FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Application declinations: The question asked of the Animal Disaster Funding Collaborative most frequently is why a specific application was declined for funding.  Given that each active funder has its own set of criteria for making grant decisions, there is no single explanation that can be provided.  However, applications are typically declined for one or more of the following reasons: 

  • The applicant organization self-deployed and/or took in animals well beyond its capacity for care

  • The applicant organization requested assistance with repairs/capital improvements to personally owned rather than organizationally owned property

  • The applicant organization is not part of any of the participating funders’ partner networks

  • The applicant organization has overdue reports with one or more of the participating funders

  • Some funders have specific restrictions on the kinds of requests that are eligible for their support (e.g., efforts that benefit only dogs or cats)

  • Resources are limited, and not every request can receive support

Applicant organizations are advised to check the individual participating funders’ grant guidelines throughout the year to see if there might be a fit with one of their other grant programs.  This has the dual benefit of providing a possible avenue for other types of funding for the applicant and building a relationship with compatible funder(s).   

Activation decisions: Another question the Collaborative is frequently asked is why the joint grant application is open for some disasters but not others.  Disasters for which the Collaborative chooses not to activate may involve one or more of the following factors:

  • The disaster has not been declared a state of emergency by the appropriate authorities

  • The number of companion animals impacted is relatively low

  • A state of emergency has been declared and many companion animals impacted, but organizations serving animals in the affected areas are able to secure most or all of the resources they need from their local communities

  • A state of emergency has been declared and many companion animals impacted, but the number of eligible grant applications expected from organizations serving animals in the affected areas as a result of the disaster is relatively low