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
Humane Fish Slaughter Research/Prototypes
Good Ventures FoundationUp to $7.0MDeadline: Jul 1, 2026openHumane Fish Slaughter Research/Prototypes is sponsored by Good Ventures Foundation. Supports work to develop technologies and prototypes that material...
Scaife Family Foundation Grant
Scaife Family FoundationUp to $1.5MopenScaife 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 $750KopenImproving Access to Veterinary Care is sponsored by PetSmart Charities. PetSmart Charities supports the development of accessible veterinary care to t...
Advanced environmental cage monitoring to improve facility operations, animal welfare, and research outcomes for UCLA’s rodent Behavioral Testing Core users.
Up to $349KDeadline: Jul 31, 2026open/Abstract The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) rodent Behavioral Testing Core (BTC) in collaboration with the Division of Laboratory Anima...
Canine Annual (Established Investigator, First Award, Pilot Study, Fellowship Training)
Morris Animal FoundationUp to $145KDeadline: Jul 8, 2026openThe Canine Annual grants are a set of research funding opportunities from Morris Animal Foundation that support hypothesis-driven research advancing c...
Bark for Your Park
PetSafeUp to $100KDeadline: Jun 30, 2026openThe Bark for Your Park Grant is a grant from PetSafe that funds communities building, maintaining, or enhancing off-leash dog parks. Since launching i...
Petco Love Lifesaving Grant
Petco LoveUp to $100KopenPetco Love Lifesaving Grant is a grant from Petco Love that funds nonprofit animal welfare organizations working to end the killing of healthy and tre...
Petco Love Grants
Petco LoveUp to $100KopenPetco Love Grants is sponsored by Petco Love. Petco Love supports non-profit animal organizations that care for animals in need, fight pet cancer, and...
Animal Welfare Grants
Elmina B. Sewall FoundationUp to $75KopenAnimal Welfare Grants is sponsored by Elmina B. Sewall Foundation. Supports organizations working to reduce barriers to equitable pet ownership and hu...
Adoption Prep Grants
PetSmart CharitiesUp to $75KopenAdoption 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 $75Kopen2026 ASPCA Research Grants is sponsored by ASPCA. ASPCA research grants develop cutting-edge knowledge in animal welfare.
Competitive Grants Program
Community Foundation Tampa BayUp to $50KopenCompetitive Grants Program is sponsored by Community Foundation Tampa Bay. Supports local nonprofits in the Tampa Bay area addressing community needs,...
Keeping Families Together Grant
PetSmart CharitiesUp to $50KopenPreserving 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 $50KopenLaura J. Niles Foundation Grants is sponsored by Laura J. Niles Foundation. The Laura J. Niles Foundation supports charitable initiatives that foster ...
Animal Welfare Impact Fund Grants
Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico (CFSNM)Up to $30KopenAnimal 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 $25KopenLove, Tito's Program is a grant from Tito's Handmade Vodka that funds charitable organizations working to help local communities through donations ran...
Animal Care and Wellbeing Grants Fund
Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)Up to $20KDeadline: Jun 30, 2026openAnimal Care and Wellbeing Grants Fund is sponsored by Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Supports research projects enhancing animal welfare in ...
The Henry Mayo Newhall Foundation Grant
The Henry Mayo Newhall FoundationUp to $20KDeadline: Sep 15, 2026openThe 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-...
Animal Welfare Grants (Pasadena Community Foundation)
Pasadena Community FoundationUp to $20KopenAnimal 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 $20KopenThe Snyder Foundation for Animals Grant Program is a grant from the Snyder Foundation for Animals that funds nonprofit organizations committed to prom...
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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