Grants for Wildlife Rehabilitation 2026: Real Funders

If you're a permitted wildlife rehabilitator, or you run a nonprofit wildlife center, raptor center or marine animal rescue, this guide is for you. It covers the grants for wildlife rehabilitation that actually exist, the permits funders expect you to hold, and how to find the foundations in your state that have already paid for wildlife care.

Where Grants for Wildlife Rehabilitation Come From: 4 Routes

Wildlife rehab is one of the least federally funded kinds of animal work in the country, and it helps to say that plainly at the start. Rehabbers care for public wildlife on behalf of the state, under state and federal permits, and almost all of the cost is paid privately. These are the 4 routes that exist:

The common mistake is spending weeks looking for a federal "wildlife rehab grant." The State Wildlife Grants program (opens in a new tab) is the name that turns up most, but according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, it has distributed over $1.4 billion since 2000 to the fish and wildlife agencies of the 56 states, territories, commonwealths and DC, for work on species of greatest conservation need. That money goes to agencies, not to private rehab centers. A center can sometimes partner on an agency project, but it can't apply on its own.

The Permits Funders Expect You to Hold

Foundations that fund wildlife care almost always ask whether you're permitted, and the answer has to be yes. Permits are also your strongest proof of credibility, since few other animal charities face this level of federal oversight.

According to 50 CFR 21.76 (opens in a new tab), a federal rehabilitation permit is required to take, temporarily possess or transport any migratory bird for rehabilitation. The rule sets these requirements:

The Service's Form 3-200-10b permit page (opens in a new tab) lists a $50 nonrefundable application fee and says government agencies acting on their own behalf are exempt. It also confirms that anyone who regularly transports birds to or from your facility must be a named subpermittee or hold their own permit. That matters for budgets: volunteer drivers need paperwork, and paperwork takes staff time.

State rules sit on top of the federal ones and cover mammals, reptiles and amphibians that the federal bird rule doesn't. As one example, Texas Parks and Wildlife's wildlife rehabilitation permit page (opens in a new tab) links its rules, approved training courses, renewal courses, a quarterly report workbook for rehabbers and a subpermittee application, and it notes that rehabbers handling migratory birds also need a federal permit. Check your own state wildlife agency for its version.

Which Foundations Fund Wildlife Rehabilitation: What 990-PF Filings Show

Private foundations are the main grant source for wildlife rehabilitation, and their grants are public record. According to IRS filing rules, every private foundation must list the grants it paid on Form 990-PF (opens in a new tab), with the recipient and the stated purpose.

Grantsights tags those grants by cause. Wildlife rehab falls under animal welfare, together with humane societies, rescues, shelters and zoos, so the figures below describe the whole animal pool, not rehab grants alone. These are Grantsights analysis figures from 990-PF records pulled October 29, 2026, counted by the recipient's state:

Oregon is worth a closer look. "Wildlife rehabilitation" is one of the most common stated purposes on animal grants to Oregon recipients, with 23 grants carrying that exact phrase, and the Wildlife Support Charitable Trust made 15 grants totaling $142,000 to 6 Oregon recipients. That trust's latest filing doesn't say it accepts unsolicited requests, though, which is typical: in most states only about a fifth to a third of animal funders say they do.

Rehab grants named in the filings

The filings name real wildlife centers and what funders paid for. All of these are tax year 2025 grants:

• The DKR Foundation (opens in a new tab) gave Pacific Wildlife Care in Morro Bay, California $2,200,000 to build a wildlife rehabilitation center.
• The Doris and Bill Scharpf Foundation (opens in a new tab) gave the Hawaii Wildlife Center in Kapaau $346,132.
• The Mika Foundation (opens in a new tab) gave Possumwood Acres in Hubert, North Carolina $206,016 for a wildlife rehabilitation and environmental education center.
• The DSCW Kennedy Foundation (opens in a new tab) gave SeaLife Response, Rehabilitation and Research (SR3) in Des Moines, Washington $100,000 for ocean animals.
• The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation (opens in a new tab) gave the New Mexico Wildlife Center in Espanola $30,000 for veterinary care and wildlife rehabilitation, and the Norma Green Family Foundation (opens in a new tab) gave the same center $15,000 for a turtle enclosure and repairs.
• The Marianne H. Halle Animal Support Foundation (opens in a new tab) gave AWARE Wildlife Center in Lithonia, Georgia $30,000 for wildlife rehabilitation.
• The Frank Steele Foundation (opens in a new tab) gave WildCare Oklahoma in Noble $25,000 for wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and education.
• The Head and Heart Foundation Trust (opens in a new tab) gave the Wildlife Rehabilitators Association of Rhode Island $25,000 in general support.
• The Idealistic Cause Foundation (opens in a new tab) gave Superior Wildlife Rehab Center in Marquette, Michigan $20,000 for wildlife rehabilitation.
• The Orion Charitable Foundation (opens in a new tab) gave Second Chance Wildlife Center in Gaithersburg, Maryland $15,000 for care of orphaned, ill and injured animals.

Two patterns stand out. The New Mexico Wildlife Center drew three separate foundation grants in one year, including one for a specific enclosure, which shows how a center can stack several local funders. And the Rhode Island grant went to a statewide rehabilitators' association, a useful route for home-based rehabbers who can't receive grants as individuals.

Get the animal funder list for your state

Grantsights' animal welfare funder list names the foundations that reported animal grants on their own 990-PF filings, grouped by state, with funders that say they take requests listed first. Each entry shows recent recipients and purposes, so you can find the funders that have already paid for wildlife care, enclosures or vet bills near you. The state preview on this page is free to browse. The complete animal list is a one-time $29 purchase covering all states, a $99 plan opens every cause list for 12 months, and both come with a full refund if you ask within 30 days.

Small Federal and State Agreements: Rare, but Real

Federal money for wildlife rehab does appear now and then, as a small agreement tied to one site. A 2017 Marine Corps Base Twentynine Palms listing (opens in a new tab) sought a licensed wildlife rehabilitation organization to care for injured, ill and orphaned birds and other wildlife from the base. It estimated about 30 animals in 12 months, with awards of $2,000 to $6,000, and cited the Endangered Species Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act as the reasons for the work.

Agreements like that are worth knowing about for 3 reasons:

1. Military bases, refuges and state parks generate injured wildlife. If one sits in your service area and you already take its animals, ask the natural resources manager whether a cost agreement is possible.
2. They pay per animal, not for overhead. A $6,000 ceiling for about 30 animals works out to roughly $200 per animal. Track your real cost per patient before you sign anything.
3. They're listed publicly. Search federal listings for "wildlife rehabilitation" a couple of times a year; postings are local and short-lived.

State wildlife agencies sometimes fund rehab through small grants, license plate programs or oil spill response contracts, but the details vary by state and change often. Ask your agency's permit office directly what, if anything, it funds.

What USFWS Doesn't Tell You About Funding a Rehab Operation

The permit rule explains how to stay legal. It leaves out several things that decide whether a rehab center can raise money:

1. Permits cost money that no one reimburses. Facilities "adequate" for the species, a vet agreement, subpermittee paperwork and 5 years of records all take time and cash. Put permit compliance in your budget and ask funders to cover it by name; a foundation that wants rehab done right will often pay for the cage that meets the standard.
2. Your annual report is your best grant exhibit. Under 50 CFR 21.76, you already record each bird's date received, type of injury or illness, disposition and date of disposition, and report it yearly. Turn it into a one-page outcome summary (admissions, release rate, top causes of injury) and attach it to every request.
3. Wildlife can't be adopted, so you can't charge adoption fees. Pet rescues fund part of their work through adoptions. Rehab centers can't, which is a strong, honest argument for grant support that many centers forget to make.
4. Education is a separate funding story. The rehab permit doesn't allow educational use of birds. If you run education programs with non-releasable animals under a separate permit, pitch them separately, often to education or environmental funders.

Common Mistakes That Sink Wildlife Rehab Grant Requests

Most declined rehab requests fail for reasons that are easy to fix:

• Applying as an individual. Most foundations can't grant to a person. Form a 501(c)(3), join under a fiscal sponsor, or apply through a statewide rehabilitators' association. Grantsights' guide on what a fiscal sponsor is explains the setup.
• Writing to pet-only funders. Many animal funders give only to dog and cat rescues. Check a foundation's 990-PF for wildlife, nature center or conservation grants before you write.
• No numbers. "We help hundreds of animals" tells a funder nothing it can compare. Give last year's admissions, the number of species, and the share released, taken straight from your own annual report.
• Asking for operating money with no story. Funders respond to a named need: a raptor flight cage, an incubator, a season of formula for orphaned mammals.
• Ignoring conservation funders. Rehab centers that track injury causes (window strikes, vehicle collisions, lead poisoning) have data environmental funders want. See grants for environmental nonprofits for those funders.

A 12-Month Funding Calendar for a Wildlife Center

Baby season fills most rehab centers from spring into late summer, so grant writing has to happen in the quieter months. This 12-month calendar keeps applications out of your busiest weeks:

For the letters, Grantsights' guide on how to write a grant letter of inquiry gives a short format that fits a first ask. For screening funders, use how to read a 990-PF. To check open federal and state programs, use the Grantsights grant search.

Related Guides for Animal and Habitat Groups

Wildlife centers often share donors with pet rescues and land conservation groups. The grants for animal rescues guide covers domestic animal funders and disaster pet sheltering. The best grants for animal welfare nonprofits roundup lists national programs, and grants for land trusts covers habitat funders that sometimes back release sites.

• Grants For Hospices

FAQ: Common Questions

Are there federal grants for wildlife rehabilitation? Not as a standing program. USFWS permits bird rehab under 50 CFR 21.76, and State Wildlife Grants go to state agencies. Small site-specific agreements, like a 2017 Twentynine Palms listing paying $2,000 to $6,000, are rare.

Who funds wildlife rehabilitation centers? Mostly private foundations and donors. The DKR Foundation gave Pacific Wildlife Care $2,200,000 to build a rehab center; the Frank Steele Foundation gave WildCare Oklahoma $25,000.

Can a home-based wildlife rehabber get grants? Rarely as an individual. Form a nonprofit, use a fiscal sponsor, or work through a state rehabilitators' association.

What permits does a wildlife rehabber need before applying for grants? Usually a state permit and, for most birds, a federal permit under 50 CFR 21.76: age 18 or older, 100 hours of experience over a year, adequate facilities and a vet agreement. The application fee is $50.

How big is a typical foundation grant for wildlife rehab? Grantsights analysis of 990-PF records found animal welfare medians of $2,500 to $5,000 in most states. Named rehab grants mostly run $5,000 to $30,000.

Sources

• 50 CFR 21.76, Migratory bird rehabilitation permits (opens in a new tab)
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Form 3-200-10b, Migratory Bird Rehabilitation (opens in a new tab)
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: State Wildlife Grants (opens in a new tab)
• Texas Parks and Wildlife: Wildlife rehabilitation permits (opens in a new tab)
• Grants.gov: Care and Rehabilitation of Injured, Ill and Orphaned Migratory Birds and Other Terrestrial Wildlife (N62473-17-2-0012) (opens in a new tab)
• IRS: About Form 990-PF (opens in a new tab)