This spring season, municipal and non-profit agencies in Florida are given the opportunity to apply for a grant from Florida Animal Friend to receive funding for programs that increase dog and cat sterilization. Programs that provide spaying and neutering services to pets in low-income families, pit bulls, community cats, and TNR colonies play a critical role in preventing overpopulation, pet homelessness and the spread of diseases.
Let’s Get Started
Applying for a grant is easy. All applications are submitted electronically through the secure Florida Animal Friend website. The submission website will close at 8 pm on April 1st, so your application must be submitted before that date and time in order to be considered for funding.
Use the printable worksheet that is downloadable, to organize and edit the responses necessary on the electronic grant application, and “cut and paste” to make the submits easier.
If we had it our way, all organizations would be given grants. However, competition to receive spay and neuter funds has never been higher. Only select groups are able to apply and even fewer will be chosen. Here’s who’s eligible:
- Non-profit organizations that are registered with the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Affairs, with 501(c)(3) status and a pre-determination or decision letter from the IRS, or a government animal control/services agency.
- Groups that have not been awarded grant funds the previous year.
What NOT to Do
Most people look at the April 1st deadline as the ideal submission date. This is not the case! Submitting your application prior to the deadline significantly increases your chance of receiving your grant because you’ll have time to correct any errors you made regarding the submission process. The earlier your application is submitted, the better your chance of its being reviewed prior to the deadline, with notification to you of any issues so that they can be corrected.
There are a few common application mistakes that we often encounter. One is not keeping track of your submission username and password and grant number. If funds are granted to you, this information is required in order to submit the final report. Make sure to write it down. Another mistake people make is not submitting the correct and necessary documents that are listed on the website. The following is a list that will help you provide the proper documents in your submission:
- DOACS is not your sales tax exemption, and must be current, not expired, and not “applied for”.
- Current budget should have both income and expense projections.
- Previous year’s final statements do not have to be the audited ones. A spreadsheet or QuickBooks report is fine.
- The organization name on the IRS status letter must match the organization applying for a grant.
- For the most recent tax filing, if not for the recently-completed fiscal year, then submit proof of filing for an extension. We do not need every page of the tax papers — just the first page with the dates and the signature page will do fine.
The FL Animal Friend grants cover costs directly associated with the spay/neuter process: veterinary costs, pain meds, etc. But the grant cannot be used for microchipping, rabies vaccinations, transportation, etc., so be sure not to include those items in your grant request.
Success Stories
Florida Animal Friend grants have made a positive difference in the lives of countless cats and dogs. Organizations like Animal Coalition of Tampa and the Tallahassee Animal Shelter Foundation have used funds to spay and neuter more homeless cats than ever. They also were able to provide vaccines and other important medical treatments that they otherwise would not have had access to.
Apply Today
Making the world a more compassionate place for animals starts with you. Apply for a Florida Animal Friend grant today and give your organization the funding it needs to help end pet overpopulation.
Visit our grant application page for more information on the process and requirements for a grant.