Looking to make a difference for animals in your community? The Florida Animal Friend grant program, also known as the Florida Animal Friend license plate grant, is now accepting applications! Grants of up to $25,000 are available to support new and existing spay and neuter programs offered to pet owners at animal shelters, low cost spay neuter clinics, animal control agencies and animal rescue organizations across the state. If you’re excited about making your community a better place for animals, don’t miss this opportunity! Applications are due by April 1, 2022, so be sure to get started today.
Keep reading to find out how to apply for a Florida Animal Friend grant.
Why Are Spay and Neuter Assistance Programs Important?
Spay and neuter assistance programs are crucial to help keep pets healthy while also preventing pet overpopulation. Organizations that provide spay and neuter services to pet owners help save pets lives and reduce the number of animals living in animal shelters and rescue organizations.
While the cost of spay or neuter surgery might be affordable for some, it can be challenging for most. In fact, most pet owners understand the need for spay and neuter surgery but the expense is what causes them to forgo it. However, programs are available to either lower the cost of spay and neuter surgery or to make it free to pet owners. These programs are a big advantage in both educating the public about the need for the surgery and encouraging pet owners to provide this care for their pet. The Florida Animal Friend grant provides shelters and organizations the opportunity to offer more free or low-cost spaying and neutering to pet owners in their community.
How Is the Grant Funded?
The Florida Animal Friend grant is funded by the sale and renewal of the Florida Animal Friend license plate. Just $25 more than a standard Florida vehicle license plate, all $25 of the extra cost goes toward Florida Animal Friend to provide spay and neuter grants to animal shelters and rescue organizations within Florida. If you want to support Florida’s spay and neuter programs, request a Florida Animal Friend license plate today.
Grant Funded Categories
The Florida Animal Friend grant supports several categories, and each greatly benefits animal shelters, rescue organizations and low-cost pet care clinics.
Programs for Pets in Low-Income Families
Pets bring endless joy to our lives, but for some the financial cost can be too high. To help, many shelters provide free or low-cost spay and neuter programs for pets in low-income families. If your organization assists low-income individuals and families with providing free or low-cost spay and neuter surgery, apply for a grant today.
Large Breed Dog Sterilization
Spay and neuter surgery for larger dogs can be more expensive than for smaller pets. But the size of your pet shouldn’t stop you from being able to care for them properly. To help offset the higher cost, many rescue organizations and low-cost clinics help provide spay and neuter services at discounted or free rates to large dog owners. If this sounds like something your organization offers, apply for a grant today.
Trap-Neuter-Return Programs & Programs for Community Cats
Many neighborhoods in Florida are watched over by community cats. They may not be part of a human family, but neighborhood residents often care for them by providing food and basic care. To keep these cat populations low, many animal shelters, low cost spay neuter clinics, and rescue organizations offer trap-neuter-return (TNR) programs. Residents can trap these cats and bring them to the shelter or clinic for surgery, and then return them to their outdoor home. Most of these programs are offered at discounted rates or no cost to the residents who bring the cat in, since they’re just trying to help. If your shelter or rescue offers this type of service, apply for a grant today.
New Spay Neuter Services Where None Currently Exist
For animal shelters and rescue organizations that would like to offer spay and neuter programs but do not currently, grants are available for assistance. If this is your organization’s goal, apply for a grant today.
Awarding the Grants
Municipal and non-profit organizations within Florida are encouraged to apply, as are groups that have not received this grant funding within the previous year. Organizations around the state are encouraged to submit funding proposals by the deadline of April 1, 2022, by 8 p.m. Once the submission period ends on April 1, the grant review committee looks over each proposal and its required documents, makes comments on the application, and gives it a score based on the following criteria:
- Targeting of important animal populations
- Ability to increase surgery numbers above the existing baseline
- Cost benefit ratio
- Track record of the applicant
- Sustainability of the program
Once this process is complete, the Florida Animal Friend Board of Directors establishes a funding priority list and awards funding (maximum award of $25,000 each) to organizations based on the highest ranked proposal. The committee then proceeds down the list and awards funds until all funds are depleted.
Want to Support the Grant Fund?
Show your support for the Florida Animal Friend license plate grant by purchasing or renewing your Florida Animal Friend license plate today. Not only does it help fund spay and neuter programs across the state, but it allows you to show your support for Florida’s pets. It’s also the cutest license plate in Florida. What’s not to love?