The Voiceless Grants Program supports impactful initiatives aligned with our vision of creating a just, equitable world where animals can flourish. We invest in people and projects to foster pro-animal values and create lasting systemic change by disrupting the status quo and reforming our social, political, legal and institutional systems. If you are a changemaker dedicated to protecting animals, we would love to hear from you. Please be sure to read our eligibility criteria, our application process, and how to apply before you start an application.

Eighty billion land animals and up to three trillion fishes are consumed globally each year and experience routine confinement, transport and slaughter. These sentient animals experience lives of abject suffering and deprivation through legalised and institutionalised cruelty. Millions more land animals are exploited for their fur and skins, or used for sports, trophies and other human entertainment with little concern as to their experiences. Voiceless acknowledges that fresh, new animal advocacy strategies are required to achieve meaningful change.

The Voiceless Grants Program is open but not limited to animal advocacy organisations, animal lawyers and law educators, humane educators, animal studies academics and creatives, environmental and wildlife scientists, First Nations groups, and diverse community and religious groups.   Please ensure you read our eligibility and selection criteria before applying. We have outlined the categories we plan to invest in and those we will not. Geographical location and organisational status guidelines are also available to read here.

Read our application process and guidance on applying on our website. After submitting an expression of interest, if your project is of interest to Voiceless, we will be in touch to request a full application. Please ensure that you have read and meet our VGP eligibility and selection criteria before completing your expression of interest.

The selection criteria for applications are based on addressing and meeting the following four areas of merits: organisational fit and relevance, categorical and geographical fit and relevance, funding, and timeline fit. For more information on our criteria and areas of merit, visit our criteria page.

ANNUAL GRANTS APPLICATION TIMELINE

(Based on the Australian fiscal year, 1st July – 30th June)

• July – December: Submit your expression of interest (EOI) online
• 1 February – 1 May: Successful EOIs are invited to complete a full grant application
• 1 May – 1 July: Successful applicants are invited for Zoom calls with the Voiceless team. Advisory team review commences. Final decisions on funding are made
• July: Grant funding distributed.

GRANTEE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND TIMELINE

• July: Grant funding distributed
• December/January: Interim 6-month project progress reports are due
• July/August: Final 12-month project reports due.

PLEASE NOTE:

• Funding is highly competitive and limited each year
• Unfortunately, we cannot respond to every EOI submission made, nor are we in the position to provide specific feedback on unsuccessful submissions
• We do not accept direct and unsolicited email grant requests. After carefully reading our eligibility criteria, expressions of interest for our Grants Program must be submitted directly through our website between July and December each year
• Repeat funding is not guaranteed and unlikely
• Applications outside the core funding round may be considered only at Voiceless’ discretion if additional funding becomes available during the year
• The awarding of a Voiceless grant is the final decision of Voiceless, and further correspondence will not be entered into.

The VGP now offers tiered funding streams, each designed to support different kinds of projects – from measurable, transformative initiatives to smaller grassroots efforts and micro-grants for region-specific work. Whether you’re an established organisation or an emerging changemaker, there’s a Voiceless grant designed to help you drive impact for animals. 

Our tiered grant streams and available funding are outlined on HERE. Please note that Voiceless has a limited annual budget for investing in organisations, people, or projects. All grants are single-year and project-based. Repeat funding is unlikely.

Yes! By supporting Voiceless, you will be helping us strategically fund and support some of the most innovative and impactful projects within the animal protection movement. Donate here

With 20+ years of experience and connections, we are perfectly placed to invest in people and projects with fresh, innovative animal advocacy strategies needed to achieve meaningful change for animals. Through your support, you can be a crucial part of creating these meaningful reforms.

Thanks to our unique funding model, 100% of your donations will be directed towards inspiring and visionary grant projects with zero donor funds going to administration costs.

Please contact us using this email address: info@voiceless.org.au