National Organizations Supporting Animal Shelters and Rescues

Running an animal shelter or rescue organization takes dedication, resources, and a strong support network. Whether you're seeking funding, supplies, training, or advocacy resources, numerous national organizations are ready to help. This comprehensive guide connects you with over 40 programs designed to support animal welfare professionals across the United States.

Financial Support and Grant Programs

Maddie's Fund: Leading the No-Kill Movement

One of the largest animal welfare grant makers in the nation, Maddie's Fund is a family foundation dedicated to building and sustaining a no-kill nation through pet lifesaving initiatives, shelter management support, leadership development, shelter medicine education, and foster care programs. Their extensive Resource Section covers everything from behavior and training to humane law enforcement.

What makes Maddie's Fund unique is their commitment to ongoing engagement. They host weekly Zoom calls for animal welfare advocates, and each month they award up to $5,000 in grants to participants. Additionally, contributors to the Animal Welfare Professionals Forum have the opportunity to win $3,000 grants for their shelters.

MuttNation Foundation: State-by-State Grant Awards

Miranda Lambert's MuttNation Foundation partners with Tractor Supply Company to provide $250,000 in grants annually through the Mutts Across America program. Each year, one shelter in every U.S. state receives a $5,000 grant. Since the program launched, more than 500 shelters have been awarded over $2 million in total grants.

Beyond funding, MuttNation runs the Love Harder program, which features stories of harder-to-adopt pets including special needs dogs, large black dogs, senior dogs, and pit mixes. Their It Takes Balls campaign raises awareness about spaying and neutering, offering grants to qualifying low-cost programs in East Texas, North Texas, and the Texas Panhandle, with plans to expand across Texas in 2025.

Bissell Pet Foundation: Comprehensive Support Network

The Bissell Pet Foundation (BPF) is a national animal welfare organization dedicated to ending pet homelessness. Beyond grants, BPF partners with over 6,000 animal welfare organizations in all 50 states to reduce shelter populations through pet adoption programs, transport assistance, and funding for low-cost spay/neuter services, vaccinations, and microchipping.

Their Fix the Future initiative deploys relief veterinarians to run low-cost spay/neuter clinics in areas of greatest need. Enrolled pets also receive microchipping and preventative vaccines. The foundation has utilized a Mobile Animal Surgical Hospital in Helena-West Helena, AR, which can be replicated in other locations.

In 2021, BPF launched the Healing Heartworm program to save pets infected with heartworm and prevent future infections. The program provides funding for treating heartworm-positive dogs at destination shelters, awards grants to shelters committed to transporting and treating heartworm-positive dogs, and distributes thousands of doses of heartworm preventative medicine.

Shelters must join the Partners for Pets program before applying for grants or financial aid.

Pedigree Foundation: Best Practices and Funding

In addition to grants, the Pedigree Foundation partners with innovative organizations doing groundbreaking work in dog adoptions. They produce a series of free Best Practices webinars as resources for shelters and rescues nationwide, helping organizations learn from industry leaders.

Animal Grantmakers: Funding Database Access

Animal Grantmakers is a funder affinity group focused on animal protection, comprised of foundations, public charities, corporate giving programs, and individuals working throughout the U.S. and globally. Their site includes an animal funding database and valuable resources for grant seekers looking to connect with potential funders.

Brady Hunter Foundation: Multi-Faceted Support

The Brady Hunter Foundation supports animal advocacy causes through financial grants, sponsorship of shelter-hosted events, and sponsorship of public awareness campaigns that raise community awareness about animal adoption and responsible pet guardianship. Shelters interested in partnering can complete an online form.

Training and Professional Development

ASPCApro: Resources for Animal Welfare Professionals

ASPCApro provides training, tools, tips, research, and resources on shelter practices specifically for animal welfare professionals. Their Free Shelter Medicine Consultations exemplify the comprehensive support they offer to help shelters improve operations and animal care.

Dogs Playing for Life (Animal Farm Foundation)

The Animal Farm Foundation's Dogs Playing for Life program offers fee-based training and technical assistance through Shelter Enrichment Seminars and Mentorships for shelter personnel and volunteers. These programs advance skills in handling and training. The website features a downloadable program brochure and a free 120-page training manual.

Safer at Home with Your Pet Education Series

Animal Harbor Shelter in Tennessee offers a free online Safer at Home with Your Pet Education Series. The series includes critical information such as reading dog body language, which helps volunteers strengthen bonds with shelter dogs and assists adopters in helping rescued dogs settle into their new homes.

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)

HSUS runs extensive programs designed to ease the burden on local sheltering groups, including the Animal Care Expo, Animal Sheltering magazine, the Pets for Life project to keep pets with families, and the Shelter Pet Project to encourage adoptions. Humane Pro is HSUS's resource website for shelters and community leaders, offering tools, resources, training opportunities, and events covering laws and public policies, resources by species, shelter operations, and community outreach.

Supplies and Equipment Programs

Kuranda ShelterBeds Program

Through the Kuranda ShelterBeds program, shelters can set up a custom page that allows supporters to purchase and donate beds at reduced costs, which are then shipped directly to the shelter. When enrolling, shelters create wish lists of Kuranda items they need. There's no fee to join, and donors receive discounted prices plus free shipping to shelters in the lower 48 states.

Hooman Dog Bed Donations

Through the Hooman giving program, the company donates dog beds to charities across the U.S. When customers purchase a bed, they choose a charity from the partner list to receive a donated bed. The donated beds feature the same multi-layer support and luxury memory foam as regular products, but with 100 percent waterproof, machine-washable outer covers suitable for shelter use. Shelters can register online to join the featured charities list.

Max & Neo Product Distribution

Max & Neo distributes boxes three times a year to 501(c)(3) rescues and shelters. Boxes contain Max & Neo products including collars, leashes, and supplements. Organizations can specify which items they need, such as martingale collars, large collars, or short leashes. Application is simple and available online.

Greater Good Charities: Rescue Bank

The GOODS program of Greater Good Charities distributes food, essential supplies, clothing, housewares, and toys to pets and people nationwide. Distribution is handled by partner ambassadors, including animal welfare organizations and food banks. Anyone needing help can search online for a local GOODS program ambassador.

Shelters United: Cooperative Buying Program

Shelters United is a cooperative buying program providing group discounts for members. Any animal welfare organization can join free of charge with no minimum purchase required and no requirement to purchase specific brands. Benefits include discounted product pricing, access to pet manufacturer discounts and special offers, and alerts to savings opportunities.

Amazon Wish List for Shelters

Amazon's gift registry allows shelters and rescues to create wish lists where supporters can purchase needed donations directly. To set up a list, visit Amazon.com, hover over Accounts and Lists, click on lists, and scroll down to Create a list. Lists allow you to specify quantity needed and priority level for each item. Maddie's Fund offers guidance on setting up effective Amazon wishlists.

Tips for success include sharing your list widely on Facebook, your website, and in communications with supporters. Review and update your list regularly, removing fulfilled items and updating quantities. Make consistently needed items like dog food high priority and update numbers regularly.

Adoption and Matching Programs

Clear the Shelters: Nationwide Adoption Campaign

NBCUniversal Local's Clear the Shelters campaign takes place throughout August each year. Since launching in 2015, this nationwide pet adoption and donation initiative has resulted in over 1 million animal adoptions. Check the campaign website in June or July for 2025 registration details.

Empty the Shelters: Reduced Adoption Fees

Hundreds of shelters and rescue groups participate in the BISSELL Pet Foundation's Empty the Shelters initiative. Through this program, adopters pay no more than $50 to adopt a pet. Bissell Shelter Partners are also eligible to apply for grants, receive emergency financial support, and access funding through the Grateful Pets award program. Shelters must join the Partners for Pets program to participate.

How I Met My Dog: Custom Matching Platform

The How I Met My Dog website custom matches people with their canine soulmates and assists with dog rehoming, partnering with dozens of shelters and rescue groups in 40 states. To become a shelter partner, click on Shelter/Rescue on the homepage.

Best Friends Animal Society: Network Partnership

Founded in 1984, Best Friends is a national leader in the no-kill movement and all aspects of animal care and rescue. The Best Friends Network spans public and private shelters, rescue groups, spay/neuter organizations, and animal welfare groups in all 50 states.

Network partners benefit from professional resources and tools, a network of regional advisors, mentorships, support through the Network Partner Facebook page, and fundraising events like the nationwide Strut Your Mutt, which raises millions for network partners annually. To become a partner, read the FAQs, learn about data reporting requirements, and fill out an application at network.bestfriends.org.

Transport and Travel Programs

Pilots N Paws: Volunteer Flight Coordination

Pilots N Paws links volunteers engaged in rescuing, sheltering, and adopting animals with volunteer pilots and plane owners to arrange animal transportation, including rescue flights, overnight foster care or shelter, and related activities. For information and guidelines, visit their website and click on How to Use PNP. Note that many other national, regional, and local volunteer pilot transport programs exist, both formal and informal.

Greater Good Charities: Good Flights

Good Flights, a program of Greater Good Charities, conducts life-saving airlifts and supports ground transport for at-risk and vulnerable pet populations. They focus especially on asymptomatic heartworm-positive shelter dogs, disaster relief, homeless cats, and harder-to-place dogs.

Good Flights is currently committed to transporting heartworm-positive dogs from shelter partners in Louisiana, which has one of the highest heartworm infection rates in the country. Dogs are sent to receiving shelters where they receive treatment and placement into loving homes. Shelters can apply online for financial help and support.

Specialized Support Programs

RedRover: Emergency and Crisis Assistance

RedRover helps animals rescued from disasters or neglect, domestic violence victims seeking safety with their pets, and animals with life-threatening illnesses. They provide financial assistance to low-income families, emergency sheltering in natural disasters, support for puppy mill and hoarding situations, and education programs.

Safe Havens for Pets of Domestic Violence Victims

The Animal Welfare Institute maintains a database of Safe Havens for Pets located throughout the country. Safe havens provide sheltering services that help individuals experiencing domestic violence place their companion animals out of harm's way while seeking safety for themselves.

Safe havens operate differently by community. Some rely on foster care networks, others use additional kennel space at local humane societies or veterinary clinics, and some domestic violence shelters house victims and pets together. Visit the WWLDO Grants page for more information on financial assistance for pets of domestic violence victims.

Rescue Rebuild: Shelter Renovation Program

Rescue Rebuild, a program of Greater Good, is a shelter renovation program that recruits volunteers to help shelters in need. They provide expertise and leadership to help shelters renovate or expand existing spaces for better usability through projects like outdoor play areas, adoption areas, or updated kennel spaces. For a list of supported projects, click on Apply for a Renovation on their website. Note that they do not assist with new buildings.

Scenthound Clean Start Program

The Scenthound grooming franchise launched the Clean Start program to help shelter dogs find forever homes. Scenthound partners with local rescues and shelters to give shelter dogs the grooming care they need to stay clean and healthy while waiting for new homes. Shelters or rescues can use the online locator tool to find the closest Scenthound grooming store and participate in this free program.

Health and Wellness Resources

Heartworm Disease Educational Brochures

The American Heartworm Society and the Association of Shelter Veterinarians produced a series of educational brochures on heartworm for distribution to people adopting shelter animals. The free brochures can be downloaded online and help pet owners understand heartworm disease, how it's transmitted, how it's treated, and how to protect dogs and cats from contracting the disease.

Trupanion Shelter and Rescue Support Program

The Trupanion Pet Insurance Company helps homeless animals through its Shelter and Rescue Support Program. Benefits for shelter partners include 30 days of immediate Trupanion coverage starting on adoption day, access to free DVM-approved pet parent education to help adopters care for their new family members, and access to social posts and seasonal infographics for shelters' social media pages. Shelters can apply online to become part of the program.

Technology and Tracking Solutions

AKC Reunite: Free Scanner Program

The American Kennel Club (AKC) Reunite initiative offers a universal scanner donation program. Animal shelters, animal rescues, and other animal welfare organizations can apply online for a free scanner to help reunite lost pets with their families.

Tractive Shelter Project

Tractive, a company that designs GPS tracking collars for dogs, created the Tractive Shelter Project to provide animal welfare organizations with more opportunities to keep foster and rescue pets safe in their new homes. Approved shelters can choose from several offerings including requesting trackers or subscriptions for giveaways, auctions, and events, or free tracker vouchers for adopting pet parents. Shelters may also apply for reduced subscription fees.

Wags for Tags: Free Pet ID Tags

Wags for Tags is a nonprofit started and run by high school students that provides free temporary pet ID tags for dogs and cats awaiting adoption at shelters and rescues. The tags include the pet's name and the shelter's name and contact information. More than 10,000 tags have been donated since April 2023. For more information, email kennyyip@wagsfortags.org or reach out via the online form.

Product Donations and Fundraising

BarkBox Donations for Fundraising

The BarkBox Rescue and Affiliate Program is closed to new applicants. However, nonprofits can apply online for fundraising raffle or auction product donations to support their fundraising efforts.

Education Programs

The National Humane Education Society (NHES)

The National Humane Education Society offers free humane education programs for schools, churches, clubs, libraries, and other venues serving children. The society provides educational materials and lesson plans to help teach the next generation about compassionate animal care.

Taking the Next Steps

This comprehensive list of national support organizations represents just a fraction of the resources available to animal shelters and rescue groups across the United States. Whether you need funding, supplies, training, or advocacy support, multiple pathways exist to help your organization thrive and save more lives.

Start by identifying your organization's most pressing needs. Are you looking for operational funding? Consider applying to Maddie's Fund or MuttNation Foundation. Need supplies? Explore programs like Kuranda ShelterBeds, Max & Neo, or Amazon Wish Lists. Seeking professional development? Check out ASPCApro or Dogs Playing for Life.

Many of these programs require joining a network or partnership program first, but membership is typically free and opens doors to multiple support opportunities. Take time to review eligibility requirements, application processes, and program benefits to find the best fit for your organization.

By leveraging these national resources, your shelter or rescue can enhance operations, improve animal care, increase adoptions, and ultimately save more lives. The animal welfare community is stronger together, and these organizations prove that collaboration and support can create lasting change for animals in need.