This grant seeks to support approved companion animal rehoming organisations and eligible charities by assisting them to cover the costs associated with caring for and rehoming companion animals and improve companion animal welfare outcomes across the State.

An organisation could apply for up to a maximum of $100 000 funding.

Organisations can utilise the funding for one or more of the below activities:

• the purchase of equipment such as bedding, crates, leads, etc for the service
• the upgrade or expansion of rehoming and welfare services for companion animals
• veterinary treatment, including desexing, microchipping, vaccinations and any other medical treatments
• the provision of services to deliver training or rehabilitation for a dog or cat
• the reasonable repair, maintenance or upgrade and/or building new animal care facilities
• the reasonable operating expenses directly associated with the provision of animal care and rehoming services (e.g. purchase of food, medication, bedding) but excluding workforce payments such as salaries and wages.

Only entities/organisations who met all of the below criteria were eligible to submit an application. The Office of Local Government (OLG) reviewed the eligibility of all applications received.

1. The organisation must be either a currently approved NSW rehoming organisation which has been assessed by OLG, or a NSW registered charity that provide animal rehoming services.
2. No members, staff or carers of the organisation have ever been charged, convicted or been subject to a penalty notice in respect of an offence against the:
   • Animal Research Act 1985
   • Companion Animals Act 1998
   • Companion Animals Regulation 2018
   • Exhibited Animals Protection Act 1986
   • Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979

3. No members, staff or carers of the organisation have ever operated a premises where animals have been kept or controlled and been subject to a Council order relating to the care and control of animals.
4. No members, staff or carers of the organisation have been declared bankrupt within the past ten years or been subject to any other insolvency administration or fraud convictions.

Applicants will need to demonstrate in their application how the project/s contribute to achieving the following outcomes:

• Reduction of unnecessary euthanasia and increase in successful rehoming of companion animals in NSW; and
• Support responsible and sustainable delivery of companion animal rehoming services in NSW that represent value for money; and
• Support existing local councils to deliver positive companion animal welfare outcomes, including complementing existing council services in their local area.

All applications were assessed against the below criteria.

• Application demonstrates value for money in the use of public funds linked to support companion animal care and rehoming services delivered by approved OLG-accredited rehoming organisations.
• Organisation has demonstrated capacity/capability to deliver the project/s (if applicable) OR able to deliver the activity for which funding is sought
• Application demonstrates clear link to program outcomes
• Organisation has demonstrated compliance with relevant legislation in regard to annual financial reporting and/or has obtained an unqualified auditor’s opinion for the 2021/2022 financial year
• Availability and proximity to other companion animal rehoming services within the local government area and the region in which the service is located
• Conflicts of Interest, if any, have been disclosed and can be appropriately managed.

All successful applicants have been announced and are listed on the NSW Government Grant and Funding finder here: https://www.nsw.gov.au/grants-and-funding/companion-animal-care-and-rehoming-competitive-grant

OLG can be emailed at grants@olg.nsw.gov.au or contact (02) 4428 4100 and ask for Alex Bellamy from the Companion Animal Grants Team.