Morris Animal Foundation: Grants for Animals and Wildlife

OVERVIEW: The Morris Animal Foundation supports research pertaining to the health of dogs, cats, horses and wildlife.

IP TAKE: The Morris Animal Foundation makes grants to researchers and research teams with the broad goal of “improving the lives of animals around the world.” Most grants support health research, but research on animal behavior and conservation has also received funding. Populations of interest include dogs, cats, horses and wildlife. The foundation also runs a Veterinary Student Scholar program, which supports mentored research programs for veterinary students. This funder accepts applications for all of its grantmaking programs and maintains and RFP calendar, with links to guidelines and due dates, on its website.

PROFILE: Since 1948, the Morris Animal Foundation has funded research that is “focused on improving the lives of animals around the world.” The foundation was formed by Dr. Mark L. Morris Sr., who developed one of the first special diet pet foods, which he sold to Hill’s. Dr. Morris was a leader in developing nutrition programs for treating a variety of conditions in animals and believed that scientific discoveries would lead to a transformation in the way animals were cared for. Today, the foundation supports laboratory and field research, as well as clinical trials in the field of veterinary science. Animal populations of interest include dogs, cats, horses and wildlife.

The Morris Animal Foundation maintains an RFP calendar with funding opportunities and application due dates on its website, with specific funding interests evolving from year to year. Recent areas of interest have included Doberman Pinscher health, non-surgical spay techniques for felines, canine periodontal disease, equine behavior and “animal health in grasslands and sagebrush biomes.” The foundation also runs a Veterinary Student Scholar program, which “provides veterinary students the opportunity to conduct mentored research to advance the health and well-being of dogs, cats, horses and wildlife.” Recent grantees include researchers and teams at universities and institutes including North Carolina State University, Harvard University, the University of Montreal and the University of Minnesota.

The Morris Animal Foundation made about $3.5 million in grants in a recent year, with most grants ranging from Grants range from about $10,000 to $500,000. Grants generally go to researchers who are affiliated with leading research universiteis, veterinary schools and institutes in the U.S., although grantmaking is not strictly limited to the U.S. For additional information about past funding, see the foundation’s past grants page.

This funder accepts applications for all of its grantmaking programs. The application process begins at the foundation’s application page, which lists opportunities, due dates and linked guidelines for grantseekers. General inquiries may be submitted to the foundation via its contact page

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