About Us
We have an all-volunteer team
Behind every TIPS success story is a small but incredibly dedicated team of volunteers.
We are a completely volunteer-run, community-funded organization. There are no paid staff, no large corporate backing, and no national organization behind us—just local people who believe every cat deserves compassion and every neighborhood deserves humane solutions.
When you see someone trapping cats, transporting to appointments, caring for a litter of orphaned kittens at 2:00 a.m., answering messages on social media, organizing a fundraiser, or hauling bags of cat food, chances are you're meeting one of our volunteers. Every single role that keeps TIPS running is filled by someone donating their time, skills, and heart.
Our founder, Mandy, manages much of the behind-the-scenes technology, communications, and social media. Our volunteer Board of Directors—Heather, Allie, Veronica, Briana, and Dr. Barbara Gleason, DVM—helps guide the organization, while our amazing network of foster families, trappers, transporters, event volunteers, and supporters makes our work possible every day.
People are often surprised to learn how small we really are. While our impact continues to grow throughout Clark County, our organization is still built on neighbors helping neighbors. Every dollar donated comes from our community, every hour of work is volunteered, and every success is the result of people coming together with a shared purpose.
We're always looking for compassionate people who want to make a difference. Whether you have a few hours a month or a special skill to share, there's a place for you here. We believe the best ideas can come from anyone, that every volunteer's contribution matters, and that building a stronger community starts with listening to and supporting one another.
Our history
Founded in 2023, TIPS – TNR in Clark County was built on a simple vision: to create a compassionate, community-driven solution for the growing population of community cats in our area.
From the beginning, we committed ourselves to learning everything we could—not only about humane trapping, spay/neuter, and colony management, but also about building a sustainable nonprofit from the ground up. We spent countless hours trapping independently, learning best practices from experienced TNR organizations, developing relationships with local rescues, veterinarians, and community partners, and navigating the challenges of running a volunteer-led charity.
Every step of our growth has been intentional. Rather than trying to be everything to everyone, we've focused on building a strong foundation, earning the trust of our community, and creating programs that address real local needs. While we've grown significantly since 2023, we've never lost sight of who we are: a small, grassroots organization powered entirely by volunteers and supported by the generosity of our community.
Today, that original vision continues to guide us as we work toward a future where every community cat has access to humane care, every neighborhood has resources and support, and collaboration—not competition—creates lasting change.
Where we operate
While TIPS has grown since its founding in 2023 and occasionally assists neighboring communities when resources allow, more than 90% of our work continues to take place right here in Clark County, Ohio.
We recognize that affordable veterinary care, spay/neuter services, and support for community cats remain difficult to access for many people. Those gaps are exactly why we exist. Our mission has always been—and continues to be—to ensure that the homeless, forgotten, and often unnoticed street cats in our own community have a chance at healthier, safer lives.
Whether that means humanely trapping community cats for spay/neuter, providing emergency medical care, supporting caretakers with food and supplies, finding foster homes, or placing friendly cats and kittens into loving forever homes, our focus remains on meeting the needs of Clark County first. We believe meaningful change starts at the local level, and we're proud to work alongside our neighbors to build a more compassionate community for both people and cats.
As we've grown, we've also been able to share our knowledge with others throughout the Miami Valley, mentoring new trappers and collaborating with fellow rescue organizations. By helping strengthen the regional rescue network, we hope to expand the impact of humane, community-based cat welfare while never losing sight of our roots here at home.
Our mission is to help the COMPLETE issue of cats in Clark County Ohio.
At TIPS, we believe the community cat crisis cannot be solved with a single program. That's why our mission is to address the entire spectrum of cat welfare in Clark County, Ohio through a compassionate, community-based approach.
Every program we offer is designed to work together to reduce homelessness, prevent suffering, support the people who care for cats, and create lasting change.
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)
Our TNR program is the foundation of everything we do. By humanely trapping, sterilizing, vaccinating, and returning healthy community cats to the places they call home, we prevent thousands of future births while improving the health of existing colonies. We prioritize areas where the need is greatest, creating long-term, sustainable solutions instead of temporary fixes.
Foster & Adoption
Not every cat belongs outdoors. Friendly adults and social kittens are brought into our foster program, where they receive medical care, vaccinations, microchips, spay/neuter surgery, and plenty of love before being matched with carefully screened forever families. Every adoption not only changes one cat's life—it makes room for us to help the next.
Compassionate Care
Outdoor cats deserve medical care too. Our Compassionate Care program helps provide veterinary treatment for sick and injured stray and community cats that would otherwise have little or no chance of receiving help. Whether it's an abscess, injury, severe illness, or emergency, we work to ensure these cats don't suffer simply because they have no owner.
Community Cat Pantry
The people feeding community cats are often quietly carrying a tremendous financial burden. Our Community Cat Pantry provides food to colony caretakers and, when supplies allow, assists pet owners experiencing temporary hardship. By helping people continue caring for the cats they already support, we improve the welfare of both animals and the families who love them.
Community Education
Education creates lasting change. We empower community members with the knowledge and tools they need to become part of the solution by offering guidance on humane trapping, trap loans, transportation planning, winter shelters, colony management, feeding best practices, and basic preventative medical care. We believe informed neighbors create healthier communities for everyone.
ColonyKind
Launched in January 2025, ColonyKind is an innovative neighborhood partnership program that helps residents work together to humanely address community cat populations where they live. TIPS provides mentorship, trapping equipment, basic medical support, mediation with landlords and property managers, and guidance throughout the TNR process. Participants contribute by trapping, transporting, fundraising, and caring for their neighborhood colonies, creating sustainable, community-led solutions that continue long after the initial project is complete.
Working Together
None of these programs exist in isolation. Every trap set, every cat fostered, every bag of food distributed, every volunteer trained, and every neighbor empowered moves us closer to our vision: a Clark County where no cat is forgotten, preventable suffering is reduced, and every friendly cat has the opportunity to find a safe, loving home.
We are Committed to Transparency
We aim to stay transparent in all aspects of our organization, so you can donate without reservation! Please message if you have any questions at all! Check our our Profile on Guidestar!
Refunds and Returns
While it is our hope that every cat finds their happily ever after every single time, we realize that things come up. We request that you return the cat to us if anything ever happens. There is no charge for this whether it is in 10 days or 10 years. Our refund policy is as follows:
1-15 days after adoption: 100% of your adoption price will be refunded (minus any fees you paid)
15-30 days after adoption: 50% of your adoption price will be refunded (minus any fees you paid)
After 30 days, your adoption price is considered a donation and you get no refund, but you are still able to return the cat and not pay a surrender fee.
DEI Statement
At TIPS, we believe that every life matters—both human and feline. Our mission is to TNR, rescue, rehabilitate, feed, and find loving homes for cats in need, and we understand that this important work is enriched by the diversity of our community. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone - regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, religion, or socioeconomic background - feels welcome and valued as part of our rescue family.
We recognize that the welfare of our cats is directly linked to the diverse perspectives, experiences, and talents of our volunteers, adopters, and supporters. By embracing equity and inclusion, we ensure that every cat in our care receives the love and attention they deserve, while also empowering people from all walks of life to participate in our mission.
Our commitment to equitable practices means that we strive to remove barriers and create opportunities for all individuals to engage with our rescue. Whether through volunteering, adopting, donating, or simply spreading the word, we believe everyone has a role to play in improving the lives of cats and strengthening our community.
We pledge to continuously listen, learn, and grow, working together to create a compassionate environment where the welfare of our cats and the inclusion of our community go hand in hand.