Animal Welfare Endowment Fund

The Animal Welfare Endowment Fund is administered by the Community Foundation of the North State to support the care and welfare of animals in Shasta, Siskiyou, and Tehama Counties in California. This fund was established to provide general operating support to organizations whose primary mission promotes animal welfare. This includes support for homeless and owned pets, wildlife, and working animals. The grant program reflects the Foundation’s commitment to improving outcomes for animals through collaborative, data-driven efforts. Eligible applicants for this grant include nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, public entities such as counties and special districts, federally recognized tribes, and projects or programs that are fiscally sponsored by a qualified nonprofit or public entity. Each applicant must have a physical presence in one or more of the eligible counties and must submit financial documentation appropriate to their status, such as income and expense statements and balance sheets. For fiscally sponsored projects, financial documentation from both the sponsor and the project itself is required. Applications must be submitted by October 1, 2025, at midnight. The expected grant period is from December 2025 through December 2026, and the use of funds is restricted to costs incurred during this period. Reimbursement for costs prior to the start of the grant period is not allowed. Grant awards typically range from $1,000 to $5,000, with an average size of $2,500. There is no required match. The program does not require a formal budget submission but instead asks applicants to enter "for general operating support." Applicants are expected to provide a summary of their organization’s history and purpose, a description of their intended outcomes over the next year, details of any partnerships or collaborations, and data that demonstrate their impact. Applications that clearly demonstrate collaboration with other organizations and use data to validate the need and effectiveness of their work will be considered more competitive. Example data sources for demonstrating lifesaving outcomes in pet welfare include Shelter Animals Count or the Best Friends Lifesaving Dashboard. Applicants must also submit a high-resolution photo of their work, which may be used for marketing if a grant is awarded. A brief description of the photo’s context is required. Videos and optional supporting documents may also be included. All applicants must affirm that they comply with the Foundation’s non-discrimination policy and that they have obtained authorization from organizational leadership to apply.