Spay & Neuter Grants Program Opens Grant Cycle Jan. 6 

Applicants Must Apply by March 31 at 5 p.m. 

ANNAPOLIS, MD (December 15, 2022) – The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) Spay and Neuter Grants Program seeks applications for competitive grant projects that will help reduce intake and euthanasia numbers in Maryland animal shelters. Applications may be for pet-focused projects, feral cat-focused projects, or capital expense/equipment requests.

“This program helps low-income families get their beloved pets spayed or neutered, and also provides funding to fix feral cats,” said Secretary Joe Bartenfelder, “A society that cares for its animals is a society where we all want to be.”

MDA  will award approximately $800,000 in funds to eligible projects that efficiently and effectively facilitate, promote, and increase spay and neuter services for cats and dogs in Maryland. The minimum grant amount to be considered will be $5,000, and there is no maximum. 

Updated application forms, instructions, and other materials will be available on the Spay and Neuter Program webpage on January 6, 2023 at 12 p.m. Applications and all required materials for this round of funding must be submitted between January 6, 2023 at 12 p.m. and March 31, 2023, at 5 p.m. 

Eligible organizations include municipal or county governments, and 501(c)3 nonprofit animal welfare organizations. Applicants must be in good standing with the IRS, State of Maryland, and local Animal Control Authority. See the program’s webpage for more information on eligibility and the application process. 

This program is funded through fees paid by the pet food industry for each product they register to sell within the state. As of June 30, 2022, the program has funded grant projects that collectively have completed 95,442 spay/neuter procedures.

The Spay and Neuter Grants Program was established by the Maryland General Assembly in  2013. A seven-member advisory board, appointed by the Maryland Secretary of Agriculture, reviews all grant applications and provides recommendations to the Secretary on how grants should be administered.

More information about the Spay and Neuter Grants Program is available on the department’s website. For questions about the program, please contact Program Coordinator Jen Swanson, at (410) 841-5766 or jen.swanson@maryland.gov. 

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