Community Care Grant is a grant from the Banfield Foundation that funds veterinary care programs serving vulnerable or low-income pet owners who cannot afford care. Awards range from $5,000 to $15,000 and may cover direct costs of medications, drugs, vaccines, and medical supplies. The foundation prioritizes programs offering free or low-cost preventive and wellness care, as well as basic care for minor injuries and illnesses.

In-kind donations of medications or vaccines may supplement grants. Applications are accepted quarterly in January, April, July, and October, with awards announced the following month. The next deadline is April 1, 2026.

Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) nonprofits and state or local government agencies with veterinary professionals on staff or under contract.

Thanks for your interest in our Community Care Grant. Applications are accepted through this link on a quarterly basis in January, April, July, and October, and awards are announced the following month. Organizations must have their own veterinarian and veterinary professionals on staff, or must contract with or work with volunteer professionals.

Our funds may be used for the direct cost of medications, drugs, vaccines, and medical supplies. The intent of your program must be to help vulnerable or low-income pet owners who may not otherwise be able to access or afford veterinary care for their pets , but you do not necessarily need to screen for income eligibility.

With many owned pets in need of care, our hope is to help as many as possible, and at no or as little cost as possible to the owners. While we may consider funding programs that deliver all types of veterinary care for owned pets, we prioritize free or nearly free preventive and wellness care, as well as basic care to address minor injuries and illnesses (such as ear or eye infections).

If appropriate and cost-effective, we may consider providing you an in-kind donation of medications or vaccines in conjunction with a grant award. With many pets in need, we may not be able to approve funding for microchips, expensive orthopedic, specialty, or emergency care.

This grant is unable to support care for adoptable pets, feral animals, livestock or wildlife, and cannot fund voucher programs, care at for-profit practices, or for our funds to subsidize care at a certain amount per pet. No funds may be used for wages, staff time, overhead, equipment, marketing, pet food, or routine spay/neuter. The intent of your program must not be to generate revenue for your organization.

Organizations can only be approved for funding once per 12 month grant cycle, and for a total of two consecutive years. If you have been approved for a grant within the past 12 months, we are unable to consider you for additional funding at this time. If you have been funded by the Banfield Foundation for the last two years, you will not be considered for a third year of funding.

After a gap year, you will, however, be able to apply for funding again. Funding through our Disaster Relief Grant is exempt from the gap year requirement.