Disaster relief grants for veterinary professionals

The American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) Disaster Relief Reimbursement Grants are for the purpose of assisting those in the veterinary community who have experienced an emergency and have a need for basic necessities due to a disaster.

The AVMF does not provide financial assistance for the repair or replacement of a personal dwelling or practice infrastructure, nor items that would normally be covered under the individual’s practice or homeowner’s insurance policies. These grants are intended to cover expenses incurred due to the emergency need for necessities and will not be approved to replace household or personal items. Grant funds also cannot be used to replace lost income.

Grant amount:

Up to $2,000 may be issued per grantee for out-of-pocket expenses incurred immediately following the disaster. A disaster would include but is not limited to, flooding, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires or oil spills in an area that has been declared a disaster area at the local, county, state, or federal level.

AVMF reimburses for the actual cost of items purchased directly from a vendor. Modest housing costs may be covered for emergency temporary shelter. Copies of receipts or other approved documentation must be submitted along with the application form.

Limited funds are currently available and will be approved on a first-come, first served basis for applications that meet eligibility criteria.

Criteria for eligibility:

• Must be a licensed veterinarian, veterinary technician or staff member at a veterinary practice.
• Must have incurred emergency expenses for necessities as a result of the disaster listed on the application, such as expenses related to food, bottled water, clothing, medication or medical supplies, toiletries, blankets, or temporary shelter.
• Applicant may not have previously received any disaster relief grant from the AVMF for the same disaster.
• Only one application may be submitted per individual. If multiple veterinarians within the same practice have been impacted by the disaster, each must submit a separate application.
• A disaster would include, but is not limited to, flooding, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, volcanoes, wildfires or oil spills in an area that has been declared a disaster area at the local, county, state or federal level.
• Current officers, directors, and employees of AVMF or AVMA, and their spouses, dependent children and parents are not eligible to apply for or receive disaster grants under this program.

Application procedure:

• The application must be completed in its entirety with all supplemental materials attached. No decision will be reached on an application until all requested information has been received.

Application approval:

• All Disaster Relief Grants for Veterinary Professionals received by AVMF will be reviewed and applicants will be notified within 60 days of application.

Deadline:

• Applications must be received no later than 6 months following the disaster. Please direct your questions regarding the application to disastergrants@avma.org