What Plea Foundation does

PLEA Foundation Inc. is a 100% volunteer-based nonprofit organization headquartered in Troy, Michigan, founded in 2014 by Leslie McMahon as a charitable arm of the Professional Law Enforcement Association (PLEA). Its stated mission is to provide bulletproof vests, safety equipment, and training support to law enforcement professionals and K9 units nationwide. The Foundation focuses in particular on K9 officers, addressing a gap noted in its materials — that over 30 K9 officers were lost in three years to gunfire and stabbing that proper equipment could have mitigated — and partners with organizations such as Spikes K9 Fund and The Crosshairs Foundation to distribute high-end K9 gear at no charge to handlers.

The Foundation operates an event-driven fundraising model anchored by recurring campaigns including the I Support the K9s Color Run 5K, Fur Coverage Bowling Tournament, Crop for Paws crafting retreats, and spaghetti dinners. It draws corporate donor support from VCA Animal Hospital, Pawsitive Steps Rehabilitation, and law firm Garan Lucow Miller P.C., and maintains a sponsor network for events. The Foundation is organizationally distinct from but connected to PLEA, the 31-year-old membership-based legal defense association (founded 1995) that pays out claims through its attorney network; PLEA Foundation supplements this with charitable equipment distribution. Leadership is family-anchored: Leslie McMahon (founder/Secretary), Ashley McMahon (President), and Brett McMahon (Treasurer) hold the top three officer roles, and Vice-President Scott Dickinson also serves as President of partner Republic Underwriters Inc.

The Foundation's revenue model is donation- and sponsorship-based rather than subscription-based, reflecting 501(c)-style nonprofit status. Its parent PLEA organization generates recurring subscription revenue via Individual Legal Defense memberships ($262/year), Group memberships ($222/year for 5+ members), TeamLegal Union coverage ($116/year), and HR 218 plans ($59–$359/year), but PLEA Foundation itself is sustained by event proceeds, corporate donors, and volunteer effort. The Foundation has no disclosed financials, no paid staff, and operates with the same small team that runs the parent PLEA membership operations. Geographic scope is national, with operational offices in Troy and Rochester, Michigan.

Name

Plea Foundation

Legal name

Professional Law Enforcement Association Inc.

Website

https://www.plea.net

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

PLEA Foundation Inc. is a 100% volunteer-based nonprofit founded in 2014 that funds protective gear, equipment, and training support for U.S. law enforcement professionals and police K9 units, relying on donations, corporate sponsors, and annual fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Defense Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

Keywords

• Legal defense membership
• Law enforcement protection
• HR 218 coverage
• K9 officer equipment
• Nonprofit fundraising

Headquarters

HQ city

Troy

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Legal Defense Membership: Annual subscription membership providing legal defense protection for individual law enforcement professionals against civil, criminal and administrative incidents. Priced at $262 annually.
2. Group Legal Defense Membership: Annual subscription for groups of 5+ members at $222 per member annually (14% discount from individual pricing). Group discount code required for members paying individually at $240.
3. TeamLegal Union Coverage: Annual membership for union members at $116 per member ($96/year for group members with discount code). Covers duty-related criminal charges and civil lawsuits.
4. HR 218 Coverage Plans: Six levels of annual coverage (Plans A-F) for retired and off-duty officers, ranging from $59 to $359 per year depending on criminal and civil lawsuit benefit limits.
5. Phone Consultation Program: Annual add-on benefit providing up to $500 of attorney time for work-related issues not covered by the main plan, priced at $39 per year.
6. Pre-Paid Legal Program: Monthly subscription program covering everyday legal issues including divorce defense, misdemeanor charges, landlord disputes. Priced at $2.50 to $10.00 per month.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

PLEA Foundation Inc. is a 100% volunteer-based nonprofit organization founded in 2014 that provides bulletproof vests, safety equipment, and training cost support to law enforcement professionals, with a particular focus on K9 officers. Operating as the nonprofit arm of the Professional Law Enforcement Association (PLEA), the Foundation conducts fundraising events (5K color runs, bowling tournaments, crafting retreats) and partners with corporate donors, law enforcement unions, and organizations like Spikes K9 Fund and The Crosshairs Foundation to supply protective gear to K9 units nationwide.

Product overview

PLEA (Professional Law Enforcement Association) is a membership-based organization offering legal defense and insurance products for law enforcement professionals. The core product is the Legal Defense Program (Individual at $262/year, Group at $222/year, and TeamLegal for Unions at $116/year) providing 24/7 attorney support for duty-related civil, criminal, and administrative incidents. The organization operates on a modular architecture with the base legal defense coverage as the primary offering, supplemented by HR 218 Coverage for retired/off-duty officers, a Phone Consultation Program ($39/year), and a Pre-Paid Legal Program ($2.50-$10/month). Additional voluntary benefits include Cancer Care Coverage, Vision Coverage, Directors and Officers Liability, Fidelity Bonds, and Accidental Death & Dismemberment coverage, all available through Republic Underwriters, Inc. PLEA Foundation, a separate 100% volunteer-based nonprofit, focuses on providing K9 officer equipment donations and safety vests.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PLEA Foundation: Non-profit foundation arm focused on providing bulletproof vests and safety equipment to K9 officers and supporting law enforcement through fundraising events.

Products and services

• Individual Legal Defense Coverage

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $10 million paid out to members over the lifetime of the organization
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Republic Underwriters Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationRepublic Underwriters Inc. provides supplemental insurance products available to PLEA members including Cancer Care Coverage, Vision Coverage through Avesis, Directors and Officers Liability, and Fidelity Bonds. Scott Dickinson, Vice President of PLEA Foundation, is President of Republic Underwriters Inc., a 4th generation insurance agency founded in 1930.
• Various Event SponsorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsors for PLEA Foundation fundraising events including: Republic Underwriters, Hunch Free, Interpro Technology, Antonio's Towne Square Pizza, Yates Cider Mill, Aerial Coverage, GG Orlandi Photography, Rochester Junior Women's Club
• The Crosshairs FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Fur Coverage Bowling Tournament; proceeds split between Spikes K9 Fund, PLEA Foundation, and The Crosshairs Foundation to provide K9 equipment
• Spikes K9 FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing high-end K9 equipment to police and military K9 handlers nationwide at no charge; co-beneficiary of Fur Coverage Bowling Tournament
• VCA Animal HospitalminorOthersCorporate donor to PLEA Foundation supporting K9 officer equipment donations
• Pawsitive Steps Rehabilitation & Sports MedicineminorOthersCorporate donor to PLEA Foundation supporting K9 officer equipment donations
• Garan Lucow Miller P.C.minorOthersLaw firm donor to PLEA Foundation; Bob Goldenbogen is a shareholder with Garan Lucow Miller, P.C. and serves on PLEA Foundation Board

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Vested Interest in K9s: A nonprofit that provides bulletproof vests and equipment to K9 officers nationwide. Directly comparable to PLEA Foundation's K9 equipment donation mission and operates in the same cause-driven nonprofit segment.
• Fraternal Order of Police (FOP): The largest U.S. law enforcement fraternal organization, providing membership services, legal defense benefits, and advocacy to sworn officers. FOP is PLEA's most direct structural analog at the national level, operating a similar member-funded legal defense model across its lodge network.
• Spikes K9 Fund: A nonprofit providing high-end K9 equipment (including bulletproof vests) to police and military K9 handlers at no charge. Spikes K9 Fund is already a PLEA Foundation co-beneficiary of the Fur Coverage Bowling Tournament and shares the same mission niche.
• Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.): A national nonprofit providing resources and support to surviving families of U.S. law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. Operates in the same law enforcement cause-driven nonprofit segment as PLEA Foundation, with comparable donor and event-based fundraising models.
• Police Benevolent Association (PBA): One of the largest municipal police unions in the U.S., providing legal defense, welfare benefits, and member services to its officer membership. Comparable to PLEA in delivering union-channel legal protection at scale.
• National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO): A coalition of U.S. police unions and associations that delivers member benefits including legal defense support. NAPO competes for the same union partnership channel that PLEA's TeamLegal product targets.
• International Union of Police Associations (IUPA): An AFL-CIO-affiliated union representing law enforcement officers nationwide. IUPA offers member benefit programs including legal support, directly comparable to PLEA's TeamLegal union offering.

Broad incumbents

• MetLife Legal Plans (formerly Hyatt Legal Plans): One of the largest U.S. providers of group legal plans, typically sold through employer benefits packages with nationwide attorney networks. Operates the same group-paid subscription legal coverage model that PLEA's Group and TeamLegal products target, but as part of a comprehensive benefits portfolio serving the broader employee market.
• ARAG Legal: A provider of legal insurance and prepaid legal plans sold through employers and groups, with nationwide attorney networks. Comparable to PLEA's group legal defense model and attorney network infrastructure, but at much broader scale and as part of a wider portfolio of benefits products.
• LegalShield: A subscription-based legal services membership organization offering prepaid attorney access to individuals, families, and small businesses. Comparable to PLEA's Pre-Paid Legal Program subscription model, but LegalShield serves a broader consumer market and operates at significantly greater scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ProfessionalLawEnforcementAssociation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Plea Foundation