MRC receives a large number of applications every year. We select those applications that best fit our eligibility criteria, funding priorities, and core principles.
Once we determine an applicant’s eligibility, we then review the details of the project or expense to verify that it meets our guidelines, such as the type of project/expense, the species impacted, the total budget for completion, and other factors.
Along with a review of the application itself, we also review the social media profiles included with the application and required supplemental photos showing resident living spaces.
We also request references who can speak to applicants’ care standards and other practices, as well as veterinarians’ contact information.
Regarding location, we are a US-based nonprofit and primarily focus our grant funding on US-based individuals and nonprofit sanctuaries. However, we can provide grant funds outside of the US on a limited basis.
Part of our review process for international applicants includes screening social media and governmental charity databases/websites, and looking for pre-existing relationships with some of our partner organizations who work more with international grants (e.g., A Well-Fed World and The Pollination Project).
Additionally, we conduct a sanctions review of members of the Board of Directors for international charities before sending grant funds. This means screening for any sanctions on those individuals by the United States Department of the Treasury.
Regarding time frame for decision making: We review new applications for each month at the beginning of the next month. Because applications far exceed our available funds, we review applications and select grantees based on the criteria listed above. So, for non-emergency situations, you can expect to hear back from us around the first week of the following month if you’ve been approved.
Please know that MRC is a very small nonprofit, but we do our best to handle a large number of grant applications and maintain correspondence with grantees after receipt of funds. If we aren’t able approve an application, it doesn’t necessarily mean there’s something wrong with you or your sanctuary–we have to consider many factors when deciding if an application is a good fit for our limited funding. So please don’t take a rejection personally!
In this regard, we do not provide specific commentary on rejected applications. We welcome future applications after rejection, though we recommend waiting about a year before trying again.