The Pet Lover’s Spay and Neuter Grant Program, administered by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), provides funding to municipalities and nonprofit organizations in California to reduce pet overpopulation through spay and neuter services. The program is funded by revenues from the Pet Lover’s License Plate Program and the Prevention of Animal Homelessness and Cruelty Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund, both of which gather contributions from Californians through license plate purchases and voluntary tax return donations.
For 2025, the grant proposal submission process is competitive, with applications due by December 2, 2024, at 5:00 PM PT. A webinar will be held on November 21, 2024, to provide guidance to prospective applicants. After submission, proposals will undergo a review from December 2024 to February 2025, with funding announcements and awards expected in Spring 2025.
To support the review process, CDFA invites qualified individuals with expertise in veterinary services, animal rescue, or animal services to join the Technical Review Committee (TRC). Interested parties must submit their application, a Conflict of Interest form, and their résumé by December 2, 2024. TRC members must complete required training and comply with ethical standards, including filing Form 700 for economic interest disclosure.
The CDFA also issues a warning to applicants about scam attempts requesting payments in exchange for grant awards. CDFA does not charge application fees or require payments, and any suspicious solicitation should be reported to law enforcement.
