DAFM Announcement
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, today (1 May) announced that the Animal Welfare Grants Programme is now open for applications.
An annual grant funding programme, the AWGP provides funding opportunities for registered animal welfare charities operating in Ireland. The grant funding forms part of what the Government considers its commitment to prioritizing animal welfare, as established in the coalition’s Programme for Government. Speaking about the opening of the programme, Minister McConalogue stated:
The annual Animal Welfare Grants Programme is a strong signal of my commitment to animal welfare and recognises the dedication of so many staff and volunteers engaged in safeguarding animals across Ireland.
Record funding?
Last year the programme was funded to the record sum of €6 million, with 101 animal welfare charities receiving a share of the available funding. Charities awarded the funding were engaged in the care, rescuing and rehoming of animals.
According to Minister McConalogue, the awards align with government policy and the goals established by DAFM’s Animal Welfare Strategy 2021-2025, Working Together for Animal Welfare. The Minister went on to point out that responsibility for the health and wellbeing of animals rests firmly with their owners, but also stressed that charities play a crucial role in raising public awareness of issues relating to animal welfare.
Who is eligible to apply?
There are a number of eligibility criteria pertaining to applications for the Animal Welfare Grants Programme. Most notably, “organisations applying for funding must be engaged in the rescue, rehoming or rehabilitation of animals, provision of veterinary services to animals in Ireland and provision of education on animal welfare.”
Furthermore, organisations are required to provide evidence of registration as a charity with the Charities Regulator in the Republic of Ireland for a minimum of 2 years prior to 31st May 2024. Applicants must be compliant with the Charity Regulator Authority reporting guidelines.
For information on the full list of eligibility criteria, potential applicants should refer to the relevant page on the Government website.
How to apply
If you believe that your organization meets all of the eligibility criteria for the AWGP, you should complete and submit an application form, alongside supporting documentation, to welfaregrants@agriculture.gov.
