Shelter Mentorship program

The goal of the Shelter Mentorship program is to provide resources and expertise to shelters that are committed to addressing 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 the HSUS 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 also supported by a $15,000 grant. The application deadline for the 2025 mentorship cohort is August 23, 2024. Applicants will be notified by October 31, 2024.

Applications for the 2025 mentorship cohort are now closed.

Community cats

Take cat management up a notch by developing comprehensive programming for community cats both in and out of the shelter. A focus on tactical trap-neuter-return, practical pathway planning for cats entering the shelter and coordination of programs across your organization provides a holistic approach to managing dynamic populations of cats in your community. Together we’ll review relevant local laws, standard operating procedures and other policies, then develop a roadmap for navigating obstacles, clearing bottlenecks and changing policies.

Pet-inclusive housing

Safe, stable and secure housing is a foundational building block in creating equity for pet ownership and keeping families together. Shelters participating in the mentorship will begin by researching and collecting data on the current landscape of affordable housing in the communities they serve to identify the challenges families face. Training will include ways to advocate for pet-inclusive housing and how to respond to the eviction crisis in your community.

Wildlife

Millions of wild animals are killed each year due to real or perceived conflicts. 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 animal shelters with the tools needed to respond to incoming inquiries from the public about wildlife humanely and effectively. 

Individual peer-to-peer mentorship

Not able to participate in a formal shelter mentorship with the HSUS? Consider mentoring a shelter in your state or region independently! Collaboration between mentor and mentee groups allows for opportunities to share knowledge and information to increase lifesaving. This mentorship is not eligible for grant funding, but we encourage you to review our mentorship guide (coming soon) for tips before embarking on a mentorship journey. Peer-to-peer relationship building may require helping your organization’s supporters and community understand the importance of equity in animal welfare, diverting some staff time and resources to elevating another group. In the end, however, it is a unique opportunity for groups that are leading the way in humane care and lifesaving to share their expertise outside their backyard, and truly help create a more humane nation.

Looking for more information? Find additional resources here.

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