Animal Care Expo scholarships and awards
We are currently accepting scholarship applications for Animal Care Expo 2027.
The Trailblazers in Animal Welfare Awards are made possible by Humane World for Animals and Maddie's Fund. Meet past Trailblazer Honorees here. Scholarships and grants will be awarded to individuals working or volunteering in animal welfare.
Recipients can use the scholarship for the purpose of offsetting costs associated with registration, travel and lodging related to attending Animal Care Expo 2027.
Trailblazers in Animal Welfare Award and 18-month Professional Development Program: Requirements and eligibility (provided by Maddie's Fund)
At Humane World for Animals, we are committed to cultivating diverse emerging leaders in animal welfare. All applicants must be able to:
- Attend the daylong pre-conference Trailblazer in Animal Welfare workshop on May 5, 2027 in Grapevine, TX
- Attend Animal Care Expo May 6-9, 2027 in Grapevine, TX
- Engage in the full 18-month professional development program, which includes a 5-10 hour per month commitment to professional development, capacity building, community building activities and mentorship, from February 2027 to June 2028.
Selected applicants may also have the opportunity to attend a second Animal Care Expo 2028, from March 21-24 in Long Beach, CA, pending satisfactory completion of all Trailblazer Award requirements and commitments.
Apply to be a Trailblazer in Animal Welfare:
- The Trailblazer in Animal Welfare Award honors individuals, both professionals and volunteers, who are advancing equity and access in historically marginalized, underserved and underrepresented communities.
- These Trailblazers often serve on the frontlines in their community—they are breaking barriers and forging new paths toward a more equitable and inclusive movement. Their contributions are crucial in addressing the vulnerabilities faced by both individuals and their animals.
- Applicants must live in the United States and be working in or volunteer for an animal shelter, rescue organization, nonprofit veterinary clinic or animal protection organization. Preference will be given to first-time attendees.
You can learn more about our past Trailblazer in Animal Welfare Awardees here.
If you are a confirmed speaker for Animal Care Expo and are receiving any grant/stipend support, Trailblazers in Animal Welfare Award grant funding will replace the speaker grant/funding if application is approved.
Recipients will stay at the official Humane World for Animals headquarters' hotel, the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, as arranged by Humane World for Animals staff.
You should not register for the conference until you are notified if you received a grant; notifications will be sent prior to the advance registration deadline of March 4, 2027.
No funds will be dispersed to the attendee. Instead, grant recipients will follow Humane World for Animals' instructions for registering and booking their hotel and travel through designated channels, allowing Humane World for Animals to apply these funds directly to their expenses.
Grants are non-transferable without written permission from Humane World for Animals.
Additional details on the 18-month program structure, including program requirements and benefits are available in the application portal. The application must be completed in one sitting, as responses cannot be saved and returned to later.
Important dates
| December 18, 2026 | Application deadline. |
| February 12, 2027 | Scholarship and award recipients will be notified via email if they are receiving a scholarship/award by this date. A scholarship/grant agreement will be included that must be signed and returned within one week of notification. |
| March 4, 2027 | The discounted advance registration rate of $275 ends (for those not selected to receive a scholarship but wish to register for the conference on their own). Learning Labs are an additional $60. |
