuter clinics and rescue organizations participating.