Michigan Pet Alliance Launches 2021 Grants and Awards Program

Free funding is tough to come by these days, but Michigan Pet Alliance (MPA) is making four opportunities available to all Michigan nonprofit rescues and licensed shelters. However, this is the last year that MPA grants will be open to everyone. Beginning next year, grant awards will be available only to MPA members. If your shelter or rescue is not yet an MPA member, you can join today via our website.

The theme for the 2021 grants and awards program is Lessons Learned From COVID-19. Two awards of $1,500 each are available to Michigan animal shelters and rescue organizations that demonstrate positive changes made to operations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

MPA invites licensed shelters and nonprofit rescue organizations to apply for a grant by providing detailed information on how something good, and most likely unexpected, resulted from a challenging and tragic global pandemic. Positive operational changes can be from any area, from intake to adoptions, from cleaning protocols to customer service. In addition to the $1,500 cash award, each winner will receive a one-year membership to MPA, a plaque and public recognition in the animal welfare community.

Both grant awards are made possible thanks to the generosity of the Humane Society of Macomb Foundation.

MPA is also awarding two additional training and improvement grants. The first is a free shelter assessment, a value of $3,000. A shelter assessment includes a site visit, interviews with key staff and a review of operational materials. A blueprint report of recommended changes and improvements will be provided to the shelter. Shelter management reviews the report, then an online conference call is scheduled to review the blueprint report and answer questions. The report also includes lists of resources and sample documents, and the report and timeline can be used to gage accomplishments toward improvements.

The second is a training grant valued at $1,000. This grant includes onsite staff and volunteer training, as well as various training modules that can be tailored to a shelter’s specific needs.

There is no cost to apply for any of the grant awards. Applications with attachments must be submitted by midnight ET on Monday, August 30, 2021, at this link https://form.jotform.com/212124189745053.

Winners will be notified by September 30, 2021.

Eligibility for Grants and Awards

To be considered for the grant awards, shelters or rescues must meet the following criteria:

• Animal shelters must be licensed with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD)
• Home-based 501(c)(3) rescue organizations must be located in Michigan and registered with the Michigan Attorney General’s Charitable Trust Section

Rules:

1. Electronic applications with attachments must be submitted by midnight ET on Monday, August 30, 2021. Winners will be notified by September 30, 2021.
2. Submissions must be existing projects, programs or SOPs currently in use by the shelter or rescue.
3. Shelters and rescues may submit for consideration a maximum of one project or program for a $1,500 prize, one shelter assessment award request and one training award request.
4. Shelters must be licensed with MDARD and have at least one animal shelter report on file. Rescues must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and registered with the Michigan Attorney General’s Charitable Trust Section.
5. Recipients may be invited to present their award-winning projects, programs and SOPs at a future MPA workshop or conference. Winning submissions may be posted on the MPA website and shared with the animal welfare community. Award winners may be highlighted in the MPA monthly newsletter, on MPA social media channels and in press materials.

If you have questions about the application process or eligibility requirements, please contact us at (313) 731-2244 or email info@michiganpet.org.