Collaborating to help companion animals and their families in the UK

Battersea’s grant-making team is looking to connect with other UK-based funders (including those who fund in the UK and globally) that support pets and their owners, in order to share knowledge and explore opportunities to collaborate and help more dogs, cats and people.

In particular, we are keen to connect with those who would like to cultivate opportunities to build grant-giving approaches that:

1. Advance change, not just meet need
2. Support organisations and not just a project or service
3. Recognise and uplift the agency and knowledge on the ground
4. Support animal welfare organisations to be more representative and inclusive.

We would also like to connect with funders that align with our strategic goals in the UK, which include:

• Building the professionalism and sustainability of the rescue sector (ensuring high welfare of staff, volunteers and animals)
• Supporting responsible pet ownership, including helping struggling owners to stay with their pets
• Reducing abandonment/relinquishment
• Managing street populations of cats
• Building networks and coalitions.

We want to create a space of exchange and peer support to improve grant-making practice, collaboration, shared resources and learning, to make life easier for grant seekers too (so they can focus on dogs and cats) and to help the sector to speak with one voice. We are keen to partner with other organisations to increase the impact on dogs, cats and communities in the UK and beyond.