With an impending economic slowdown, non-profit animal welfare organizations are staring at financial uncertainty.

The conundrum that most donors face is whether to donate to animal causes when there seem to be more pressing issues at hand.

The fact is that animal causes are more important now than ever.

The current global scenario has led to a serious lack of healthcare and other much-needed facilities for our furry friends.

If you run a 501 (c)(3) charitable animal welfare organization and are crippled for funds, then there are grant programs that you can consider for immediate and future financial assistance.

Here are the Best Animal Welfare Grant Opportunities

The ASPCA

The ASPCA or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals offers a multitude of grant opportunities, that provides financial assistance to animal non-profits.

Some of the currently available grants are:

• Animal shelter and rescue grants that focus on adoption, relocation, shelter and spay/neuter programs.

• Anti-cruelty grants that support organizations involved in prevention and response to animal cruelty.

• Equine grants for organizations working for horses, donkeys and ponies.

• Emergency and disaster response grants for organizations active in disaster-response.

The American Humane Association

The American Humane Association offers a grant of up to $4000 per fiscal for animal welfare non-profits, under the Meacham Foundation Memorial Grant program.

The grant money can be used for any activity or service that improves the quality of life, and care provided to animals.

That includes equipment for veterinary care, spaying/neutering, kennel and cattery renovations, capital campaigns and improvement in the quality of life in animal shelters.

The grant money can also be used for construction provided that the organization owns the property or has a long term lease on it.

Maddie’s Fund

Maddie’s Fund offers grants in three different categories.

• There’s Maddie’s Idea Lab research grant that offers awards for basic research as well as Phase1-4 research, where an innovative idea can be identified and replicated at up to 30 shelters. In addition to this, the Idea Lab Summer Scholar grants are offered once a year.

• They also offer education grants in five sub-categories. There’s Maddie’s Apprenticeship program for shelter and rescue organizations, executive leader fellowship program, shelter management scholarships, shelter medicine externship, and internship programs.

• The innovation grant offers non-profits up to $5000 for path breaking ideas that can be implemented at a local shelter.

The Petfinder Foundation

The Petfinder Foundation offers a variety of grants for animal welfare non-profits, that include, financial aid as well as products offered by sponsors. Here’s a glimpse at the grants that they currently offer.

• Cat Enrichment grand for foster homes. The grant must be used to procure equipment or cat furniture or other accessories that improve the quality of life for cats.

• Disaster Grant for animal shelters that are struck by a natural or man-made disaster. This grant is also applicable to rescue groups working in disaster-affected areas.

• The Dog field trip grant is available for short-term fostering homes. The recipient must complete the Maddie’s Fund Field Trip and Sleepover Foster Apprenticeship to be eligible for this grant though.

• The Emergency medical grant of up to $1000 for medical emergencies.

• KONG toy grant.

• Orvis Animal Care Grant.

• P.L.A.Y Pet Beds.

• An Invitation-only grant called the Adoption Options in Action.

PetSmart

PetSmart Charities of Canada offers grants in four categories.

• ‘Grants supporting homeless and adoptable animals’ covers a gamut of activities ranging from in-store adoptions to full-fledged events, transportation of animals, and preparation for adoption events throughout the year.

• ‘Grants supporting owned pets’ offers financial aid to veterinary schools, families in financial duress who wish to stay with their pets, animal-assisted therapy, and improving access to veterinary care for care-deprived pets. These grants are primarily aimed at pre-owned companion animals.

• Veterinary research grants for faculty and students.

• Emergency relief grants.

Applications are accepted at different times of the year for each grant.

The Petco Foundation

Petco Foundation offers grants for animal welfare organizations as well as select individuals. Some of their programs are ‘invitation only’. For example, the Pet Cancer Research and Treatment Grant.

Others are available throughout the year.

The Helping Heroes Grant offers financial support to organizations that help train shelter and at-risk pets (primarily) for integration into police, military and other first responder organizations.

Besides this, they also offer spay and neuter grants, and the Holiday Wishes grant for sheltering and adopting organizations.

The William and Charlotte Parks Foundation

The William and Charlotte Parks Foundation offers up to $10000 a year for research and for specific animal welfare activities.

Since that seems like painting with a broad brush, here are some causes that were awarded grants recently by the foundation.

Animal rescue training, awareness campaigns, equipment purchase linked to specific initiatives and disaster response.

The PEDIGREE Foundation

The Pedigree Foundation is one of the few charities that has an active, ongoing Covid-19 support grant, that offers up to $2500 for shelters and non-profitable organizations working for pet welfare amidst the pandemic.

They also have a program development grant of $5000-10000 for activities that increase adoption rates, and a Dogs Rule Grant that offers $50000 a year for two years, for any innovative program that can be employed as a best practice for improving adoption rates.

Best Friends

The Best Friends Network offers grants by ‘The Rachel Ray Foundation’ that support a variety of causes, including some unique ones.

For example, their ‘Save Them all’ grants cover a wide range of activities aimed at reducing the number of animals killed in shelters each year. Some of these activities include but are not limited to adoption programs, shelter intake prevention initiatives, spay/neuter and Trap-Neuter-Return programs for feral dogs and cats.

An extension of this is the No-Kill Excellence Grant that offers awards of up to $60000 a year for initiatives that can increase the save rate of animals in community shelters to 90%.

Along with non-profits, foster homes can also apply for their grants year round.

The Banfield Foundation

The Banfield Foundation supports non-profit organizations, government agencies, veterinary schools, foster homes, shelters, boarding facilities and individuals involved in pet welfare.

Their grant range is extensive, but they focus primarily on organizations that provide veterinary assistance to pet owners.

Among grants currently available, the Covid-19 Respond and rebuild offers immediate assistance to organizations involved in pet care amidst the pandemic.