Universities Federation For Animal Welfare

Charity Number: 207996

Annual Expenditure: £0.1M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £68,104 (2023-24, 13 grants awarded)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Applications reviewed as quickly as possible; minimum 2 months before project start required
  • Grant Range: Up to £5,000 (Small Research Grants); over £5,000 (Large Research Grants)
  • Geographic Focus: International (worldwide eligibility)

Contact Details

Website: http://www.ufaw.org.uk

Email: ufaw@ufaw.org.uk | grants@ufaw.org.uk

Phone: 01582 831818

Address: The Old School, Brewhouse Hill, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, AL4 8AN, UK

Overview

Founded in 1926, the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW) is an independent, internationally recognized scientific and educational charity (Charity Number: 207996) dedicated to advancing animal welfare through evidence-based science. With an annual income of approximately £525,000 (2024), UFAW receives no government funding and relies entirely on donations, subscriptions, and legacies. Operating under the tagline “Science in the Service of Animal Welfare,” UFAW supports research and activities aimed at understanding and ameliorating welfare challenges for farm, companion, laboratory, zoo, and wild animals affected by humans. In 2023-24, UFAW awarded 13 grants totaling £68,104, supporting projects ranging from fundamental research into animals' subjective experiences to applied solutions for welfare problems. The charity also publishes the international scientific journal Animal Welfare in partnership with Cambridge University Press.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Small Research Grants (up to £5,000)

  • For smaller research projects benefiting animal welfare
  • Purchase of equipment
  • Organization of educational meetings, lectures, and courses
  • Publication, translation, or transmission of animal welfare information
  • Rolling applications accepted year-round; must be submitted at least two months before project start

Large Research Grants (over £5,000)

  • Limited funding available annually for larger scientific research projects
  • Competitive program due to funding constraints
  • Rarely funds very large projects
  • Rolling applications accepted year-round; must be submitted at least two months before project start

Travel, Training and Other Events Grants

  • Support for attending or organizing educational/scientific meetings, lectures, courses, or training visits
  • Unlikely to fund passive conference attendance without active participation (e.g., presentations)

Animal Welfare Student Scholarships

  • Annual awards for undergraduate or MSc students
  • £200 per week subsistence allowance plus £50 per week for departmental project expenses
  • Applications open September/October with 28 February deadline
  • Applicants must study at or be supervised by someone at a UFAW LINK university/institute
  • PhD students not eligible

UFAW SAWI Fund

  • Specialized grants for promoting animal welfare in Israel
  • Similar structure to main grant programs (small and large awards)
  • Restricted to Israeli projects or students

Priority Areas

UFAW seeks to support both fundamental and applied research across several areas:

  • Fundamental research: Providing new insight into animals' subjective mental experiences relevant to their welfare
  • Understanding animals' needs and preferences
  • Applied research: Developing practical solutions to animal welfare problems
  • Species coverage: Farm animals, companion animals, laboratory animals, zoo animals, and free-living wild animals whose welfare is compromised by human factors
  • Educational initiatives: University and college-level animal welfare education
  • Building capacity: Developing the global capacity to carry out high-quality animal welfare research

What They Don't Fund

  • Projects where conservation is the sole aim (animal welfare must be the main focus)
  • Work focused primarily on livestock productivity or yield improvement
  • Projects that have already taken place or are already fully funded by another body
  • Compulsory student coursework without clear justification (expects host institutions to fund these)
  • Overhead or infrastructure costs (only primary research costs funded)
  • Passive conference attendance where applicant is not actively participating
  • Projects outside their core mission of animal welfare science
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Governance and Leadership

Senior Management Team

Dr Huw Golledge BSc PhD - Chief Executive and Scientific Director (since January 2020)

Originally studied biology at University College London and completed a PhD in neuroscience at Newcastle University. Developed expertise in laboratory animal welfare research. On continuing support during COVID-19, Dr. Golledge stated: “In these extraordinary times UFAW is doing its best to continue supporting animal welfare science and is processing applications for funding as usual.” He has also emphasized that “the best way to improve animal welfare is to use science to discover what animals need and want, develop ways to provide for those needs and wants and then disseminate and implement the findings.”

Dr Birte Nielsen BSc, MSc, PhD - Research Director (since September 2020)

Brings 30 years of experience working with various animals in basic and applied ethology and animal welfare. Former President of the International Society for Applied Ethology.

Jane Moorman - Charity Secretary (since July 2013)

25+ years in senior management roles, overseeing financial management, compliance, and HR.

Kerry Pinny - Chief Operating Officer (since May 2025)

Senior leadership experience in not-for-profit and education sectors.

Board of Trustees

Emma-Louise Singh MCIOF (advDip) - Chair: Experienced fundraiser with 17+ years across trusts, foundations, and strategic fundraising.

David R Sargan MA PhD - Deputy Chair: Senior lecturer at University of Cambridge, specialist in comparative genetics of inherited disease in companion animals.

Corrie L McCann BSc ACA - Honorary Treasurer: Director of Operations at Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, Chartered Accountant.

Notable Trustees: Siobhan Abeyesinghe (RVC, farm animal welfare), Professor Richard M Bennett (agricultural economics, University of Reading), Dorothy McKeegan (University of Glasgow, recipient of HSA's Humane Slaughter Award 2019), Mike Radford OBE (animal welfare law pioneer, University of Aberdeen).

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

For Rolling Programs (Small Research Grants, Large Research Grants, Travel/Training):

  • Complete and submit online application forms available on UFAW website
  • Applications accepted year-round
  • Must submit at least two months before project start date to allow adequate review time
  • Applications outside this timeframe will not be eligible

For Student Scholarships:

  • Applications open annually in September/October
  • Deadline: 28 February
  • Complete online application form with student details, CV, current course information, supervisor details, and project description
  • UFAW publishes estimated response timelines for deadline-based schemes

Payment Methods:

  • UK applicants: Cheque in GBP sterling
  • International applicants: Bank transfer (recipients cover transfer costs)
  • Payments made only to applicant's name or administering institution (no third parties)

Decision Timeline

  • Rolling schemes: Applications considered “as quickly as possible” upon receipt
  • Minimum processing time: Two months from submission (hence the requirement to apply at least two months before project start)
  • Scholarship schemes: Estimated timeline published with annual call

Success Rates

Success rate statistics are not publicly available. In 2023-24, UFAW awarded 13 grants totaling £68,104. Application numbers are not disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is publicly stated. The FAQ notes that UFAW cannot provide detailed feedback or reasons for rejection, which may impact reapplication strategies.

Application Success Factors

Evaluation Criteria

Applications are judged on three key factors:

  1. Importance for animal welfare - particularly valuing estimates of affected animal numbers and welfare impact severity
  2. Scientific and other merits
  3. Value for money

Applications compete against others received in the same period, with consideration given to applicant quality and potential for building global capacity in animal welfare science.

What UFAW Values

  • Animal welfare as the main focus - Not conservation or agricultural productivity improvements as primary aims
  • Evidence-based approaches - Scientific rigor is paramount given UFAW's emphasis on “Science in the Service of Animal Welfare”
  • Quantifiable impact - Estimates of number of animals affected and severity of welfare impact
  • Capacity building - Projects that help develop global capacity in animal welfare science
  • Practical outcomes - Both fundamental research leading to new insights and applied research providing practical solutions

Recent Funded Projects (Examples)

Dr Benjamin Ineichen (University of Zurich) and Professor Malcolm Macleod (University of Edinburgh): Project on “Benchmarking translational performance of 3D culture models against animal models” - produced publications assessing predictive power of animal models in Multiple Sclerosis drug development.

Student Scholarship Projects:

  • Rosa Schimmel (Utrecht): Effects of light during incubation on feather pecking in laying hens
  • Isabel Izquierdo-Hall (Royal Veterinary College): Cage-free barns compared to colony cages for laying hen comfort behaviors
  • Benjamin Cargill (University of Bristol): Husbandry and housing effects on pet snake welfare
  • Natalie Maxwell (University of Guelph): Chronic stress responses in dogs across different husbandry conditions

Strategic Advice

  • Emphasize welfare focus: Clearly articulate how animal welfare is the main focus, not a secondary benefit of conservation or productivity work
  • Quantify impact: Provide specific estimates of numbers of animals affected and severity of welfare challenges
  • Demonstrate scientific merit: UFAW values rigorous methodology and evidence-based approaches
  • Show value for money: Given limited funds, demonstrate cost-effectiveness
  • Consider timing: Apply well in advance (minimum two months before start) and be prepared for competitive review
  • Build LINK relationships: For student scholarships, connection to UFAW LINK universities is essential
  • Active participation: For travel grants, demonstrate active participation (presentations, organizing roles) rather than passive attendance

Important Limitations

  • No detailed feedback: UFAW cannot provide detailed feedback or reasons for rejection
  • Limited funding: Funds for research are limited; very large projects rarely funded
  • Competitive process: Applications compete against others received in same period

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Animal welfare must be the primary focus - Projects focused on conservation or livestock productivity improvements alone are ineligible. Ensure your application clearly demonstrates welfare as the main aim.
  1. International reach with specific exceptions - Most grant programs are open worldwide, but student scholarships require UFAW LINK institutional affiliation. Verify eligibility early.
  1. Plan timing carefully - With a minimum two-month processing requirement before project start, early application is essential. Rolling deadlines offer flexibility but require advance planning.
  1. Quantify your impact - UFAW particularly values applications that estimate numbers of animals affected and severity of welfare impact. Include concrete metrics.
  1. Emphasize scientific rigor - As an evidence-based charity with “Science in the Service of Animal Welfare” as their tagline, demonstrate robust methodology and scientific merit.
  1. Keep costs reasonable - With limited funds (£68,104 total grants in 2023-24 across 13 awards) and no overhead funding, show exceptional value for money.
  1. No detailed feedback available - Since UFAW cannot provide reasons for rejection, ensure your first submission is as strong as possible. Consider peer review before submission.

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References