Farmed Animal Funders' Request for Proposals: Pooled Fund Ideas Towards Ending Factory Farming

By Zoë Sigle @ 2024-04-03T17:07 (+40)

Farmed Animal Funders is soliciting proposals for pooled fund ideas that will fill an unmet, yet high-impact, charitable intervention playing a critical role in the movement to end factory farming. Proposals are due by May 31st, 2024.

Farmed Animal Funders (FAF) is a donor community made up of individuals and foundations giving more than $250,000 per year to end factory farming. A pooled fund from FAF members and new donors can play an important role to fill financial gaps across multiple nonprofits while relying on unique expertise to impactfully distribute funds.

We are seeking pooled fund proposals that meet the following criteria:

• The proposal supports efforts to end factory farming. 
• The specific theory of change, strategy, intervention, or geography is unlikely to receive sufficient funding to meet the need/problem without the attention of a pooled fund.
• The projected animal impact of this pooled fund is exceptionally high.
• Multiple organizations can effectively absorb and deploy at least $1 to $3 million USD, or more for exceptional opportunities, combined over a defined period of funding (e.g., 1 year, 3 years) to advance the proposed work. We encourage collaboration where strategic and enthusiastically supported by all organizations. 
• One or more people have unique subject matter expertise to meaningfully evaluate and advise on grant applications. Suggestions of specific advisors (which might be you) are preferred, but not required.

Pooled fund themes could range from specific geographies, specific interventions, or specific time-sensitive opportunities. As one example, FAF previously hosted a pooled fund for organizations working on farm animal welfare policy in Europe based on a time-sensitive legislative opportunity that benefited from legislative advocacy efforts across several countries. We encourage creativity!

We are also open to supporting existing pooled funds that have an unmet financial need.

We will evaluate pooled fund ideas based on:

• How well they meet the criteria listed above.
• How interested FAF members are in funding as a pool (rather than funding organizations directly and individually). This depends on factors like member interest in the topic and whether funders’ in-house advisory expertise is sufficient or not for evaluation.
• Potential to recruit new funders to the movement to end factory farming, such as with novel issue framing.

We intend to review proposals, including potential follow-up questions or calls, in June 2024. Top proposals will be shared with FAF members for feedback.

If any ideas are selected, FAF intends to:

• Raise funds for the pool from existing FAF members and relevant prospective funders seeking high-impact opportunities to give.
• Distribute grant applications to relevant nonprofit organizations.
• Identify and select subject matter experts to advise on grant evaluations.
• Evaluate grant applications with selected fund advisors and FAF members to make funding decisions.
• Distribute funds to selected nonprofits organizations.

To formally submit a proposal for a pooled fund:

Please submit a document no longer than two pages to pooled-fund@farmedanimalfunders.org by May 31st, 2024 with the following:

• Email subject: Pooled Fund RFP
• Your name, affiliation(s), and contact information (email, phone, and address).
• Description of the pooled fund idea, including the suggested organizations involved, timeframe, potential expert advisors, and funding need/request.
• Description of how the idea meets each of the described criteria.

We are more interested in the content of the proposal, so no need to invest time into formatting. If you prefer early feedback on one or more ideas before drafting a formal proposal, please email Zoë Sigle, FAF’s Director of Programs, at pooled-fund@farmedanimalfunders.org to schedule a 15-minute call.

We thank you in advance for your creativity and ideas!