HOW ONE RISE WORKS

From a rescue call to a wagging tail — every dollar tracked.

There's no mystery in how your donation reaches an animal. Here's exactly what happens between your payment and the vet's invoice.

The full flow

Six steps from crisis to care.

1
A partner shelter identifies an animal in need
One of our 42 verified shelters or rescues submits a case — a puppy with parvo, a senior dog needing hospice foster, a cat pulled from a hoarding situation. They include vet estimates, photos, and a written story.
2
Our team verifies the case
Within 48 hours, our verification lead reviews the submission: calls the vet clinic to confirm the estimate, checks the animal exists in the shelter's records, and validates the story with the intake team. Cases without documentation don't go live.
3
The campaign goes live
Verified campaigns publish with a story, funding goal, category breakdown (medical / recovery / adoption prep), and a tag confirming the shelter partner. Everything the donor needs to decide is on one page.
4
Donors contribute — 100% goes to the animal
Payments run through Stripe with tax-deductible receipts issued instantly. Our operating costs come from a separate general fund, not from campaign donations. Every dollar you give for Luna goes to Luna.
5
Funds disbursed directly to the vet or foster
We pay the vet clinic, foster stipend, or transport service directly from One Rise's account — usually within 24 hours of an invoice. Money never touches the shelter's or organizer's personal accounts.
6
Updates and receipts posted publicly
Photo updates, recovery progress, and paid invoices are uploaded to the campaign as costs are covered. Donors get email updates for every milestone. At the end, we post the outcome — adopted, in long-term foster, or (transparently) lost.
Our partners

Not every shelter that applies gets in.

We audit every partner before onboarding and re-audit annually. If a shelter drops standards, they lose access to the platform. No exceptions.

Registered 501(c)(3) status
We only partner with IRS-registered public charities. No personal fundraisers, no unregistered rescues.
Two vet references
Working relationships with at least two licensed veterinary practices, verified by phone before we sign.
Transparent operating policies
Either explicit no-kill status, or a documented, honest policy on how end-of-life decisions are made. No hidden intake caps.
Named intake contact
A dedicated person we can reach within 24 hours for case verification. Not a general inbox.
Willingness to publish outcomes
Every campaign closes with a public outcome update, even when the outcome is heartbreaking. Partners commit to this at onboarding.
Annual re-audit
Every partner is re-vetted each year — updated 501(c)(3) confirmation, vet references, and a review of past campaigns.
Where the money moves

Your donation never touches a personal account.

Every dollar flows on a documented path from your card to the vet's invoice. No side accounts, no float, no unexplained transfers.

You donate via Stripe
Tax-deductible receipt in your inbox in under 2 minutes
↓
Funds land in One Rise's restricted account
Tagged to the specific campaign, held for that animal only
↓
Paid directly to the vet or foster
Against an invoice, within 24 hours of receipt
↓
Receipt uploaded to the campaign
Anyone can see what was paid, to whom, and when
Never sent to personal accounts, cash apps, or unverified addresses.
What our badges mean

If a campaign carries a badge, we checked the paperwork.

Not decorative. Not automatic. Each badge represents a specific verification step our team completed before the campaign went live.

Verified partner
The organizer is a real, active 501(c)(3)
We've confirmed IRS registration, spoken with their intake team, and audited their operations. They're in good standing at the time of publication.
Vet-confirmed case
The medical situation is real and documented
We've spoken with the treating vet, seen the diagnostic paperwork or treatment plan, and confirmed the animal exists in the shelter's intake records.
Funds tracked
Every disbursement will be posted publicly
Invoices from the vet clinic or foster stipend receipts are uploaded as costs are paid. Donors see the paper trail as it happens.
Outcome guaranteed
The campaign closes with a public outcome update. Adopted, in long-term foster, still in care — or the honest, hardest case, lost. No campaign is left open indefinitely.
Full transparency

Every number we publish is checkable.

Not a summary. Not a marketing PDF. The actual documents auditors and the IRS see.

Quarterly transparency report
Latest: Q3 2026
Annual audit
Miller & Rowe CPA · FY 2025
IRS Form 990
Public filing · FY 2024
Partner directory & audit log
All 42 partners, with onboarding dates
Questions we get a lot

Before you dig in.

Yes. Stripe accepts cards from most countries. The tax-deductibility of your donation depends on your country's rules — the receipt we send is US-specific, but you can share it with your local tax advisor.
Excess funds go to the same partner shelter's next case in the same category — a puppy fund stays with puppies, a senior fund stays with seniors. This is disclosed on every campaign page, and the destination case is announced when funds are transferred.
We post the outcome honestly, with an update from the vet or shelter. Funds already spent stay with the vet clinic that provided care. Remaining funds go to the same shelter's next case in the same category, disclosed in the closing update.
Not directly. Campaigns run through one of our 42 partner shelters. If you've found an animal, contact a local partner from our directory — they can take intake and, if the case qualifies, run a campaign. This keeps the verification chain intact.
Fostering and hands-on volunteering happen at the shelter level. Browse our partner directory, pick one in your area, and reach out directly. They handle vetting, training, and placement.
Yes. Send your 501(c)(3) determination letter, two vet references, and a short intro to partners@onerisefoundation.com. Our onboarding audit takes 3–5 weeks. We turn away about 40% of applicants.

Now that you know how — see who needs help.

Browse active campaigns from verified partner shelters. Every one comes with a story, a goal, and a paper trail.

See active campaigns