University of Tennessee, Center for Pet Family Well-Being

University of Tennessee is a strategic grant partner on expanding access to care for pets and families through their Center for Pet Family Well-Being (CPFW). The partnership has grown from foundational research and development of an access to care model, into a broader, field-building effort that supports community-centered veterinary access, new behavior care research and cross-sector collaboration.

Total Grants to Date: $12,675,672 since 2017

Initial grant support resulted in the seminal national research report Access to Veterinary Care: Barriers and Best Practices, Public Policy, a national population study to better understand the barriers to veterinary care experienced by pet owners across the socioeconomic spectrum. The study also sought to understand the knowledge, attitudes, and practices veterinarians have regarding access to veterinary care.
Additional funding for Access to Veterinary Care: Barriers and Insights from Pet Families built on the 2018 national study and offers an updated look at the challenges families face when trying to access veterinary services, highlighting the urgent need for expanded veterinary care access, local support services, and community-focused outreach to keep pets healthy and families together
Funding provided to develop an access to care model, AlignCare, which then became a 501 (c) (3) organization, AlignCare Health, Inc. in 2023 to carry forward research and frameworks into community implementation
Our funding includes long-term strategic support for the CPFW (formerly Program for Pet Health Equity) through 2029
Dr. Michael Blackwell was recognized with the Avanzino Leadership Award for his leadership in strengthening the human-animal bond
The partnership supports broader field-building efforts such as the One Health Forum microsite on Maddie’s^® Pet Forum and the One Health Systems Summit
In 2026, funding was awarded to the CPFW and Every Dog Behavior Training to collaborate on groundbreaking new research into access to behavior care
CPFW is partnering with Open Door Veterinary Collective to develop access to care training modules for animal well-being professionals