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 delivered 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 included:
- $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 also delivered on our commitment to provide $2.5 million in Animal Welfare Grants comprising:
- $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.
The Victorian Government is currently delivering the following commitments:
- $5 million over four years, provided in the 2023-24 State Budget, to support pet shelters and animal rescue and rehoming organisations
- $2 million over four years, provided in the 2023-24 State Budget, to support not-for-profit and community veterinary clinics.
- $5 million over four years, provided in the 2020-21 State Budget, 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.
Current grants
Round 11 grants
Online applications for round 11 grant funding will open on 10 November 2023 and close at 11:59pm on 9 December 2023.
Round 11 of the program offers:
- grants to not-for-profit organisations, shelters and foster carers to support the rehoming of companion animals
- grants 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 11 funding:
- Grants for rehoming pets (small grants) – up to $20,000 (GST Free) to not-for-profit organisations, animal shelters and community foster care networks wishing to purchase equipment or upgrade or expand their services to benefit the welfare of companion animals. For delivery over 12 months.
- Grants for rehoming pets (large grants) – up to $100,000 (GST Free) to not-for-profit organisations, animal shelters and community foster care networks wishing to purchase equipment or upgrade or expand their services to benefit the welfare of companion animals. 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 companion animals. 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 11 Grant guidelines
Applicants are encouraged to read the Round 11 program guidelines before commencing an application.
- Round 11 Program Guidelines: Grants for rehoming pets (PDF - 498.9 KB)
- Round 11 Program Guidelines: Grants for rehoming pets (WORD - 723.5 KB)
- Round 11 Program Guidelines: Grants for low-cost vet clinics (PDF - 499.1 KB)
- Round 11 Program Guidelines: Grants for low-cost vet clinics - accessible (WORD - 720.5 KB)
Apply for a Round 11 grant
Eligible organisations wishing to apply for round 11 funding can do so online from 10 November 2023 until 11:59pm on 9 December 2023.
These links open up 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
Online applications for round 3 of the Individual Pet Rehoming grants have closed. Grants totalling almost $1.25 million were awarded in round 3, to support costs associated with preparing cats and dogs for rehoming, and grants totalling more than $2.47 million were awarded in rounds 1 and 2 of the Individual Pet Rehoming grants.
Eligible organisations were able to apply to be reimbursed for $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, supplied to the new owner as part of the rehoming process (e.g. crate, bedding, lead), and/or
- services to deliver training or rehabilitation for a dog or cat.
For more information contact awvgrants@agriculture.vic.gov.au
Future Animal Welfare Fund grants will be offered. To receive an email alert upon commencement of each new round, please register for Animal Welfare Victoria’s news alerts.
Subscribe to our news alertsLatest grants awarded
Round 3 Pet Desexing and Equine Rehabilitation grants
The Minister for Agriculture, on behalf of the government, offered round 3 Pet Desexing and Equine Rehabilitation grants to organisations that:
- provide free or low-cost desexing programs for cats and dogs owned by vulnerable and/or disadvantaged Victorians, or
- rescue, rehabilitate and rehome horses, ponies or other eligible equine species.
These are the details of the successful round 3 Pet Desexing and Equine Rehabilitation applicants and their projects.
Organisation | Project title | Grant amount |
---|---|---|
Equorum Ltd | Vet facilities at Equorum | $75,000 |
Horses for Hope Limited | Paddock shelters | $38,460 |
Horse Shepherd Equine Sanctuary | Shelters | $50,000 |
Mountain Brumby Sanctuary Inc | Streamlining sanctuary operations | $86,000 |
R.A.C.E.D. – Racehorses After Care Education Diversity Limited | Retired racehorse rehabilitation and rehoming expansion project | $80,000 |
Organisation | Project title | Grant amount |
---|---|---|
Corangamite Shire Council | Corangamite Responsible Cat Ownership program | $15,000 |
Geelong Animal Welfare Society | Fix a Feline for Free program | $31,585 |
Give a Kitty a Home Rescue | Project Catalyst | $68,000 |
Greater Shepparton City Council | Desexing voucher scheme | $17,000 |
Hepburn Shire Council | Free cat desexing project for low income earners | $20,000 |
Maneki Neko Cat Rescue Inc | Affordable veterinary care for low income families – western/northern suburbs | $60,000 |
Phoenix Animal Rescue Horsham Ltd | Slowing the Overpopulation Pet Pandemic | $20,000 |
Project Meow Ltd | Project Meow Community Desexing Program | $45,000 |
Regional Community Vet Clinic | Cat de-sexing project | $21,725 |
Rural City of Wangaratta | Subsidised companion desexing & microchipping program | $56,810 |
Second Chance Animal Rescue | Cat Grassroots Desexing Project | $75,000 |
South Gippsland Animal Aid | South Gippsland Animal Aid Desexing Program | $20,000 |
Tails of the Forgotten Paws | Kitty’s Big Day Out | $19,000 |
Victorian Animal Aid | Low cost feline desexing and identification program | $31,250 |
Previously successful grant applicants
View details of applicants that have previously been awarded grants.