Special Project Grants

As COVID infections decrease and masking regulations relax, please continue to use caution, as needed, and good judgment for in-person gatherings in your locality.

VegFund’s Special Project Grant program is designed for longer-term projects rather than one-time events. Special Projects typically reach a broad audience or build deeper connections with a smaller target audience and are planned with specific implementation timelines.

To learn more about how VegFund’s grantmaking works, visit our Grant Guidelines. You’ll find additional information on the FAQ page.

Funding Priorities and Guidelines

In 2023, VegFund’s top grant-making priorities are the the following:

• Plant-based nutrition education for medical and health professionals, medical students, and in other health-focused settings
• Partnerships to offer plant-based foods in institutional cafeteria settings, such as schools, hospitals, workplaces, etc.
• Vegan challenges and mentorship programs that include pre- and post-surveys of participants
• Outreach and education in institutional settings
• Humane education programs and curriculum focused on the role of animal agriculture in climate change and the environment

Other funding considerations:

General Operating Support – VegFund may provide a one-time grant to organizations seeking funding for general operating support. This funding can include staff positions, website development, and other organizational infrastructure. If an organization receives a grant for general operating support, it will not be eligible for similar funding in future years.

Mentored Campaigns and Vegan Challenges – Eligible projects should demonstrate a unique target audience and curriculum as well as a well-designed marketing plan. If you are interested in incorporating a vegan challenge into your outreach, we encourage you to take a look at this list of existing campaigns and challenges.

Humane Education and Other Educational Curriculum – Eligible projects must demonstrate, at minimum, one year of experience working with the target population and provide, at minimum, at least an outline of the proposed curriculum. Ideal projects will also have an established relationship with schools and other educational partners if this is part of the proposed project delivery.

Video Production and Other Content – Eligible projects must demonstrate a thoughtful marketing strategy as well as evidence that the content is unique and not duplicative of existing online content. VegFund does not fund production costs related to feature films, television shows, or books; however, we may consider funding distribution costs. VegFund has limited capacity to fund content of any kind. 

VegFund does not support:

• Funding for individuals to conduct research or content production without an organizational partner or sponsor
• Youth or student outreach projects without a demonstrated educational partner or in-house expertise in youth engagement
• Business development or start-up support
• General operating grants for animal sanctuaries and rescues (these entities may apply for funding to support public outreach and education efforts)
• Community gardens without a defined educational curriculum focused on plant-based or vegan education
• Food and meal distribution without an educational component
• Tactical support for undercover investigations into farmed animal practices
• Feature film and book production

Special Project grantees may be asked to submit periodic progress reports and receive multiple disbursements throughout the grant cycle. Projects should have clearly defined measurable goals, a reasonable plan for implementation, a relatively low cost-to-conversion ratio, and a well-defined target audience.