Greek Cat Welfare Society (uk)

Charity Number: 1008057

Annual Expenditure: £0.2M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £155,000 - £183,000
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly available
  • Grant Range: Not publicly specified
  • Geographic Focus: Greece (Athens, Crete, Rhodes, Samos, Skyros, Thessaloniki)
  • Supported Groups: Over 30 local volunteer organizations

Contact Details

Website: www.greekcats.org.uk

Email:

  • Project funding inquiries: grants@greekcats.org.uk
  • General inquiries: admin@greekcats.org.uk

Phone: 01308 427711

Postal Address:

GCWS Fundraising

22 Roundle Avenue

Bognor Regis

PO22 8LL

Overview

The Greek Cat Welfare Society (UK) was founded in 1992 and is registered with the Charity Commission (No. 1008057) as a charitable company limited by guarantee. The organization's mission is to promote and educate the public in Greece about cat welfare and to relieve the suffering of cats in need of care and attention, primarily through trap-neuter-return (TNR) operations. With annual giving ranging from £155,000 to £183,000 in recent years, the charity operates entirely through unpaid volunteers, ensuring that the vast majority of income is directed toward cat welfare programs in Greece rather than administrative costs. GCWS currently supports over 30 local volunteer groups across Greece with grants, equipment, supplies, and access to veterinary surgeons and nurses. The organization's strategic approach focuses on humane population control through neutering rather than individual animal rescue, recognizing that TNR is the only effective method of sustainably reducing stray cat populations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

GCWS operates a grant-making program to support local volunteer groups in Greece conducting cat neutering programs. Their 2023 annual report shows financial support totalling over £153,000 to local groups, plus contributions to veterinary surgeons' and nurses' travel costs.

Support provided includes:

  • Financial grants to local volunteer organizations
  • Equipment and supplies for TNR operations
  • Access to visiting veterinary surgeons and nurses
  • Coordination of veterinary teams for neutering campaigns (most months of the year)

Application process: Contact grants@greekcats.org.uk for project funding inquiries. However, the organization is not currently accepting new projects due to workload constraints and limited volunteer capacity.

Priority Areas

What They Fund:

  • Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs for stray cat colonies
  • Neutering campaigns organized by local volunteer groups
  • Feeding programs only when linked to viable neutering programs
  • Veterinary care for neutered cats
  • Educational activities promoting cat welfare in Greece
  • Local shelter initiatives aligned with population control objectives

Geographic Focus:

Currently supporting groups in Athens, Crete, Rhodes, Samos, Skyros, and Thessaloniki, with demonstrated impact in multiple regions (e.g., Rhodes approaching 2,000 cats neutered after three years; Ermioni area with over 1,700 cats neutered).

What They Don't Fund

  • Individual animal rescue or rehoming
  • Financial assistance for importing pets to the UK
  • Feeding programs without neutering components (they believe feeding without neutering only increases stray populations)
  • Projects outside Greece
  • Organizations with rescue facilities (GCWS has no rescue facilities in Greece or the UK)
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Governance and Leadership

Trustees (6 total):

  • Adrian James Caunter MRCVS
  • Carolyn Murray
  • Sophie Louise Charvill-Wells
  • Peter Richard Brown
  • Philip Agate
  • Nigel David Letheren

Organizational Structure:

  • No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity
  • Run entirely by unpaid volunteers working from home
  • Team includes EU vets and nurses, local volunteers in Greece, and UK-based fundraising and administration teams
  • 6 volunteers listed in addition to 6 trustees

Financial Accountability:

  • Recognized by HMRC for gift aid
  • Comprehensive policies including complaints handling, financial controls, risk management, volunteer management, and conflicts of interest
  • Accounts and annual reports available for download from website

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

GCWS identifies and supports local volunteer groups in Greece through their network of volunteers and veterinary professionals. Grants are awarded at the trustees' discretion to groups conducting neutering programs in Greece. The organization explicitly states they are not currently taking on new projects due to the workload of managing support for existing local groups and limited volunteer capacity.

For those wishing to inquire about future funding opportunities: grants@greekcats.org.uk

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available. Grant decisions appear to be made by trustees based on ongoing relationships with supported groups rather than through scheduled funding rounds.

Success Rates

Not publicly available. Given the closed application process and capacity constraints, prospective applicants should be aware that the organization is currently focused on supporting their existing network of 30+ groups.

Application Success Factors

Since GCWS does not have a public application process, the following factors appear to influence which groups receive support:

Alignment with Core Mission:

The organization has a clear policy that they “only support feeding where a viable neutering programme is in place,” demonstrating their strict focus on population control over symptom management.

Geographic Reach:

Current support focuses on specific regions: Athens, Crete, Rhodes, Samos, Skyros, and Thessaloniki. Groups in these areas or similar strategic locations may be better positioned.

Volunteer-Led Model:

GCWS works with “local volunteer groups who organize neutering programmes,” suggesting they prefer grassroots, community-based organizations over larger institutional structures.

Measurable Impact:

Supported groups demonstrate quantifiable success (e.g., Rhodes neutering nearly 2,000 cats in three years, Ermioni neutering over 1,700 cats), indicating the organization values evidence of effectiveness.

TNR Methodology:

Groups must embrace trap-neuter-return as “the only humane, effective method of reducing a stray cat population,” reflecting the organization's evidence-based approach to animal welfare.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No current applications accepted: GCWS is not taking on new projects due to capacity constraints with their small volunteer team
  • Relationship-based funding: Grants appear to flow through established networks rather than open calls for proposals
  • Neutering is non-negotiable: Any feeding or care programs must be coupled with viable neutering programs to qualify for support
  • Geographic specificity: Focus on key regions in Greece where they have established veterinary and volunteer networks
  • Efficiency focused: As a volunteer-run organization with no office costs, they maximize funds directed to programs and seek partners with similar efficiency
  • Long-term commitment: Supported groups show multi-year engagement (e.g., Rhodes' three-year program), suggesting GCWS values sustained partnerships
  • Contact for future opportunities: While not currently accepting new projects, interested groups should contact grants@greekcats.org.uk to express interest for when capacity becomes available

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