Psychological Trauma Seed Grants 2022

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA®) aims to advance our 2030 goal of empowering communities to prevent and respond effectively to cruelty. To this end, the ASPCA invites grant applications for our Psychological Trauma Research Seed Grant program. This program seeks to support research aimed at developing or validating behavioral and biological markers of mental suffering due to cruelty and neglect. The ASPCA recognizes that promoting the growth of high-quality research will promote animal welfare by advancing the development and application of indicators used by key professional audiences.  

We aim to fund one grant proposal under this initiative for an amount up to $20,000.

Eligible Applicants 

We acknowledge that the work to develop indicators of psychological trauma can be advanced by multiple disciplines and diverse areas of expertise (e.g., ethology, biology, physiology, psychology, veterinary medicine). For the 2022 funding call, we are inviting applications from investigators from all disciplines and areas of expertise whose projects will contribute to advancing these goals.

Applications from individuals will not be accepted. To be eligible to apply, investigators and/or research teams must be affiliated with a US public or private entity such as a university, college, government agency, veterinary hospital or clinic, or other institution. Applications will be considered from both non-profit and for-profit entities as long as they meet all other eligibility criteria listed in this document.

This opportunity is also available to Canadian registered charities/foundations, public universities, and approved municipalities/public bodies.

Note: The ASPCA® was founded on the belief that animals are entitled to kind and respectful treatment by humans. Acting effectively on that belief requires a commitment to fostering a collaborative and compassionate culture and to principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We welcome and encourage diverse candidates to apply for our grant opportunities in the interest of working together to improve the lives of animals in need. 

Eligible Projects  

The 2022 Psychological Trauma Research Seed Grant program solicits research proposals that will inform the documentation of animal cruelty and neglect in the absence of physical trauma. Of particular interest is research that focuses on objective metrics. Such metrics include, but are not limited to:  

• Biomarkers
• Quantifiable behavioral markers
• Composite markers

Projects must have a clear research question with appropriate methodology to address the proposed research aims.  Projects with the primary aim of providing services or building infrastructure will not be considered.

Applicants must meet ASPCA Grantee Organizational Standards:

• If a past ASPCA grant recipient, must be current on all reporting requirements 
• If a nonprofit organization 
  • Must be an incorporated or organized legal entity in good standing with the Secretary of State in the state where the organization is incorporated or organized 
  • Must have a board of at least 4 members with a majority of independent members with neither board chair nor treasurer receiving compensation from the organization 

Download full requirements (PDF)

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:  

• Relevance – the proposed research directly informs the development of indicators of psychological trauma. 
• Approach – the study design is justified and appropriate to achieve the project goals (e.g., the study is adequately powered to answer the questions, the statistical analysis is appropriate, ethical issues are addressed, the project timeline is logical and feasible). 
• Potential impact – the potential for the research to substantially strengthen communities’ abilities to respond to animal cruelty. 
• Generalizability – the results can be used by many stakeholders in different settings or with different resources. 
• Credentials – the ability of the team to carry out the work. 

ASPCA as a Resource 

An ASPCA Research Director and/or content experts affiliated with the ASPCA may be available to lend expertise to study design considerations as requested by grant recipients. ASPCA personnel will not participate in data collection, analysis, or manuscript writing, and the proposed budget and application must provide for the personnel and expertise to accomplish these tasks.  

Grant Review Timeline 

• RFP will open on Monday, April 18, 2022, at 9 a.m. ET.
• RFP will close on Monday September 1, 2022, at 5 p.m. ET.
• Finalists will be notified via email on or around Monday, October 17, 2022 and invited to complete a formal application in our grant management system. 
• Funding decisions are expected before November 28, 2022. 

Questions

• For program-related inquiries, please contact bst.research@aspca.org 
• For application submission inquiries/technical difficulties, please contact grants@aspca.org