Application Organisation (AO) application form

Applicant Organisation (AO) status is for organisations working towards IGDF membership. Applicants enjoy certain privileges within the IGDF community, but are not permitted to imply membership.

The apply for AO status, an organisation should:

• Be registered as a legal entity.
• Be developing a guide dog service.
• Have graduated at least 2 guide dog teams which has worked for a minimum of one month in the country the organisation is based. A ‘team’ is a trained partnership of a person who is blind or visually impaired and a guide dog of safe and effective standard. This ‘team’ can be trained by your organisation or have been trained and provided to your organisation by an IGDF Member Organisation and/or by a Guide Dog Mobility Instructor (GDMI) qualified by an IGDF member organisation (“a qualified GDMI”).
• Demonstrate evidence of providing ongoing support to your clients starting from the time the first guide dog team graduates, which includes:
  • Support by a qualified GDMI in relation to safety & performance. The GDMI can be external to your organization but evidence of providing onsite and/or remote support must be provided in form of a contract/agreement between the Applicant Organisation and the GDMI and written reports on support given by the GDMI.
  • Support and professional health and well-being advise from a qualified veterinarian
• Demonstrate evidence of providing ongoing support to your unqualified trainers and instructors starting from the time the first guide dog enters your own training program, which includes:
  • Support by a qualified GDMI in relation to assessment of dogs’ suitability for guide work, training methods and final performance standard of the dogs to current IGDF standards. The GDMI can be external to your organisation but evidence of providing onsite and/or remote support must be provided in form of a contract/agreement between the Applicant Organisation and the GDMI and written reports on support given by the GDMI.
  • Support and professional health and well-being advice from a qualified veterinarian
• Have a 3-year business plan and a financial plan for continuing sustainability.
• Be actively working towards meeting the IGDF Standards.

AO Fees

An Applicant Organisation will be required to pay an annual fee of £200, invoiced in January of each year. This must be paid within 30 days from the date of the invoice. This fee may be altered at the Board’s discretion. Failure to pay will result in the loss of Applicant Organisation status.

Please ensure you have read and understood the Information prior to completing the application form:

Applicant Organisation Information Download

Financial Plan Template

Video Guidelines

Application Form