Michelson Impact Programs
To Michelson Found Animals, philanthropy is an opportunity to focus funds, resources, and business acumen towards giant, solvable problems. It’s through the programs below that we champion pets in our world.

Strategic Initiatives

Our Strategic Initiatives address societal issues closest to our hearts, often intersecting human and animal needs. We understand these issues are complicated, and consciously enter them through partnerships with specialized human service organizations to develop truly additive and collaborative programs. We don’t have all the answers to these complicated problems. We do, however, have the people, knowledge and will to help improve the lives of people and pets everywhere.

Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative

We believe that pets enrich people’s lives, and that everyone should have access to the joy of pets in their home. The Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative was created to field research demonstrating the benefits of pet-friendly housing to owner/operators, residents, and communities. From this research, we develop resources and partnerships that seek to increase the availability of pet-friendly rental housing.

Better Neighbor Project

Michelson Found Animals believes that everyone, regardless of their socioeconomic status, has the right to the joy of pets.

Better Neighbor Project is our commitment to entering the partnerships and telling the stories that will help our brothers, sisters, and neighbors experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles and across the US.

Michelson Institute for Pet Professions

The Michelson Institute for Pet Professions (MIPP) creates equal access to pet care careers by providing skills training and job placement for individuals in underserved communities who have a passion for working with animals. Students accepted to MIPP receive a full scholarship from Michelson Found Animals (MFA) to obtain a professional certification in pet grooming, and they receive placement services upon graduation.

Return to Home

Return-to-Home (RTH) is the process of returning a lost and found pet to its home, where it is safe with its owner. More often than not, stray animals are actually lost pets with families who miss them. This means that the first priority is to return the lost pet to its rightful home.

Philanthropic Investments

Money can’t solve all the world’s problems. When used strategically, however, it can create systems, opportunities and incentives for real solutions. This is why all of our Philanthropic Investments require more than a 1:1 return. We critically analyze and expect our investments to continuously grow, develop lasting impact, and help millions of people and pets for years to come.

Michelson Prize & Grants in Reproductive Biology

In 2008, Found Animals launched the $75M Michelson Prize & Grants in Reproductive Biology program to incentivize research and rapidly develop a single-dose, nonsurgical sterilant for cats and dogs. We envision a world in which this product is widely available, helping eliminate shelter euthanasia of healthy, adoptable companion animals and reduce populations of free-roaming cats and dogs.

To date, we have committed $15M in Michelson Grants to projects worldwide.

Michelson Found Animals Lifesaving Grants

We are committed to funding pet lifesaving by addressing two major sources of overpopulation in shelters: Spay/Neuter Access and Surrender Prevention. Our grants tackle both issues to make the greatest impact possible on reducing shelter euthanasia. We focus support towards organizations that serve areas with the greatest need, then work with our partners to ensure the funds and resources are used efficiently.

Fundraising Challenge

MFA’s Fundraising Challenges create an opportunity for animal welfare nonprofits to learn critical fundraising and donor base building skills that will help achieve their lifesaving goals. Since 2014, we have distributed over $1 Million in cash prizes, and together with over 600 participating organizations, we have raised nearly $9 Million for pets.

Leap Venture Studio

Leap Ventures is a partnership between Michelson Found Animals, Kinship — a division of Mars Petcare, and R/GA, and ignites growth across the pet care startup ecosystem. Representing the most innovative thinkers in pet care, Kinship and MFA recognize foster innovation and growth from the bottom-up.

Since 2018, Leap has partnered with 19 companies – all of which seek to create meaningful impact on pet wellness today.