AVMF to provide COVID-19 grants to veterinarians

The American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) has partnered with VCA Animal Hospitals to begin providing COVID-19 grants for veterinarians and to renew funding for similar grants to veterinary technicians, veterinary nurses, and assistants. 

VCA Animal Hospitals and the AVMF, AVMA’s charitable arm, are each donating $50,000 to create the new COVID-19 disaster relief grants for veterinarians. This AVMF program will provide $500 grants to meet the immediate needs of AVMA members facing hardship due to COVID-19.

VCA also is donating another $50,000 to provide additional grants to those who applied for but did not receive grants through AVMF’s COVID-19 support program for veterinary technicians, nurses, and assistants.

That program launched in May with funding from Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Zoetis, and the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA), and provided $500 grants to about one-quarter of applicants before the initial funding was depleted. The new donation from VCA Animal Hospitals will allow the AVMF to fund additional recipients whose applications already have been received. 

The AVMF and VCA Animal Hospitals are offering the new funding – totaling $150,000 – as challenge grants, encouraging matching gifts from the veterinary community and the public to amplify their impact. If you can afford to help veterinary colleagues who are experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19, please make a donation at avmf.org/Donate. Use the dropdown menu to apply your gift to "COVID-19 disaster relief support."

AVMA members can apply for the new grant program at avmf.org/CovidVetGrants. No new applications are being accepted from technicians, nurses, and assistants because the initial demand for that program has outstripped available funding. The AVMF and VCA Animal Hospitals hope to raise enough additional funds through their challenge grants to provide help to as many of those who have already applied as possible.

“Veterinarians have often been able to remain in business during the COVID-19 outbreak, but they and their teams have not been immune to the fallout and hardships associated with the virus,” said Dr. John Howe, chair of the AVMF Board of Directors. “We truly appreciate the generous support of VCA Animal Hospitals, as well as previous disaster relief grant partners Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Zoetis and NAVTA, in stepping up to help our colleagues in need with some much-needed financial support during these unprecedented times.”