ASPCA Research Grants

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) offers a competitive research grant program designed to fund high-quality studies that directly or indirectly improve animal welfare. The organization is a longstanding nonprofit dedicated to preventing cruelty to animals across the United States, and its research funding initiatives aim to generate evidence-based knowledge that informs policy, practice, and systems-level change. The 2026 ASPCA Research Grants program supports projects that can demonstrate measurable benefits to animals, including studies that extend prior research or apply interdisciplinary approaches to animal welfare challenges. The program solicits proposals across six defined research areas: Access to Veterinary Care, Applied Behavior, Cruelty, Farm Animal Welfare, Psychological Trauma, and Shelter Research. Each category targets a specific dimension of animal welfare, ranging from improving access to affordable veterinary services to advancing methods for identifying psychological trauma in animals. Projects are expected to produce actionable insights, tools, or validated methodologies that can be broadly applied across the animal welfare field. The ASPCA emphasizes research that contributes to generalizable knowledge and practical outcomes that can influence stakeholders such as shelters, veterinarians, policymakers, and communities. Funding is distributed across the six categories with varying maximum award limits, and applicants may request any amount up to the category-specific ceiling. The total funding pool for the program is 750000 dollars. Allowable expenses include research-related costs such as personnel, materials, and dissemination activities, including open-access publication fees when justified. However, projects primarily focused on service delivery or infrastructure development are not eligible. Instead, proposals must demonstrate methodological rigor and a clear intent to generate scientific knowledge rather than simply implement programs. Eligibility is restricted to organizations and research teams affiliated with United States-based public or private entities, including universities, government agencies, veterinary clinics, and animal welfare organizations. Canadian public universities and qualified public bodies may also apply if they can demonstrate relevance to animal welfare outcomes in the United States. Individual applicants are not eligible. Nonprofit organizations must meet specific governance and compliance standards, including maintaining active charitable registration, having an independent board structure, and being in good standing with state authorities. The application process requires submission through an online form that must be completed in a single session, as the system does not allow saving progress. Applicants must prepare detailed materials in advance, including a project description, research questions, methodology, timeline, budget, and supporting documentation such as resumes and organizational details. Proposals are evaluated based on criteria including relevance, study design, potential impact, generalizability, team qualifications, and budget justification. Ethical considerations and compliance with oversight bodies such as IRB or IACUC must also be addressed where applicable. The application window for the 2026 cycle opens on April 10, 2026, and closes on July 10, 2026. Finalists are expected to be notified in September, with funding decisions anticipated by the end of that month. Projects typically have a duration of approximately 15 months, with some categories allowing up to 18 months and a maximum of 24 months overall. The program is offered annually, and applicants are encouraged to engage with ASPCA staff through open house sessions or direct inquiries to refine their proposals and ensure alignment with program priorities.

Ensure strong methodological rigor, clear research questions, and a dissemination plan targeting applied audiences; align closely with one of six research categories; demonstrate generalizable impact