PAINTED DOG RESEARCH USA
Nonprofit Organization Dedicated to Field Work Support
Painted Dog Research USA Inc. (PDR USA) is a nonprofit organization (EIN: 37-2145763) formed in 2024 for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes as a 501(c)(3) public charity. The mission of PDR USA is to provide funding and resources to support meaningful conservation of African painted dogs using field-based, data-driven research and community-based education.
The objective of PDR USA is to secure private supplemental financial support through active fundraising efforts to benefit Painted Dog Research Trust (PDRT) in Zimbabwe for strategic conservation initiatives, educational programming, development of habitat for wildlife, and the acquisition, construction, replacement, or improvement of facilities and equipment for conservation purposes.
PDR USA is facilitated by a dedicated volunteer board of directors whose members span the breadth of the United States. The board meets monthly to prepare and coordinate educational activities and fundraising events. These presentations can be conducted by PDR USA board members and by Dr. Greg Rasmussen from PDRT in Zimbabwe when he travels for the annual educational fundraising tour to support PDR field team research. This tour is one of the most important mission-driven activities to inspire people to help with conservation efforts.
The sale of merchandise such as snare wire art, books, and printed materials generates income at these events and online. Snare wire art is created by indigenous artisans employed by PDRT and is sold in the US to support conservation and local livelihoods, creating value for local people to help protect painted dogs. The PDR USA board facilitates the sale of snare art and other merchandise at speaking events, but also through the website. These activities provide an avenue for people to provide direct support of conservation efforts through the purchase of items and contribution of donations.
Fundraising activities such as grant writing, collecting donations, managing donor information, creating social media content to inspire donations, and maintaining the website marketplace are conducted by PDR USA board members. The bulk of funding is used for strategic conservation initiatives, educational programming, development of habitat for wildlife, and the acquisition, construction, replacement, or improvement of facilities and equipment for conservation purposes.
Painted Dog Research Trust operates a conservation ecology center for scientific research and environmental education in Sizinda, just outside Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. As one of the leading conservation education facilities, PDRT facilitates education at all levels. It includes facilities for up to 40 students from visiting universities as attachment students or attending workshops. A children’s Bush Camp, which operates twice per month, can house up to 60 primary to secondary students and supporting adults. Adults from around the world, as well as locally, can attend training workshops and, in the near future, international conferences with the completion of the conservation ecology research complex.
As funding and resources are in short supply in Zimbabwe, fundraising activities in the US will help provide needed equipment, materials, and expertise to continue to promote conservation, scientific research, and education now and in the years to come.
PDR USA Board of Directors
Joel Vanderbush, Chair
Debbie Clemens, Secretary
Nicole DeGennaro, Treasurer
Kristin Wagner
Kim Casella
Marcy Doozan
Paula Scherbroeck
Scott Scherbroeck
Madison Pittenger
Virginia Fitt
If you are based in the United States and are interested in joining an active Board of passionate people dedicated to conserving nature, helping painted dogs, and educating communities locally and globally, contact us at conservation@painteddogresearch.org