Animal Welfare Fund Grants Program
Grants are available to not-for-profit and community organisations who:
- rehome pets
- provide low-cost veterinary services
- provide free or low-cost desexing programs.
About the Grant Program
The Animal Welfare Fund Grants Program was established to support improvement of companion animal welfare in the Victorian community.
These grants recognise that companion animals play a significant role in the lives of Victorians.
The Victorian Government is delivering on our commitment to provide $3 million in Animal Welfare Grants and continues to pursue important reforms to Victorian animal welfare laws. The funding commitment includes:
- $1 million for animal shelters and foster carers to purchase equipment or upgrade or expand their services
- $2 million for not-for profit and community vet clinics to maintain and expand their services, and allow new low-cost clinics to be set up in areas of need around Victoria.
The Victorian Government allocated a further $7.5 million boost to animal welfare grants in the 2020–21 State Budget. This targeted funding commitment includes:
- $5 million over four years to support animal rehoming services to meet the costs of veterinary treatments, purchase of specific equipment and/or services to deliver training or rehabilitation for an animal
- $1.5 million over three years to enable delivery of free or low-cost desexing programs for cats and dogs owned by vulnerable and disadvantaged Victorians
- $1 million over three years to support horse and pony rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming.
Current grants
Round 10 ‘Veterinary Clinic’ and ‘Rehoming Pets’ grants
Online applications for round 10 grant funding will open on 22 November 2021 and close at midnight on 24 December 2021. Round 10 will be the final round offered to complete delivery of government’s $3 million commitment.
Round 10 of the program offers a total pool of $1.595 million shared across:
- grants available to not-for-profit organisations, shelters and foster carers to support the rehoming of dogs and cats
- grants available to not-for-profit and community vet clinics to allow them to maintain and expand their services, and allow new low-cost clinics to be set up in areas of need around Victoria.
The following competitive grants will be offered to deliver round 10 funding:
- Grants for rehoming pets (small grants) – up to $10,000 (GST free) to animal shelters and foster carers wishing to purchase equipment or upgrade or expand their services to benefit the welfare of cats and dogs. For delivery over 12 months.
- Grants for rehoming pets (large grants) – up to $100,000 (GST free) to animal shelters and foster carers wishing to purchase equipment or upgrade or expand their services to benefit the welfare of cats and dogs. For delivery over 12 months.
- Grants for veterinary equipment, upgrades and expansions – up to $50,000 (GST free) to not-for-profit and community veterinary clinics wishing to purchase equipment, or upgrade or expand their facility or services to benefit the welfare of cats and dogs. For delivery over 12 months.
- Grants for the establishment of new, low-cost veterinary clinics – providing up to $200,000 (GST free) to organisations and registered veterinary practitioners wishing to establish new, low-cost veterinary clinics in areas of need in Victoria. For delivery over 24 months.
For more information contact awvgrants@agriculture.vic.gov.au
Round 10 grant guidelines
Applicants are encouraged to read the Round 10 program guidelines before commencing an application.
- Round 10 Program Guidelines (PDF) (PDF - 338.4 KB)
- Round 10 Program Guidelines (WORD) (WORD - 217.0 KB)
Apply for a Round 10 grant
Eligible organisations wishing to apply for round 10 funding can do so online from 22 November 2021 until midnight on 24 December 2021.
These links open a secure online application form:
- Rehoming pets – small grant application
- Rehoming pets – large grant application
- Veterinary equipment, upgrades and expansions application
- Establishment of new low-cost veterinary clinics application
Individual Pet Rehoming grants
Round 1 of the Individual Pet Rehoming grants will offer $1.25 million to pet rescue and rehoming organisations to support the rehoming of dogs and cats.
Online applications for round 1 grant funding will open on 21 June 2021. Applications will be accepted until 30 June 2022 or until the allocated funding of $1.25 million is expended.
Eligible organisations may apply to be reimbursed for up to $500 per dog and $200 per cat on costs incurred for:
- veterinary treatment, including desexing, microchipping, vaccinations and any other medical treatments, and/or
- the purchase of specific equipment that is supplied to the new owner as part of the adoption process, and/or
- services to deliver training or rehabilitation for an animal.
Applicants can claim for up to 15 eligible animals per application and may submit multiple applications over the course of the funding round. However, only one claim for reimbursement of costs incurred will be approved for each eligible animal.
For more information contact awvgrants@agriculture.vic.gov.au
Individual Pet Rehoming grants guidelines
The Individual Pet Rehoming grant program guidelines were updated on 12 November 2021 to enable certain in-house veterinary and training services to be claimed, and to clarify the evidentiary requirements for outsourced services and purchases.
Organisations who provide in-house veterinary or training services, in preparation for the rehoming of a dog or cat, may claim reimbursement for the services according to the GST exclusive amounts listed in the Schedule of Claimable Amounts in Appendix 1 of the guidelines. An itemised treatment plan, for each individual animal claimed, must be supplied as evidence of the in-house services provided.
Tax invoices, tax receipts, or other acceptable evidence of payment, of all claimed fees and charges is required for equipment purchases and outsourced veterinary or training services.
Applicants are encouraged to read the Individual Pet Rehoming grant program guidelines before commencing an application.
- Individual Pet Rehoming Grants Program Guidelines (PDF - 370.3 KB) (PDF - 411.3 KB)
- Individual Pet Rehoming Grants Program Guidelines (WORD - 217.1 KB) (WORD - 238.9 KB)
Apply for an Individual Pet Rehoming grant
Eligible organisations wishing to apply for round 1 Individual Pet Rehoming funding can do so online from 21 June 2021.
A secure online application form can be accessed via Individual Pet rehoming grant application.
Latest grants awarded
Pet Desexing and Equine Rehabilitation grants
Round 1 of the Pet Desexing and Equine Rehabilitation grants offered financial support to organisations that:
- provide free or low-cost de-sexing programs for cats and dogs owned by vulnerable and/or disadvantaged Victorians, or
- rescue, rehabilitate and rehome horses, ponies or other eligible equine species (refer to Glossary/definitions in the program guidelines).
Successful round 1 Equine Rehabilitation grants (2021)
Organisation | Project title | Grant amount |
|---|---|---|
Forever Friends Animal Rescue | Equine Rehabilitation and Rehoming Stables | $15,000 |
Strong Hearts Farm Sanctuary | Horse Float Grant Application | $19,500 |
Beyond Racing Limited | Subsidy for Rehabilitating and Retraining Horses Post-racing | $80,000 |
Harmony Reins Animal Haven | Shelter Building | $28,500 |
Project Hope Horse Welfare Victoria | Hope Horse Welfare Project | $55,500 |
Successful round 1 Pet Desexing grants (2021)
Organisation | Project title | Grant amount |
|---|---|---|
City of Port Phillip | Pets of Port Phillip (PoPP) Clinic | $47,521 |
Mildura Rural City Council | MRCC's Responsible Pet Ownership (RPO) Program | $25,000 |
Meow Rescue | Last Litter Program | $15,000 |
Bendigo Animal Relief Centre | Bendigo Community Cat Program (BCCP) | $15,725 |
Shepparton Animal Rescue and Rehoming | Please Don't Litter! A desexing program for vulnerable and disadvantaged pet owners | $16,900 |
Second Chance Animal Rescue | SCAR De-sexathon | $66,000 |
Swan Hill Rural City Council | Swan Hill Rural City Council Low-cost Animal Desexing Program | $5,000 |
Hear No Evil – Australian Deaf Dog Rescue | Free Cat Desexing for Low-income and Linguistically Diverse Residents in Targeted Hume Council Suburbs | $7,450 |
Humane Society for Animal Welfare Inc. | Humane Society for Animal Welfare Pet Desexing Grant | $30,047 |
Glenelg Shire Council | Glenelg Shire Council Cat Desexing Program | $18,500 |
Victorian Animal Aid | No-Cost Feline Desexing and Identification Program | $25,000 |
Horsham People for Animal Welfare Support (PAWS) | No-Cost Feline Desex and Microchipping | $20,000 |
Knox City Council | Free and Discounted Dog and Cat Desexing for Vulnerable and/or Disadvantaged Knox Residents | $25,000 |
Moira Shire Council | Cat Care Moira | $20,000 |
Wodonga City Council | Wodonga Council Desexing Program | $10,500 |
Hume City Council | Discounted Hume Mobile Cat Desexing | $30,000 |
Golden Plains Shire Council | Cat Desexing within Golden Plains Shire | $15,000 |
Homeless Hounds Animal Rescue Victoria | Companion Animal Desexing Program | $35,000 |
Moreland City Council | Cat desexing program | $20,000 |
Baw Baw Shire Council | Community Desexing | $30,000 |
Cardinia Shire Council | Cardinia Community Desexing Assistance Program | $20,000 |
Round 9 grants
The Minister for Agriculture, on behalf of the government, offered round 9 grants to not-for-profit and community organisations that improve the welfare of animals.
These included:
- organisations wishing to establish new low-cost veterinary clinics in areas of need in Victoria
- animal shelters and rescue groups
- organisations promoting responsible animal ownership education
- community foster care networks.
These are the details of the successful round 9 (2020 to 2021) applicants and their projects.
Successful rehoming pets small grant applicants for round 9 (2020 to 2021)
Organisation | Project title | Grant amount |
|---|---|---|
Chally Rescue Inc. | Safe & Healthy Quarantine | $10,000 |
Heart and Soul Rescue Inc. | Increase Heart & Soul Rescue's Capacity to Rescue Cats & Kittens | $10,000 |
Horsham People for Animal Welfare Support | Last Litter Program | $5,000 |
Golden Retriever Rescue Inc. | Amichien Bonding Training and Foster Care Equipment | $10,000 |
Successful rehoming pets large grant applicants for round 9 (2020 to 2021)
Organisation | Project title | Grant amount |
|---|---|---|
Australian Animal Protection Society | Pocket Pet Adoption Area | $50,000 |
Lort Smith | Campbellfield Animal Shelter/Adoption Centre | $50,000 |
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) Victoria | Dog Adoption Kennels Renovation RSPCA Pearcedale: | $50,000 |
Geelong Animal Welfare Society | Kitten Enclosures | $41,000 |
Victorian Animal Aid | Feline Outdoor Enrichment Space | $23,897 |
Successful new low cost vet clinic grant applicant for round 9 (2020 to 2021)
Organisation | Project title | Grant amount |
|---|---|---|
Westside Community Desexing Inc. | Westside Community Desexing | $150,000 |
Successful vet equipment upgrades and expansions grant applicants for round 9 (2020 to 2021)
Organisation | Project title | Grant amount |
|---|---|---|
Animal Poisons Helpline | Expanding access to veterinary poisons advice and pet poisoning education: | $50,000 |
Second Chance Animal Rescue | Community Vet Clinic Extension | $50,000 |
Meow and Friends Community Vet | Expanding desexing facilities and introduction of dental procedures in the South East | $50,000 |
Metcalfe Vet | Improving the Care | $49,220 |
The Lost Dogs’ Home | Veterinary Dental equipment upgrade | $46,629 |
Previously successful grant applicants
View details of applicants that have previously been awarded grants.