Animal Welfare Fund Grants Program
Grants are available to not-for-profit and community organisations that:
- provide for the welfare of companion animals
- rehome pets
- provide low-cost veterinary services.
About the grant program
The Animal Welfare Fund Grants Program was established under the Domestic Animals Act 1994 in 2011. It aims to help improve companion animal welfare in the Victorian community.
The program aims to:
- improve companion animal welfare
- improve responsible pet ownership
- provide better animal welfare services to companion animals and the Victorian community.
The program provides grants to:
- animal shelters
- organisations promoting responsible animal ownership education
- community foster care networks
- not-for-profit and low-cost veterinary services
- groups that provide relief facilities and services during an emergency.
These grants recognise that companion animals play a significant role in the lives of Victorians.
The Victorian Government is currently delivering the following commitments:
- $5 million over 4 years, provided in the 2023–24 State Budget, to support pet shelters and animal rescue and rehoming organisations
- $2 million over 4 years, provided in the 2023–24 State Budget, to support not-for-profit and community veterinary clinics.
Current grants
Round 14 grants
The Minister for Agriculture, on behalf of the government, offers Round 14 grant funding. This is the final round of funding to complete delivery of the Victorian Government’s $7 million commitment to support pet shelters, companion animal rescue and rehoming organisations, and not-for-profit and community veterinary clinics.
Online applications for round 14 grant funding will be open on 1 October 2026 and close at 11:59pm on 2 November 2026.
Round 14 of the program offers grants:
- to not-for-profit organisations, shelters and community foster care networks to benefit the welfare of companion animals in Victoria
- to not-for-profit and community vet clinics to allow them to maintain and expand their services, and allow new low-cost veterinary clinics to be set up in areas of need around Victoria.
The following competitive, GST-free grants will be offered to deliver round 14 funding:
- Grants for pet welfare (small grants). Up to $20,000 to not-for-profit organisations, animal shelters and community foster care networks to purchase equipment or upgrade or expand their services to benefit the welfare of companion animals in Victoria. For delivery over 12 months.
- Grants for pet welfare (large grants). Up to $100,000 to not-for-profit organisations, animal shelters and community foster care networks to purchase equipment or upgrade or expand their services to benefit the welfare of companion animals in Victoria. For delivery over 12 months.
- Grants for veterinary equipment, upgrades and expansions. Up to $50,000 to not-for-profit and community veterinary clinics to purchase equipment, or upgrade or expand their facility or services to benefit the welfare of companion animals in Victoria. For delivery over 12 months.
- Grants for the establishment of new, low-cost veterinary clinics. Up to $200,000 to organisations and registered veterinary practitioners to establish new, low-cost veterinary clinics in areas of need in Victoria. For delivery over 24 months.
Round 14 grant guidelines
We encourage applicants to read the Round 14 program guidelines before commencing an application
- Round 14 program guidelines: Grants for pet welfare – accessible
[MS Word Document - 735.6 KB] - Round 14 program guidelines: Grants for low-cost vet clinics – accessible [MS Word Document - 729.2 KB]
To assist with the application process, applicants should read the application submission checklist:
For more information contact awvgrants@agriculture.vic.gov.au
Apply for a Round 14 grant
Eligible organisations wishing to apply for round 14 funding can do so online from 1 October 2026 until 11:59pm on 2 November 2026.
These links open up a secure online application form:
Once you’ve applied, you can return to a saved application:
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Subscribe to our news alertsLatest grants awarded
Individual Pet Rehoming grants
Grants totalling $5 million were awarded across 4 rounds of Individual Pet Rehoming grants. Delivery of the 2020–21 State Budget commitment to support animal rehoming services is now complete.
Round 13 grants
The Minister for Agriculture, on behalf of the government, offered round 13 grant funding for not-for-profit and community organisations that improve the welfare of animals. Online applications for round 13 were open from 27 October 2025 and closed on 27 November 2025.
Round 13 of the program offered grants to:
- not-for-profit organisations, shelters and community foster care networks to support rehoming of companion animals
- 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.
These are the details of the successful round 13 applicants and their projects.
Successful pet welfare small grant applications for round 13 (2026)
Organisation | Project title | Grant amount |
|---|---|---|
Gumtree Greys | Education and Training for Greyhound Ownership | $20,000.00 |
Sunraysia Animal Rehousing Group Inc | SARG Foster Capacity and Welfare Improvement Project | $19,305.00 |
Humane Animal Rescue Australia Ltd | Paws & Provisions: Community Pet Support Program | $14,200.00 |
Victorian Animal Aid Trust | Furball Funhouse | $20,000.00 |
Blue Cross Animal Society of Victoria | Industrial Cleaning Upgrade to Improve Animal Health and Welfare | $14,309.21 |
Hoppy's Place Rescue Inc. | Improving Rehoming Outcomes for Vulnerable and High-Risk Cats | $18,930.35 |
Out of the Woods Rescue Melbourne Ltd | Spaceship Survivors | $1,778.00 |
Kitty Rescue Squad Aus Inc | Rescue Squad Collective Op-Shop | $20,000.00 |
Rescue Cats of Melbourne Incorporated | Neonate and Critical Care Unit Expansion | $14,431.00 |
Second Chance Animal Rescue Inc. | Cat Ward Cage Upgrade | $17,620.00 |
Cat Protection Society of Victoria | Improving Shelter Cat Dental Care | $14,000.00 |
Geelong Animal Welfare Society | Secure Fencing for the Community Paws Project and Yard Reconfiguration | $18,196.54 |
Kitty Kingdom Rescue | Kitten Crisis Care Initiative | $7,652.32 |
Herd Harmony Limited | Installation of Day Pens | $18,500.00 |
GV Pet Adoption Incorporated | Goulburn Valley Community Desexing Program | $20,000.00 |
Forever Friends Animal Rescue Ltd | Foster Carer Kits Program for Cats, Kittens and Small Exotics | $19,736.80 |
Hear No Evil - Australian Deaf Dog Rescue | Foster/Adoption Starter Packs for Deaf and Special Needs Dogs | $19,264.74 |
Successful pet welfare large grant applications for round 13 (2026)
Organisation | Project title | Grant amount |
|---|---|---|
Victorian Animal Aid Trust | Low Cost Community Desexing and Feline Education Program | $44,610.00 |
Regional Community Vet Clinic Ltd | Mobile Pet Food Pantry and Health Check Van | $100,000.00 |
Give a Kitty a Home Rescue Inc. | Affordable Surgery for Large Dog Breeds | $100,000.00 |
Don't Forget My Pet Foundation Ltd | Paws on Wheels: Community Pet Care Van & Cat Safe Spaces | $72,675.00 |
Blue Cross Animal Society of Victoria | Isolation Upgrade to Strengthen Disease Prevention and Improve Welfare Outcomes | $30,780.00 |
Humane Animal Rescue Australia Ltd | Paws & Support Program | $66,000.00 |
Pets of the Homeless Ltd | Improving Animal Welfare Through Regional Expansion of the Fix-A-Friend Program | $60,000.00 |
Kelly's Rabbit Warren Rescue Inc. | Quarantine/Adoption Room | $45,000.00 |
Project Meow Ltd | Project Meow: Preventing Litters & Protecting Lives – Cat Desexing Initiative | $32,400.00 |
Mt Alexander Animal Welfare Inc | Kennel and Enclosures Upgrade | $75,000.00 |
Rescue Cats of Melbourne Incorporated | Last Litter Program Expansion | $63,439.00 |
Geelong Animal Welfare Society | Safe Space: Upgrading Critical Cat Housing for Welfare and Future Capacity | $100,000.00 |
The Trustee for Cherished Pets Foundation | Companion Animal Transport for Crisis and Community Care | $79,927.00 |
Successful establish new, low-cost vet clinic grant applications for round 13 (2026)
Organisation | Project title | Grant amount |
|---|---|---|
Give a Kitty a Home Rescue Inc. | Mobile Vet - Serving Retired, Vulnerable and Disadvantaged Victorians | $130,000.00 |
Successful vet equipment, upgrades and expansions grant applications for round 13 (2026)
Organisation | Project title | Grant amount |
|---|---|---|
Australian Animal Protection Society | Ultrasound machine - replacement | $49,445.00 |
Regional Community Vet Clinic Ltd | Equipment for Expansion of Services | $50,000.00 |
The Vet Project Pty Ltd | The Vet Project Pty Ltd | $50,000.00 |
The Lost Dogs' Home | LDH Veterinary Equipment, Upgrades and Expansions | $49,841.00 |
The Royal Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals (Victoria) | RSPCA Victoria Intensive Care Recovery Unit | $45,754.00 |
Previously successful grant applicants
View details of applicants that have previously been awarded grants.