ASPCA Awards $11.1 Million in Grants to Animal Welfare Organizations in 1st Nine Months of 2012

NEW YORK—The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced that it has granted $11.1 million dollars to animal welfare organizations across the country through the first three quarters of 2012. A total of 1,103 grants were issued to 781 organizations in all 50 states nationwide in the first nine months of the year, a 61 percent increase in the number of grants over the same period in 2011.

"The ASPCA is honored to be able to support the life-saving work of our grantees," said Michael Barrett, vice president of grants management at the ASPCA. "These organizations constantly inspire and impress us with their hard work and dedication to improving the lives of animals across the country."

Highlights of the $11.1 million dollars granted by the ASPCA include:

• More than 140 grants through the ASPCA Equine Fund totaling over $880,000 for emergency hay and feed support, safety net programs, large-scale cruelty seizure rehabilitation support, capital improvements to improve safety and expand capacity, emergency and disaster funding, and training grants to improve adoption rates. Also included is the 2012 Racing Rescuers Initiative which awarded $290,000 for the re-training and after-care support of retired racehorses;
• More than 100 grants to communities in the ASPCA Partnership program, totaling $1.9 million, to fund transformative and collaborative work that will result in an increase in “live releases” (more animals being adopted, returned to their owners, or transferred to agencies where adoption is guaranteed). Projects include new staff positions, equipment, development support, safety net and return-to-owner programs, vehicles, and adoption events.  An additional $1 million went toward supporting the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC Animals, a coalition of more than 150 animal rescue groups and shelters working with Animal Care & Control of New York City;
• Nearly $1.9 million toward anti-cruelty efforts including cruelty prevention programs, rescues, raids and interventions, disaster and emergency response and preparedness, and farm animal programs; and
• A total of 655 grants, or $4.5 million, toward nonprofit and municipal animal shelter programs, including more than 200 ($1.9 million) for spay/neuter programs, and 252 ($1.6 million) for projects that increase live releases and reduce shelter intake, such as adoption events, foster programs, return-to-owner/tagging programs, anti-surrender/safety net programs, and animal relocation initiatives.

To learn more about the ASPCA’s Grants Program, interested animal welfare professionals can visit www.aspcapro.org/grants.