Franklin's Friends Animal Welfare Grant

Franklin's Friends awards grants to deserving local 501(c)(3) nonprofits and government agencies in Central Florida to support animal welfare initiatives.

Geographic Scope: Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Volusia, Lake, Polk, Brevard, or Hillsborough Counties, Florida

Focus Areas: Grants support four mission pillars:

• Shelter/Rescue
• Spay/Neuter (including Trap, Neuter, Release - TNR)
• Community Education
• Pet Retention (pet food banks, vaccines, preventive veterinary care, behavioral rehabilitation)

Eligibility Requirements

• Must be a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit or government agency
• Based in eligible counties (Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Volusia, Lake, Polk, Brevard, or Hillsborough)
• Must have at least one year of historical financial documents
• Must provide care for dogs and/or cats only
• Cannot be an individual - organizations only
• May apply once per calendar year/every twelve months
• First-time recipients typically receive partial funding; remainder awarded contingent on appropriate use and reporting

What Franklin's Friends Will NOT Fund

• Applications from individuals
• Organizations that make donations to other organizations
• Purchase of tangible capital assets
• Property or building improvements
• Organizations not treating heartworm positive dogs with immiticide injections (unless applying for funds to implement this)
• Organizations not administering leptospirosis vaccines to dogs (unless applying for funds to implement this)

Grant Requirements & Obligations

• All funds are restricted to the purpose specified in the grant application
• Grant recipients must:
  • Furnish invoices monthly demonstrating fund use
  • Post the grant on social media
  • Display signage recognizing Franklin's Friends (signage provided by funder)
  • May be asked to meet with Board prior to approval
• No grant writing experience required

Background

Franklin's Friends grants funds with rigorous review for veterinary and financial responsibility. The organization has awarded grants to numerous Central Florida organizations including Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando, Poodle and Pooch Rescue of Florida, Daytona Beach German Shepherd Rescue, Husky Haven, Polk No Kill Coalition, and many others.

How to Apply for an Animal Welfare Grant

1. Review Eligibility: Ensure your organization meets all criteria on the Application Guidelines page
2. Prepare Required Materials (see below)
3. Submit Application: Click "Apply Now" button on the website
4. Board Review: Your leadership may be asked to meet with the Board before approval voting
5. Contingent Funding (First-time recipients): Partial funding awarded initially; remainder contingent on appropriate use and reporting

Required Application Materials

Financial Documents:

• IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter
• Annual budgets for current fiscal year, last fiscal year, and next fiscal year
• Profit/Loss statement from last fiscal year and current fiscal year to date
• Balance statement with assets and liabilities from end of last fiscal year and today
• Itemized payroll with each position and annual salary or hourly rate per week (if applicable)
• Most recent IRS Form 990, 990 E-Z, or 990N
• Explanation of any substantial deviations from budget or past financial performance

Organizational Information:

• 1-2 page executive summary including:
  • Organization's history, mission, and goals
  • Current programs
  • How organization would utilize grant funds
  • Timeline for spending the funds
  • Quantifiable estimate of how funds will further mission (e.g., "enable us to rescue 15 more dogs than last year")
• Organizational chart with Board, staff, and volunteer involvement
• List of Board of Directors and their business affiliations

Program-Specific Documents:

• Foster application (if applicable)
• Adoption application (if applicable)
• Veterinary protocols for shelter/foster animals (if applicable)
• Recommendation from your veterinarian

Submission Details

• Submit online through "Apply Now" portal on franklinsfriends.info
• Applications accepted year-round
• One application per organization per calendar year