How to apply for Grant Recipient, Animal Welfare

About EA Funds

EA Funds is a grantmaking project created by the Centre for Effective Altruism during the W17 batch of Y Combinator. It distributes grants to projects that aim to improve the world, including a dedicated fund for animal welfare. Working there means directing money to high-impact animal advocacy and research, often in neglected regions.

About the role

As a Grant Recipient for Animal Welfare, you manage and distribute grants that focus on improving the well-being of nonhuman animals. You support projects in neglected geographic regions, fund research into animal advocacy or welfare, and identify exceptional opportunities. The role directly shapes how millions of dollars are allocated to reduce farmed animal suffering.

A typical day

A typical day might involve reviewing grant proposals from animal advocacy groups in neglected regions, analyzing research on farmed animal welfare interventions, and meeting with potential grantees to assess their work. You would also spend time identifying gaps in funding and deciding how to allocate money to the most effective opportunities.

Who EA Funds is looking for

• Has direct experience managing or distributing grants for animal welfare causes, including evaluating proposals and monitoring outcomes.
• Knows animal advocacy, welfare research, and farmed animal issues in depth, including effective interventions and key organizations.
• Understands which geographic regions have neglected animal welfare needs and can identify gaps in funding.
• Can spot and support exceptional opportunities, such as promising research or advocacy projects that others overlook.

Tips for this application

• Show concrete examples of grants you have managed or distributed for animal welfare. Include amounts, number of grants, and results.
• Demonstrate knowledge of farmed animal issues by referencing specific interventions or research areas you have funded or studied.
• Name specific neglected regions where you have worked or have knowledge, and explain why they are neglected.
• Explain how you identify exceptional opportunities. Give an example of a project you supported that others missed.
• Read EA Funds' public grant reports and blog posts. Reference their past animal welfare grants in your application to show you understand their approach.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Your track record in grant management for animal welfare, including how you select and evaluate projects.', 'Your understanding of farmed animal issues and the most effective ways to reduce their suffering.', 'Your knowledge of neglected geographic regions and why funding there matters.', 'How you find and support exceptional opportunities that others overlook.']

Research before applying

• Review EA Funds' animal welfare grant history and public reports to understand their funding priorities and past recipients.
• Read the Centre for Effective Altruism's writings on effective animal advocacy to understand their framework.
• Research current gaps in farmed animal welfare funding, especially in neglected geographic regions.
• Look up key organizations and researchers in animal welfare research to know who is doing what.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How you would allocate a fixed budget across farmed animal welfare interventions in different regions.
• Your process for evaluating a grant proposal from a small, unknown organization in a neglected country.
• Which animal advocacy or welfare research areas you think are most neglected and why.
• A time you identified a high-impact opportunity that others missed, and what happened.
• How you would measure the success of a grant aimed at improving farmed animal welfare.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Focusing only on companion animals or wildlife, when the role is primarily about farmed animals.
• Claiming knowledge of neglected regions without specific examples or experience.
• Treating grant management as administrative work rather than strategic decision-making about impact.