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Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced an additional $5 million is available to support critical upgrades at New York's animal shelters. This is the third round of funding for the New York State Companion Animal Capital Fund, which will allow eligible organizations to make major improvements to their facilities to enhance animal care and health. A total of $15 million has been dedicated to the program since 2017.

"Over the last two years, this program has provided animal shelters with the funding needed to ensure New York's pets receive the care they need," Cuomo said. "Today's continued funding builds on the ongoing work to help expand the resources and tools these facilities, employees and volunteers need to help find pets loving homes."

The Companion Animal Capital Fund is the first state-funded program in the nation to support critical improvement projects at New York shelters. Since the launch of the program, 24 projects have been awarded across the State and are underway.

The Companion Animal Capital Fund is administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, which provides competitive matching grants to offset the costs associated with capital projects, allowing for better care and improved environments for animals that are housed in local shelters. Funds are available to eligible non-profit and municipal animal shelters, humane societies and societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals. Grants can be used to construct, renovate, rehab or acquire buildings and equipment needed to house, treat and care for sheltered dogs and cats.

State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, "There has been tremendous and sustained interest in this program, and we have seen a widespread need to help fund improvements at shelters that serve communities across our State. We are pleased and proud to see this funding continued so that we can support upgrades to the facilities that house these pets as they wait for their new homes."

The New York State Animal Protection Federation estimates that more than 150,000 animals are brought to these facilities annually and many are adopted by New York families.

Eligible organizations serving a single municipality with a population of less than two million may apply for grants of $50,000 to $200,000. Grants may not exceed 50 percent of the proposed project costs and applicants are required to match 50 percent of the grant total.

Eligible organizations serving two or more municipalities, or one municipality with a population of more than two million, may apply for grants of $100,000 to $500,000. For these grants, the awarded funding may not exceed 75 percent of the proposed project cost and applicants are required to match 25 percent of the grant.

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