Grants for Animal Welfare, Rescue, and Shelter Nonprofits

Foundation and federal grants for animal shelters, rescue organizations, spay-and-neuter programs, wildlife rehabilitation, and humane education.

Most animal-welfare funding comes from private foundations (Petco Love, PetSmart Charities, Maddie's Fund, ASPCA) and corporate-giving programs rather than federal sources. State and municipal animal-control budgets occasionally route grant dollars to shelter partners.

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Top opportunities

  • Scaife Family Foundation Grant

    Scaife Family FoundationUp to $1.5Mopen

    Scaife Family Foundation Grant is sponsored by Scaife Family Foundation. The Scaife Family Foundation provides grants for general operating and progra...

  • Improving Access to Veterinary Care

    PetSmart CharitiesUp to $750Kopen

    Improving Access to Veterinary Care is sponsored by PetSmart Charities. PetSmart Charities supports the development of accessible veterinary care to t...

  • Petco Love Grants

    Petco LoveUp to $100Kopen

    Petco Love Grants is sponsored by Petco Love. Petco Love supports non-profit animal organizations that care for animals in need, fight pet cancer, and...

  • Petco Love Lifesaving Grant

    Petco LoveUp to $100Kopen

    Petco Love Lifesaving Grant is a grant from Petco Love that funds nonprofit animal welfare organizations working to end the killing of healthy and tre...

  • Adoption Prep Grants

    PetSmart CharitiesUp to $75Kopen

    Adoption Prep Grants is sponsored by PetSmart Charities. Adoption Prep grants are designed to support PetSmart Charities Adoption Partners with buildi...

  • 2026 ASPCA Research Grants

    ASPCAUp to $75Kopen

    2026 ASPCA Research Grants is sponsored by ASPCA. ASPCA research grants develop cutting-edge knowledge in animal welfare.

  • Animal Welfare Grants

    Elmina B. Sewall FoundationUp to $75Kopen

    Animal Welfare Grants is sponsored by Elmina B. Sewall Foundation. Supports organizations working to reduce barriers to equitable pet ownership and hu...

  • Keeping Families Together Grant

    PetSmart CharitiesUp to $50Kopen

    Preserving Families Grant is a grant from PetSmart Charities supporting animal welfare organizations and nonprofits with programs that strengthen the ...

  • Laura J. Niles Foundation Grants

    Laura J. Niles FoundationUp to $50Kopen

    Laura J. Niles Foundation Grants is sponsored by Laura J. Niles Foundation. The Laura J. Niles Foundation supports charitable initiatives that foster ...

  • Competitive Grants Program

    Community Foundation Tampa BayUp to $50Kopen

    Competitive Grants Program is sponsored by Community Foundation Tampa Bay. Supports local nonprofits in the Tampa Bay area addressing community needs,...

  • Animal Welfare Impact Fund Grants

    Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico (CFSNM)Up to $30Kopen

    Animal Welfare Impact Fund Grants is a grant from the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico (CFSNM) that funds local animal shelters, rescues, a...

  • Love, Tito's Program

    Tito's Handmade VodkaUp to $25Kopen

    Love, Tito's Program is a grant from Tito's Handmade Vodka that funds charitable organizations working to help local communities through donations ran...

  • The Henry Mayo Newhall Foundation Grant

    The Henry Mayo Newhall FoundationUp to $20KDeadline: Sep 15, 2026open

    The Henry Mayo Newhall Foundation Grant is a private foundation grant that typically awards $5,000 to $20,000 to IRS tax-exempt organizations for one-...

  • American Humane Shelter Support Program

    American HumaneUp to $20Kopen

    American Humane Shelter Support Program is sponsored by American Humane. Funds shelters and rescue organizations for animal welfare programs, behavior...

  • Animal Welfare Grants (Pasadena Community Foundation)

    Pasadena Community FoundationUp to $20Kopen

    Animal Welfare Grants (Pasadena Community Foundation) is sponsored by Pasadena Community Foundation. The Pasadena Community Foundation's Animal Welfar...

  • Snyder Foundation for Animals Grant Program

    Snyder Foundation for AnimalsUp to $20Kopen

    The Snyder Foundation for Animals Grant Program is a grant from the Snyder Foundation for Animals that funds nonprofit organizations committed to prom...

  • Animal Advocacy Innovation Hub in the Bay Area

    ManifundUp to $16Kopen

    Animal Advocacy Innovation Hub in the Bay Area is sponsored by Manifund. Establishes a coworking space for animal welfare advocates in the Bay Area to...

  • Cat Rescue Grant Application

    Mission MeowUp to $15Kopen

    Cat Rescue Grant Application is sponsored by Mission Meow. Offers targeted grants to small cat rescues and nonprofits for specific initiatives in TNR,...

  • Maddie’s Fund Community Conversations Monthly Grant

    Maddie’s FundUp to $10Kopen

    Maddie’s Fund Community Conversations Monthly Grant is sponsored by Maddie’s Fund. Monthly Zoom‑based giving to animal welfare organizations, includin...

  • Humane Education Grants

    Various foundationsUp to $10Kopen

    Humane Education Grants is a listing of grant opportunities from various foundations administered through HumanePro by Humane World for Animals that f...

Common questions about grants for animal welfare nonprofits

Are there federal grants for animal welfare organizations?

Federal grants for animal welfare are limited but real. The USDA APHIS Wildlife Services administers federal funds for wildlife management; the USFWS State and Tribal Wildlife Grants fund species-conservation work; and pass-through funding from CDC and EPA reaches some humane-society programs working on zoonotic-disease or animal-welfare research. Most operational funding for shelters comes from foundations rather than federal sources.

What are the largest foundation funders of animal welfare?

The largest private funders are Petco Love (formerly Petco Foundation), PetSmart Charities, Maddie's Fund, the ASPCA, the Humane Society of the United States, Best Friends Animal Society, and the Banfield Foundation. Each has its own funding focus — Maddie's emphasizes shelter outcomes data, PetSmart Charities funds adoption infrastructure, Petco Love funds emergency response and lifesaving programs.

Are there spay/neuter-specific grants?

Yes. The ASPCA, Petco Love, the Banfield Foundation, the Joanie Bernard Foundation, and many community foundations operate dedicated spay-and-neuter grant programs. Many state veterinary medical foundations also fund low-income spay-and-neuter clinics.

Can wildlife rehabilitation centers apply for grants?

Wildlife rehab is a separate funding stream from companion-animal welfare. The USFWS State Wildlife Grants, the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association, and species-specific foundations (e.g., raptor centers) are the primary sources. State fish-and-wildlife agencies typically administer permits and may pass funding through to licensed rehabilitators.

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