The Maine Community Foundation has awarded $282,500 in grants to 21 Maine organizations to support animal welfare, according to a news release.

Local grantees include:

• Humane Society Waterville Area, for the Angel Foster program, $20,000;

• Franklin County Animal Shelter, for the shelter’s spay/neuter voucher program: $10,000;

• Greater Androscoggin Humane Society, to support medical care for shelter and privately-owned pets as well as community outreach vaccination clinics: $20,000;

• Responsible Pet Care of Oxford Hills Inc., to serve felines in overpopulation situations and fund grants to assist with cost of spaying or neutering for low-income or elderly pet owners: $10,000; and

• Somerset Humane Society, for the low-cost voucher program to assist the public with spaying and neutering cats, $10,000.

The fund supports organizations dedicated to advancing animal welfare in Maine. Priority is given to organizations that help low-income or disadvantaged populations maintain ownership of their pets and prevent animal surrender or abandonment.

The next deadline for proposals to the Animal Welfare Fund is June 1, 2022. For an application, guidelines and a complete list of 2021 grants, go to mainecf.org.

An anonymous donor established the Animal Welfare fund in 2007. It is further supported by the Doree Taylor Charitable Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., and the George F. Lyman and Ernestine Lyman Trust.

For more information, visit mainecf.org or contact Program Officer John Ochira at 877-700-6800 or [email protected].