Shelter Mentorship program
Partnering for success
The goal of the Shelter Mentorship program is to provide resources and expertise to shelters that are working to address some of the most common challenges in animal welfare. Through grant funding, training and policy engagement, the program partners with selected shelters on one of three topics: community cats, pet-inclusive housing and wildlife.
Over the course of the year, the selected shelter and subject matter experts at Humane World and beyond will connect to discuss community-specific goals related to data analysis, local and/or state policy change, and program development. Each mentorship is supported by a $15,000 grant.
Applications for the 2026 cohort are being accepted through August 24, 2025. Applicants will be notified by October 31, 2025.
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Community cats
Our community cats mentorship aims to help cats through effective policies and programs that will, over time, humanely reduce the number of outdoor cats in the community. We’ll help you implement a holistic approach to managing dynamic populations of cats in your community through tactical trap neuter-return, practical pathway planning for cats entering the shelter and coordination of programs across your organization.
Together we’ll review relevant local and state laws, standard operating procedures and other policies, then develop a roadmap for navigating obstacles, clearing bottlenecks and changing policies. Participating organizations will have the opportunity to co-host a town hall and training event for staff and the community with Humane World for Animals. These in-person or virtual conversations will set the bar for best practices for cat caregivers, trappers and other volunteers; help build a network of cat advocates; and provide a platform for the mentee shelter to gain support for its community cat programs.
Ideal organizational candidates are those that have a staff member dedicated to trap-neuter-return programs and have access to consistent spay/neuter appointments.
Past participants include Danville-Boyle County Humane Society, Humane Society of Scott County, Humane Educational Society, Madison Cat Project, Vanderburgh Humane Society, Good Mews Animal Foundation, Hawaiian Humane Society and Kitsap Humane Society.
Pet-inclusive housing
Safe, stable and secure housing is a foundational building block in creating equity for pet ownership and keeping families together. Our housing-centered mentorship seeks to build awareness and action that will reduce the number of animals flowing into shelters and keep more pets in their homes.
Together with other experts in the field, Humane World for Animals will provide background on the systemic issues of poverty, housing insecurity, and government-sanctioned programs and policies that have resulted in a legacy of economic and racial segregation and income inequality. Shelters participating in the mentorship will collect data on affordable housing in the communities and will survey community members to better understand specific housing policies that affect their ability to keep their pet(s). Using data, organizations can identify how best to better support pet owners facing eviction. These approaches may include local or state policy initiatives and expansion of safety net programs.
Ideal organizational candidates are those that have a staff member dedicated to pet-owner support programs or intake prevention, are focused on building relationships with non-animal welfare partners including housing advocacy organizations and have the bandwidth to advocate for local and state policies in order to remove barriers to housing.
Past participants include Cleveland Animal Protective League, Richmond SPCA, Greenville County Animal Care, Houston Humane Society, ACCT Philly, Animal Rescue League of Iowa, Dorchester Paws, and Companion Animal Alliance.
Wildlife
Millions of wild animals are killed each year due to real or perceived conflicts with humans. These conflicts can often be solved with simple advice given over the phone. Many shelters want to incorporate wildlife into their mission to help animals, but with limited resources and competing demands, it can seem like an insurmountable challenge. Our wildlife-focused mentorship will equip shelters with the tools needed to respond humanely and effectively to inquiries from the public about wildlife.
Data collection provides invaluable insights on where to spend limited time and resources to achieve the greatest impact for animals. Together, we’ll create a system for tracking inquiries from the public about conflicts with wildlife. We’ll use this information to tailor trainings to participating shelter staff on topics such as solving problems with species from squirrels to bears, reuniting and renesting orphaned wildlife, wild animal capture and handling, and more.
Ideal organizational candidates are those that have a staff member dedicated to fielding calls about wildlife and have the bandwidth to advocate for local and state policies related to wildlife response.
The wildlife mentorship was launched in 2025 with our pilot mentee, Harker Heights Pet Adoption Center.
Looking for more information? Find additional resources here.
Hear from past participants
“Our experience with the mentorship program was extremely positive! The team we worked with was knowledgeable, supportive, and responsive. It was clear that they were committed to the project and achieving desired outcomes. They approached the work as a partnership, providing opportunities to learn from each other. The commitment was reasonable and forced us to put time aside to work on an initiative that was already on our list of things to accomplish. Not only would I sign up again, I certainly would recommend it to others!” -Sharon Harvey, President & CEO, Cleveland Animal Protective League
“The staff of the Richmond SPCA found the mentorship with Humane World to be a very valuable experience. We are grateful for the counsel, advice and guidance provided by Humane World team members as well as excellent training on topics related to housing insecurity and trauma-informed care. The mentorship set a foundation to expand our pet-retention resources focused on housing.” - Tamsen Kingry, CEO, Richmond SPCA
“I enjoyed discussing my shelter’s program with a team dedicated to helping us succeed. They were a great source of knowledge and ideas. The feedback I received from everyone on the team has been wonderful and incredibly helpful […] This opportunity shaped my passion for the TNR movement for the long haul.” -Jeanine Cloyd, Humane Education Manager, Humane Educational Society
“Our organization was thrilled to be a part of the Mentorship Program. The funding gave us the boost we needed to start our Community Cat efforts. The ability to learn and network with their knowledgeable team made all the difference to set us up for success.” -Kendall Paul, CEO, Vanderburgh Humane Society
