Festivals & Fairs Grants
HOW IT WORKS
Public festivals and celebrations are a growing international phenomenon fueled by the energy of vegan activists. These plant-powered events draw veg and non-veg enthusiasts alike for exposure to vegan foods and lifestyle choices.
- Be sure to read the Grant Guidelines below that apply to all grants.
- Visit the Vegfest Organizers Forum A great place to start is our online Vegfest Organizers Forum — a network of members from dozens of vegfests across the world, from first-timers to 20-year-long vegfest veterans.
- Assemble a team. A successful vegfest can’t be planned alone, so make sure you’re working as a dedicated group or committee and recruit volunteers. Vegfests sponsored by organizations or coalitions of organizations are most successful.
- Make a budget. Your budget should include all costs related to the event, including permits, equipment, supplies, and printing for required signage. Review our organization-wide Grant Guidelines below for more information about what VegFund does and does not fund.
- Include educational literature. Your table must include free vegan educational literature. Ensure that everyone who receives a food sample is offered literature or information — and keep track of how many pieces of literature you hand out. Check out VegFund’s Recommended literature for guidance.
- Print and place the required VegFund sponsorship sign (see Required Materials)
- Measure your success. Consider ahead of time how you will measure the effectiveness of your event. VegFund will ask for this information in your final report. For events, this includes number of people reached, estimated number of non-vegans, satisfaction of vendors (if applicable), media attention received, and attendee reactions. Consider creating a simple survey for attendees and/or vendors to provide feedback about the event.
- Apply for a VegFund grant! Applying for a grant is easy if you’ve followed the instructions above. U.S. applicants should submit their applications at least three weeks before the event date. Applicants outside the United States should submit applications at least four weeks prior to the event date.
- Typical awards for first-time recipients range from $500 to $1000.
- Publicize your vegfest or event via available channels, such as the event program, flyers, social media announcements, and local event listings. Focus on reaching non-vegan audiences. If you have a Facebook event page, add VegFund as a co-host! Check out Tips for event promotion for further guidance.
- Reporting and reimbursement. Within 30 days following your vegfest or fair, complete the final report in the VegFund grant portal. You’ll be asked for much of the information you collected above, including:
- number of individuals /estimated non-vegans reached
- brief summaries of reactions to the event
- itemized receipts
- photos of the event
GRANT GUIDELINES
Who does VegFund support?
- VegFund supports vegan activists (individuals and nonprofit organizations) who promote messages and behaviors that are 100% plant-based and free of animal exploitation.
- Grantees must be 18 years of age or older. VegFund may work with activists under the age of 18 if they are partnering with an adult.
- VegFund strongly prefers that applicants are vegan. We may make exceptions for non-vegan individuals hosting film screenings or non-vegans partnering with vegans to host an event that targets a mostly non-vegan audience.
What does VegFund fund?
- VegFund funds outreach activities that promote a strictly vegan message and use 100% vegan products. VegFund favors projects that demonstrate an effective outreach strategy targeting non-vegans.
- Most grants are provided as reimbursements rather than up-front payments. We require that all grantees submit itemized receipts and reports on their activities.
- For events or in-person activities, VegFund will fund only events that are open to the public. In some cases, we will support events that charge a nominal admission fee (usually no more than $5 [US]).
What does VegFund not support?
- VegFund will not fund any activity or event that involves animal exploitation. This includes events offering foods with animal products, venues such as zoos or non-sanctuary farms, or use of supplies that contain animal products.
- We do not fund applications for events or projects that have already taken place. All grant applications must be submitted at least two weeks (preferably more) in advance of the event or project to be considered for VegFund support.
- VegFund does not fund for-profit entities or projects that seek to raise money.
- VegFund does not fund personnel expenses covering an activist’s time or travel.
- VegFund will not provide funding or reimbursement for alcohol. We may consider funding events in which alcohol is available or served as long as grant funds do not cover those costs.
- VegFund does not fund events in private homes.
VegFund evaluates grant applications based on the following criteria:
- Does the applicant have a defined plan in place to carry out the project?
- Is there a clear, itemized budget?
- Is there a specific start date and end date?
- For larger projects and events, is there a team in place, or is this a one-person-show?
- Does the project target a non-vegan audience?
- Does the project target a specific non-vegan audience, and is that audience well-defined?
- Does the applicant provide evidence for targeting these audiences?
- Does the project deliver a compelling vegan message?
- Does the applicant present clearly defined goals for the project?
- Is there a communications plan, if needed?
- Is there a clear plan for evaluating event/activity effectiveness?
Visit VegFund’s Grant Overview page for a summary of the grant programs and how to begin your grant application.
Not sure if your project meets VegFund’s grant guidelines? Reach out to grants@vegfund.org, and we’ll respond to your questions at our earliest convenience.
Required Materials
Crediting VegFund
Including VegFund in your messaging In the interest of informing the veg-interested public of the availability of grant-funding through VegFund,...
Recommended literature
VegFund requires that all grantees offer some form of literature or information at grant-funded events that educates the public about...
Sampling food at your event?
If you’re sampling food, keep in mind… If your vegan outreach activity includes a food sampling element, be sure to...
Measuring your success
For most grant activities, VegFund requires that you develop metrics ahead of your project to measure the success and effectiveness...
HELPFUL MATERIALS
Activist story
Belgium animal rights organization BE Vegan was delighted with the outcome of their summer vegfest, Vegan Summer Fest 2017, which...
Event tips
Tips for event promotion
Often the best way to learn about anything in life is through your mistakes. If you find yourself frustrated by low turnout or are unsure how best to spread the word, read on.
Vegfest organizing tips
VegFund’s Top 12 Vegfest Tips Event organizing is a skill, and the more events you host, the better you’ll get...
FAQs
Do I have to be vegan to receive a grant from VegFund?
The simple answer is yes. We may make exceptions for non-vegan individuals hosting VegFund-approved film screenings or non-vegans partnering with vegans to host an event that aims to reach a mostly non-vegan audience. In addition to our mission of spreading information about veganism, one of VegFund’s primary goals is to support vegan activists and their efforts. As a result, we require that every project we fund have at least one vegan organizer who can act as a “vegan ambassador” on behalf of other vegans.
Do I have to be from the United States to receive a grant from VegFund?
No! VegFund supports grantees all over the world. For non-US-based grantees, we require that the fund recipient use a PayPal account to receive grant funds.
Does VegFund purchase the food, serving supplies, and literature?
No. Grantees are responsible for purchasing these items after your grant request is approved. Keep all receipts and submit these along with your final report following the project or grant activity.
What sort of projects has VegFund supported in the past?
A list of activities VegFund will support or has supported includes:
- Billboards
- Conferences
- Food sample costs
- Film license fees for public screenings
- Humane education curriculum development
- Local guides to veganism
- Mentored challenges
- Online campaigns
- Paid-per-view video outreach equipment and incentives
- Panel discussions
- Pledge campaigns
- Research
- Social media ad promotion
- Venue rental
- Vegan festivals, “vegfests,” or similar events
- Vegan starter kits
What items does VegFund not reimburse?
VegFund reserves the right to withhold reimbursement for the following items: non-vegan foods, excessive or wasteful items, food or ingredients that contain products not readily available for purchase in your area, gratuities, wages, travel expenses, food for volunteers, or events that take place in private homes. With some exceptions, VegFund also does not fund full meals for events or event attendees.
How does VegFund distribute payment to grantees?
All grant payments are made electronically. Domestic grantees (with payment accounts based in the United States) will receive payment through Bill.com, a third-party epayment system that deposits funds directly into your bank account. Non-domestic grantees (with payment accounts based outside the United States) will receive payment through PayPal.com or American Express FX International Payments.
Do I need to provide my Social Security number to receive a grant payment?
Yes, US-based grantees are required to provide their Social Security number in order to receive payment. This information is not used to report income to the IRS, nor is it shared with anyone beyond the ePayment processor VegFund's bank is partnered with. The sole use of the SSN is to verify the identity of the bank account holder.
How much money should I ask for?
We’re asked this question frequently, and there’s no set answer to this question. Make your case for your project, and the grants team will review it and ask questions if they need clarification.
- For mentored campaigns and pledges, VegFund will typically fund up to $20 per participant.
- For food samplings, VegFund will typically fund up to $1 per individual reached.
- For film screenings, VegFund will fund up to $250 for a screening license.
I received a grant. How should I promote/thank VegFund?
Our mission is to empower you and your organization to bring more attention to the vegan cause. However, we do appreciate the following:
- When VegFund helps fund events in veg-friendly forums, such as at a conferences or festivals, we ask that you post a small sign (see Required Materials above) that provides VegFund’s website address so that other interested activists can find us.
- For media-based grants or sponsorship listings, please acknowledge VegFund’s support with a link and, if possible, a logo for the same purpose. Logos can be found on our Press page.
- For event recaps in social media or websites, we do appreciate mention for the benefit of other activists who may be looking for support.