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.
A further two rounds will be offered to complete delivery of Government's $3 million commitment.
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
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
Grant guidelines
Applicants are encouraged to read the program guidelines before commencing an application.
- Individual Pet Rehoming Grants Program Guidelines (PDF - 370.3 KB)
- Individual Pet Rehoming Grants Program Guidelines (WORD - 217.1 KB)
Apply for a 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.
Pet Desexing and Equine Rehabilitation grants
Online applications for round 1 Pet Desexing and Equine Rehabilitation grant funding closed at midnight on 11 April 2021. Successful Equine Rehabilitation and Pet Desexing grant recipients are listed below.
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).
Funding available in round 1 included:
- a total of $500,000 to support local government councils and not-for-profit organisations that will provide free or low-cost desexing for cats and dogs owned by vulnerable and/or disadvantaged Victorians
- a total of $340,000 to support not-for-profit equine rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming organisations.
Latest grants awarded
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.