Celebrating this year’s Animal Policy Alliance grant recipients

In 2022, THL launched the APA to organize, unite, and empower local and state-level animal advocacy groups with legislative policy agendas that include animals raised for food. Now 27 organizations strong across 18 states plus Washington, D.C., APA members are making lasting policy changes for animals. Grants from the APA play a key role in these successes, providing much-needed funding to these often under-resourced organizations. The goals of the APA grant program are to:

• Build grassroots and legislative power for farmed animal protection advocates in the United States by growing and empowering a national alliance of city and state-level animal advocacy groups.
• Incentivize city and state-level organizations to focus more of their policy efforts on policy change that will improve the lives of animals used for food.
• Provide funding to organizations who are seeking to grow their capacity to work towards reducing and eventually ending large-scale animal cruelty.

These grant awards span the United States, from coast to coast, demonstrating a widespread commitment to our mission of ending large-scale animal cruelty through policy change. Learn more about eleven of the 2025 grant projects below, or check them out on the APA website.

Humane Action Pennsylvania

Humane Action Pennsylvania’s grant project supports a multi-faceted campaign to advance animal welfare and plant-based food access in Pennsylvania—focusing on phasing out gestation crates across the state, expanding the Pittsburgh foie gras ban, securing plant-based options at Pittsburgh events, passing local fur bans, and engaging youth advocates. These goals will be achieved through legislative advocacy and community mobilization, while also ensuring robust enforcement of existing animal protection laws and aligning Pennsylvania's congressional representatives with federal animal welfare priorities.

Vegan Activist Alliance | Chilis on Wheels

Vegan Activist Alliance and Chilis on Wheels’ grant project supports the expansion of plant-based food access and promotes food justice through interconnected initiatives targeting schools, restaurants, and federal procurement policies. This work aims to empower youth advocates, develop educational programs, and collaborate with Indigenous communities to create systemic change toward a more equitable and sustainable food system.

Northwest Animal Rights Network

Northwest Animal Rights Network’s grant project reforms concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO) permitting in Washington State by producing a comprehensive report and interactive maps that demonstrate the environmental justice impacts of CAFOs on marginalized communities and ecosystems. This project will leverage research to build a diverse coalition, conduct public awareness campaigns, and advocate for policy changes that strengthen CAFO oversight.

DC Voters for Animals Education Fund, Inc.

DC Voters for Animals Education Fund’s grant project advances sustainable and animal-friendly policies in the D.C. metropolitan region through relationship building with lawmakers, forming coalitions, and organizing residents and stakeholders through grassroots advocacy actions.

Voters For Animal Rights

Voters for Animal Rights’ grant project supports lobbying efforts to pass a bill banning commercial octopus farming and the sale of farmed octopus in New York State, as well as a supporting resolution in the New York City Council.

Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation

Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation’s grant project supports lobbying efforts in Missouri and at the federal level, with a focus on defending existing laws and advocating for stronger enforcement of laws protecting farmed animals. Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation is working on a wide range of policies related to farmed animals this legislative session, including supporting a bill to restore local control of CAFO regulations, opposing a ban on the production and sale of cultivated meat, and opposing a “Right to Farm” bill, among other priorities.

Animal Protection New Mexico

Animal Protection New Mexico’s grant project expands upon 2022 and 2024 APA grant funding, in which research on the New Mexico dairy industry would be disseminated by developing a dedicated, bilingual webpage with video content to promote plant-based milk options in public schools. This website platform will serve as an outreach and advocacy tool—supporting legislative goals for farmed animals and building public awareness.

Compassionate Action for Animals

Compassionate Action for Animals’ grant project supports the advancement of plant-based food access and animal welfare policies through coalition building and targeted legislative and policy initiatives, including advancing plant-based meal options in Minnesota public schools and advocating for plant-based default menus in Hennepin County events.

Social Compassion in Legislation

Social Compassion in Legislation’s grant project supports lobbying efforts for animals throughout California’s 2025 legislative session, including advancing a bill to improve evacuation standards for animals, including farmed animals, and supporting an alternative protein bill.

Godspeed Horse Hostel

Godspeed Horse Hostel’s grant project enables direct advocacy efforts and community engagement, driving policy change and dietary shifts through participation in animal advocacy lobby days at the New York State Capitol, and coordinating plant-based food events with a local school district.

Maine Animal Coalition

Maine Animal Coalition’s grant project improves their social media presence to better educate and mobilize Maine residents around legislative policies and issues impacting animals raised for food and fur, as well as plant-based food initiatives.

After a year of historic and hard-fought victories for animals raised for food and fur, we’re excited to see these projects continue to make a difference in the lives of countless farmed animals.

To learn more about the APA, visit our website.