A Humble Surprise: How a Humane Society Found $272K in Forgotten Funds

Fundraising never stops for animal rescues, but even the most diligent nonprofits can be surprised by unexpected windfalls. That was exactly the case for the Humane Society of Summit County in Ohio, which recently discovered it had more than $272,000 in unclaimed funds — money they didn’t even know existed.

The discovery came thanks to News 5 Cleveland, which alerted the organization to the largest single unclaimed funds claim in Summit County. The amount, $272,333.11, left the society’s leadership stunned. “Good lord, $272,000,” said Nick Browning, president and CEO of the Humane Society of Summit County. “Clay, you need to come more often.”

The funds traced back to mineral rights in Texas, gifted to the nonprofit by a donor after their passing. For the humane society, the windfall was an unexpected but welcome boost to their work caring for local animals.

Why Nonprofits Should Check for Forgotten Funds

This story is a reminder that unclaimed funds aren’t just for individuals. Municipalities, schools, universities, and nonprofits can all have funds sitting in state coffers without realizing it. Ohio alone currently holds about $4.9 billion in unclaimed money, ranging from forgotten bank accounts to uncashed checks and utility deposits.

For nonprofits — or even individual dog lovers — this represents a simple opportunity to recover resources that could make a real impact.

How to Check for Unclaimed Funds in Nevada

For Nevada-based nonprofits and residents, unclaimed funds are managed through the Nevada State Treasurer’s office. Here’s how to start your search:

• Nevada Treasury Unclaimed Property Website: Visit Nevada Treasure Unclaimed Property site to search by organization name or personal name.
• Regular Checks: Periodically searching can uncover funds from dormant accounts, forgotten donations, or estate gifts.
• Documentation Ready: To claim funds, organizations typically need proof of nonprofit status and legal authority to access the account.

Recovering unclaimed funds can provide unexpected support for programs, medical care, food, or adoption initiatives — resources that go directly to improving the lives of pets and communities alike.

Bottom Line

Even the most well-organized rescues can overlook unclaimed resources. Taking a few moments to check your state’s unclaimed funds database could lead to a sizable boost for your mission — sometimes, the money is already there, just waiting for you to claim it.