Applications are now open for the Animal Welfare Grants Programme 2026.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, has today (Thursday, April 2) invited applications from registered animal welfare charities in Ireland who wish to apply for funding.

Under the programme, grants are provided by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), to support the operational activities of registered charities.

This includes the delivery of animal care and welfare services, as well as the provision of education to the public on welfare issues. 

Role of charities

Last year, the department provided funding in excess of €6 million to 94 animal welfare charities throughout the country.  

The amounts given to charities ranged from €4,000 to over €2.6 million, with the average payment being €67,735.  

DAFM said this funding "recognises the importance of the role such charities play in caring for vulnerable animals, in education and awareness-raising to improve animal welfare, which is particularly relevant, for example, in encouraging responsible pet ownership".

Animal welfare funding

In launching the call for applications, Minister Heydon said: “Animal welfare is a priority for me and this government, and these grants are a recognition of my department’s commitment to animal welfare.

"I am delighted to announce the opening of the grant application process for this year’s programme."

The application process will follow a two-stage process: 

Form A, which sees applicants invited to submit an initial application setting out how they meet the eligibility criteria for the grants;
Applicants that are deemed eligible in this initial stage will be invited to submit form B, which gathers information from applicants on the nature of their animal welfare activities and what they intend to do with the grant, should their application be successful.

The minister concluded by acknowledging the "hard work" of these organisations.

“Ireland continues to have a strong, active voluntary sector dedicated to animal welfare," he said.

"Once again I would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge the commitment and dedication displayed by these charities, as well as their tireless work in protecting and caring for surrendered, abandoned and at-risk animals.”