GOODS Program

More About the GOODS Program

Who Can Apply

Animal welfare organizations that have a valid, non-revoked IRS Determination Letter establishing their 501(c)(3) status apply for pet food grants. A group applying under a Group Exemption or using an alternate name (for example “Doing business as…”) must submit the relevant documents as described by the IRS or state/local authorities.

Applications are made in specific categories, with criteria tailored to each category. GOODS and its local Ambassadors confirm that these criteria are met and monitor the group’s 501(c)3 status.

How Does it Work?

Groups apply through this website to become a grant recipient. The application is screened for criteria such as non-profit status, spay/neuter policy, adoption pages, and distance from nearest affiliate. The local Ambassador accepts or declines each application, based on criteria.
Groups meeting the criteria are placed in the rotation for distributions. When food is available, the Ambassador notifies groups of the type of food and offers the group the opportunity to participate.
Participating groups send in their latest census counts and the Ambassador determines an equitable distribution of the food, taking into account factors such as the number and size of animals, whether any group received food more recently than another one, distance traveled, or special circumstances like large food donations from other sources.
The Ambassador notifies each group of the amount allocated, the place and time for pickup, and the amount of handling fees, if any.
As a grant program, we cannot guarantee that food will always be supplied to any one organization or that a grant will meet all of the organization’s needs for any period of time.