Applications Now Open for the 2014 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge

NEW YORK—The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced that applications are now open in the 2014 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge, with $600,000 in prize grants to help shelters save more homeless cats and dogs.

Applications will open beginning today, January 6 at 3 p.m. EST. Applications will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis until Wednesday, January 26 at 11:59 p.m. EST or until each division has 10 confirmed contestants, as well as a wait-list contestant, whichever comes first.

Shelters whose applications are accepted will go on to compete in the 2014 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge, where they will work to save more animals – during the months of June, July and August 2014 – than they did over the same three-month period in 2013. Last year’s competing shelters saved more than 56,000 cats and dogs during the contest, an increase of 12,050 over the same period in 2012.

“For the past four years, the ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge has helped shelters across the country energize their teams, rally their communities and blast through their previous records for saving more lives,” says Bert Troughton, vice president of strategic planning at the ASPCA. “In 2014, for the fifth and final year of the contest, we’re beyond thrilled to work with a new batch of 50 contestants and we cannot wait to see what adoption records they’ll shatter next.” 

The ASPCA and Rachael Ray will award a $100,000 grand prize to the shelter contestant that achieves the greatest increase in lives saved during this three-month period. The contestant that does the best job of engaging its community members in helping to save more animals will win $25,000. Those organizations that do the best in their divisions will be eligible for between $10,000 and $25,000 in additional grants. In total, $600,000 in grant funding will be awarded for increases in animal lives saved, as well as a photo contest and general participation.

All her life, Rachael Ray has been an advocate for animals and a supporter of animal welfare groups. Her love for animals and for her pit bull, Isaboo, inspired her to create a pet food called Nutrish® to raise money for animals in need.  Ray donates her proceeds from the sale of Nutrish® to organizations like the ASPCA so they can implement programs like the $100K Challenge and support shelters and animal organizations around the country.

The ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge is a groundbreaking contest that challenges animal shelters across the country to come up with innovative ways to engage their communities and get more homeless cats and dogs into loving homes. For information about the 2014 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge, please visit www.aspca.org/100K.