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Animal Welfare Grants that Celebrate No-Kill: The Rachael Ray No-Kill Excellence Grants

Best Friends’ Network partners that have already reached a 90% Save Rate face new challenges as they strive to sustain their lifesaving numbers. As leaders in the field, no-kill organizations are critical to our collective goal of making the entire country no-kill by 2025.  

The Rachael Ray No-Kill Excellence Grants fund projects that help no-kill organizations maintain their lifesaving while also assisting other organizations in their community reach the 90% threshold. These grants celebrate groups that are leading the movement through innovative partnerships, mentorships, and progressive collaborations within their community.  

We anticipate that funded projects will be related, but not exclusive, to: 

  • Helping hard-to-place animals 
  • Meeting critical staffing and medical needs 
  • Impacting regional growth 
  • Community mentorship programs  
  • Innovative animal shelter operations 

No-Kill Excellence Grants will fund scalable programs that support positive outcomes for animals in other network partner cities and emerging no-kill communities. 

Here are a few examples of previously funded No-Kill Excellence Grants:

  • Free spay/neuter, preventative care, and educational programs for residents
  • Funding to treat medically fragile animals
  • Implementation of educational behavior programs for shelters
  • Owner retention programs that provide food, medical services, pet deposits, and fencing

Your organization can apply for a grant of up to $60,000

Applicants will be asked to verify that their organization reached and sustained a 90% save rate for the past year. If you are unsure if your organization meets this requirement, please refer to the pet lifesaving dashboard. If you still have questions, contact your regional team for guidance. 

Click here to see the full list of grants awarded during last cycle.


Regional Teams 


Click on the name of your region below to schedule time to consult with your regional team before you apply. 

Southeast: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina

South Central: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas

Great Plains: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota

Mountain West: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming

NortheastConnecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont

PacificAlaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington

MidwestIllinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Wisconsin

Mid-AtlanticDistrict of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia

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