Animal Grantmakers

Annual Conference: In October 2023, Animal Grantmakers hosted its 24th annual conference in Philadelphia, with more than 80 participants. The event kicked off with day trips to: the oldest horse sanctuary in the U.S.; the region's largest animal care and control provider; and Old City for a walking tour showcasing Philadelphia's unique vegetarian history. Over the next two days, discussions ranged from innovative programs enhancing animal and human welfare simultaneously and the role of art and film in shifting societal attitudes toward animals, to OneHealth and the correlation between animal welfare and the environment and how animal law and UN policy are advancing animal protection worldwide. Per members' request, it also included several interactive workshops on topics such as diversity, equity, and inclusion in animal philanthropy and where the subsector wants to be in 2030. More than 25% of speakers were people of color, reflecting the organization's continued commitment to DEI. It attracted funding from 10 sponsors, which included $2,500 for the 2nd Annual Melanie Anderson Lifetime Excellence in Animal Protection (LEAP) Award. Articles about the conference and the winner of the LEAP Award, Lynn Cuny, were published in "Animal Philanthropy," a collection of stories on GivingCompass.org.

Other programming for members: Throughout the year, Animal Grantmakers shared webinars, articles of interest, documentary films, and other content with members on its website and via its listserv. It updated and added new resources in the members-only area of its website, including animal-related data repositories, videos of sessions from its 2022 conference, and animal advocate's oral histories. Via Animal Grantmakers' membership in United Philanthropy Forum (and its participation in the Forum's 2023 Racial Equity Learning and Action Cohort), it was able to pass along other valuable information and resources to members, including DEI resources, advocacy resources, and industry events, as well as discounts on desirable products, services, and subscriptions. It was also able to offer members unlimited free subscriptions to Inside Philanthropy (valued at over $500 per subscription). It published its first member newsletter since 2021 and shared thought-leadership in multiple member "Messages from the President." Finally, it regularly responded to members' miscellaneous requests for information and assistance.