Disaster relief grants for veterinarians & veterinary students

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

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 basic 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:

1. Must be an individual who is a current student at, or a graduate of, a veterinary medical school accredited by the AVMA Council on Education, or a veterinarian that currently holds or formerly held a valid license to practice veterinary medicine in any U.S. state or territory.
2. Must submit receipts for incurred emergency expenses for basic necessities as a result of the disaster listed on the application.
3. Applicant may not have previously received any disaster relief grant from AVMF for the same disaster.
4. Only one application may be submitted per veterinarian or student. If multiple veterinarians within the same hospital have been impacted by the disaster, each must submit a separate application.

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 and emailed to AVMFInfo@avma.org

You will be contacted if your application is not complete. No decision will be reached on an application until all requested information has been received.

Applicants can request up to $2,000 in grant funds. Checks will be payable to the individual named in your application that meets the criteria.

Application approval:

1. All Disaster Relief Grant for Veterinarians applications received by AVMF will be reviewed and applicants will be notified within 60 days of application.
2. Applications should include at least two digital photos of damaged property, if feasible.

Deadline:

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