Grant Guidelines

Business Plan Grant Application Instructions

I. Eligibility
II. How to Apply
III. The Review Process
IV. Funded Project Requirements
V. Grant Distribution

I. ELIGIBILITY

Coalitions of animal groups operating in any county, region or state in the United States with a human population of 100,000 or greater are eligible to apply for these grants.

Any animal group can apply on behalf of its coalition. Applicants for Maddie's Fund® Starter Grants can be animal control agencies, traditional shelters, or adoption guarantee organizations.

Maddie's Fund Starter Grants must be applied for in order, starting with the Community Shelter Data Grant. Coalitions that receive a Community Shelter Data Grant are eligible to apply for a Pet Evaluation Matrix Grant.  Coalitions that receive a Pet Evaluation Matrix Grant are eligible to apply for a Business Plan for Saving Lives Grant. Coalitions that receive a Business Plan Grant are eligible to apply for a Strategic Plan for Building a No-Kill Community Grant.

Shelter statistics need to be collected from all groups participating in the coalition. At a minimum, the coalition must include all animal control agencies and all traditional shelters located in the target community. The coalition also needs to provide an opportunity for adoption guarantee organizations located in the target community to participate. Each participating group in the coalition must agree to publish their shelter statistics on their website and in at least one major publication (annual report, newsletter, etc.).

Animal groups that are located in Maddie's Fund-supported project areas are not eligible to apply for this grant.

II. HOW TO APPLY

Coalitions may apply for a starter grant for developing a one-year business plan that will increase adoptions and reduce shelter deaths in their communities and has a strong likelihood of achieving no-kill status (a community-wide adoption guarantee for healthy and treatable shelter dogs and cats) within five years.

Prerequisite: Coalitions that have received a Pet Evaluation Matrix Grant are eligible to apply for a Business Plan for Saving Lives Grant. If you are interested in applying for this grant, please contact Maddie's Fund at grants@maddiesfund.org or 510.337.8989.

To apply for a Business Plan for Saving Lives Grant, coalitions must submit a one-year business plan which includes at a minimum:

  1. A list of participating groups;
  2. A brief description of each group's operations (not to exceed one page per group);
  3. Specific strategies for increasing adoptions and reducing shelter deaths community-wide;
  4. Quantifiable goals;
  5. A description of how progress towards achieving these goals will be evaluated and monitored;
  6. A budget and budget narrative;
  7. An explanation of how the implementation of the business plan will be funded;
  8. An explanation of how the business plan will lead to zero euthanasia of healthy and treatable shelter dogs and cats community-wide by the start of year five; and
  9. Monthly and annual shelter statistics for each participating group.

In addition, coalitions involving more than one participating group must also agree to release dogs and cats from animal control agencies and traditional shelters into the care of responsible adoption guarantee organizations when all available adoption avenues have been exhausted, and provide this agreement in writing as part of their application.

III. THE REVIEW PROCESS

Business Plan Grant applications can be submitted year round. There is no deadline for submission. Applications should be sent to Maddie's Fund via e-mail (grants@maddiesfund.org) or mail (Maddie's Fund, 2223 Santa Clara Avenue, Suite B, Alameda, CA 94501).

Qualified applications will be submitted to the Maddie's Fund Board of Directors for their review and approval. All funding decisions are at the discretion of the Maddie's Fund Board of Directors. Funding decisions will be communicated to the coalitions by the Maddie's Fund staff.

IV. FUNDED PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

If your application is approved for funding, Maddie's Fund will prepare a grant contract for review and signature by the animal group that applied for the grant on behalf of your coalition. The contract includes a confirmation letter outlining the terms and conditions of the grant, an indemnity agreement, and a Maddie Recognition Plan.

Grantees will be expected to:

  • honor the Maddie's Fund core values of honesty, integrity, and mutual respect;
  • agree to maintain cordial, professional relations with colleagues and the public;
  • carry on public debate and discussion without personal attacks or recriminations;
  • submit to Maddie's Fund annual shelter statistics from each group participating in their coalition and community-wide for three years after the grant is awarded; and
  • follow a special recognition plan, commensurate with the level of funding received, honoring Maddie, the Miniature Schnauzer, whose lifetime of unconditional love and devotion inspired the creation of Maddie's Fund.

V. GRANT DISTRIBUTION

Grant Size: $10,000 - $40,000

Each participating group, regardless of its operational model or approach, is eligible to receive a portion of the starter grant funding.

The Business Plan for Saving Lives starter grant will be awarded in one installment. Half of the grant funds will be given to the animal group responsible for preparing the business plan. Each participating group will receive a portion of the remaining grant funds following the same distribution plan for Community Shelter Data Grants, using the most recent annual shelter statistics supplied by the coalition.