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In July 2022, we awarded $910,000 to organizations and projects around the world as part of our sixth round of Movement Grants. These projects are now complete, and we are delighted to share the organizations’ accomplishments with you below. You can read updates from our other Round 6 grantees here.
When grantees complete their projects, we send them a survey to learn about the progress they’ve made. This survey helps us improve our future grantmaking decisions and showcase the achievements of our funded organizations.
Africa
Amis de l’Afrique Francophone – Bénin
Eduquons Autrement
Sibanye Animal Welfare and Conservancy Trust
Anglo America
Black Veg Society
Climate Refarm
DC Voters for Animals
Asia
Catalyst
Europe
Agriculture Cellulaire France
AnimaNaturalis
Convergence Animaux Politique
Dansk Vegetarisk Forening
Dzīvnieku Brīvība
Gyvi Gali
Shrimp Welfare Project
Latin America
Fundación Derecho y Defensa Animal
Oceania
Cellular Agriculture Australia
Africa
Amis de l’Afrique Francophone – Bénin
Amis de l’Afrique Francophone – Bénin focuses on socioeconomic and environmental challenges. With ACE’s support, they launched a program to enhance plant-based meal availability in schools and educate on the impacts of industrial animal agriculture. They plan to reach 240 cooks in 24 schools to introduce plant-based meals twice weekly and establish animal rights clubs.
Country: Bénin
ACE Grant Amount: $30,000
Percent of their reported updates funded by ACE: 100%
Main Accomplishments:
- Trained 120 cooks in preparing vegetable dishes as meat alternatives
- Conducted 12 workshops in middle and high schools to raise awareness of farmed animals’ suffering and promote plant-based diets
- Held a lobbying and advocacy workshop with local authorities and community leaders to discuss integrating plant-based alternatives into development policies
- Aired six radio programs to inform communities about vegan/vegetarian diets and project objectives
- Distributed 4,000 brochures to promote the adoption of plant-based diets
- Reported that awareness campaigns in schools led to a reduction of approximately 28,800 meat dishes per month in the 12 schools targeted by the project
Eduquons Autrement
Eduquons Autrement educates the public about health, animal rights, and environmental issues. With their Movement Grant, they have conducted educational outreach, including workshops and animal rights clubs in schools, to promote veganism and address industrial animal agriculture issues.
Country: Bénin
ACE Grant Amount: $10,000
Percent of their reported updates funded by ACE: 100%
Main Accomplishments:
- Held two participatory workshops to involve local authorities and communities in veganism and animal rights advocacy
- Established six school clubs, engaging 180 youths in animal rights promotion
- Aired four radio programs in two municipalities
- Distributed 1,500 awareness posters in schools to further educate on veganism and animal rights
Sibanye Animal Welfare and Conservancy Trust
Established in Zimbabwe in 2018, Sibanye Animal Welfare and Conservancy Trust aims to enhance animal welfare and conservation. With ACE funding, they’ve conducted research on aquaculture welfare standards, aiming to lay the groundwork for educational campaigns on fish welfare for farmers and policymakers.
Country: Zimbabwe
ACE Grant Amount: $13,500
Percent of their reported updates funded by ACE: 100%
Main Accomplishments:
- Conducted research on the condition of farmed fish in Zimbabwe, including visits to 18 farms across six provinces
- Engaged with farm employees, farmers, government officials, university lecturers, and students to gather data on fish farming practices, laws, slaughter, and transportation
Anglo America
Black Veg Society
Founded in 2015 in the U.S. with a focus on Maryland and broader regions, the Black Veg Society educates on veganism’s benefits, especially within BIPOC communities. Their activities, including vegan restaurant weeks and the Vegan Soulfest, are funded to promote vegan options and holistic living.
Country: United States (Maryland)
ACE Grant Amount: $30,000
Percent of their reported updates funded by ACE: 33%
Main Accomplishments:
- Gained 1,500+ social media followers and engaged two youth mentees
- Conducted six Food As Medicine webinars and five Meatless Monday events
- Collaborated with East Baltimore Development Initiative for Keep it Fresh Fest, educating 100 attendees on vegan living
- Hosted successful Maryland Vegan Restaurant Months, with 35–40 restaurants participating biannually
- Vegan SoulFest 2022 sold 2,000 tickets, with 2023 ticket sales surpassing 11,000
Climate Refarm
Climate Refarm seeks to leverage carbon credits to incentivize the transition to plant-based products in institutional food services. Their funding supports efforts to get a carbon crediting methodology accredited, potentially unlocking new funding streams for animal advocacy.
Country: United States
ACE Grant Amount: $48,000
Percent of their reported updates funded by ACE: 25%
Main Accomplishments:
- Advanced their Climate-Friendly Foodservice carbon offset methodology to step three of six with Verra, the largest carbon offsetting program
- Once completed, such a methodology will enable Climate Refarm and other project developers to receive carbon credit funding for efforts to shift food procurement away from carbon-intensive meat and toward sustainable plant-based options. This carbon credit funding can provide a funding stream to institutional food providers (e.g., schools, hospitals, etc.) and the food intervention organizations working alongside them to shift food procurement toward more sustainable options.
- Developed a draft methodology for food service providers to accurately assess GHG emissions impact, setting the foundation for carbon credit funding to support sustainable food procurement
DC Voters for Animals
DC Voters for Animals (DCVFA) engages in political lobbying to enhance animal welfare and rights. Their ACE-funded efforts have been directed toward passing legislation to mitigate bird collisions by updating the DC building code, alongside other animal welfare initiatives.
Country: United States (Washington DC)
ACE Grant Amount: $10,000
Percent of their reported updates funded by ACE: 100% for the bird-safe buildings effort
Main Accomplishments:
- Successfully lobbied for the Migratory Local Wildlife Protection Act, leading to its enactment
- This “bird-safe buildings” law mandates the use of materials that reduce bird collisions.
- Contributed to the public hearing of the Fur Products Prohibition Act, coordinating testimonies from advocates, and saw its reintroduction in 2023
- Facilitated national polls on fur attitudes, enhancing public and legislative awareness
- Supported the passage of the Animal Care and Control Omnibus Act, with significant media coverage quoting DCVFA
Asia
Catalyst
Catalyst partners with Thailand’s Ministry of Education to foster plant-based nutrition in schools via its Meatless Friday program. Expanding from a successful pilot, the initiative now reaches 50 additional schools, with their Movement Grant supporting the extension and creation of youth leadership programs.
Country: Thailand
ACE Grant Amount: $50,000
Percent of their reported updates funded by ACE: 100%
Main Accomplishments:
- Implemented Meatless Friday in 59 new primary schools (in partnership with the Ministry of Education’s Office of Basic Education), benefiting 16,159 students
- Trained 527 teachers in plant-based nutrition, totaling 1,937 trained since 2021
- Developed 50 youth leaders through camps and established six youth-led Good Food Clubs
- Organized plant-based roadshows in nine schools, engaging 678 students
- Piloted a carbon credit revenue program (in partnership with Climate Refarm) in four schools to incentivize plant-based meals
Europe
Agriculture Cellulaire France
Agriculture Cellulaire France focuses on promoting cellular agriculture through research and stakeholder education in France. Aiming to foster support for public policies favorable to the industry, they used their Movement Grant to appoint a policy officer to spearhead their advocacy strategy.
Country: France
ACE Grant Amount: $30,000
Percent of their reported updates funded by ACE: 60%
Main Accomplishments:
- Engaged nearly a hundred policymakers, organizations, and researchers, establishing a vital network supporting cellular agriculture
- Influenced the French Senate’s report on cellular agriculture, converting a key senator from opposition to support for research investment
- Became the primary organization for media inquiries on cellular agriculture in France, enhancing public and stakeholder awareness
AnimaNaturalis
AnimaNaturalis focuses on animal rights in Spain and the E.U., using investigations and lobbying to improve animal welfare. With ACE’s support, they’ve tackled intensive rabbit farming welfare issues and launched campaigns for broader legislative reforms.
Country: Spain and the E.U.
ACE Grant Amount: $30,000
Percent of their reported updates funded by ACE: 25%
Main Accomplishments:
- Conducted undercover investigations on mink farms and within the hunting dog community, raising public awareness and support
- Influenced political agendas during elections to include animal protection commitments
- Launched Spain’s first investigation into bull-related festival spending by 1,820 city councils
- Researched 10 rabbit farms, resulting in a public report and the rescue of six rabbits, with two now living in a sanctuary
- Campaigned against the establishment of the world’s first larval octopus farm in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
- Generated nearly 200 press appearances through street actions and campaigns across the country
Convergence Animaux Politique
Convergence Animaux Politique, established in France in 2017, is a lobbying group advocating for animal welfare improvements. Their efforts, including initiating legislation against animal mistreatment and pushing for a ban on caged farming, are supported by a Movement Grant dedicated to a lobbyist’s salary.
Country: France
ACE Grant Amount: $20,000
Percent of their reported updates funded by ACE: 40%
Main Accomplishments:
- Supported three bills and 15 government inquiries on animal welfare and food transition from July 2022 to July 2023
- Held 58 MP meetings and six government meetings, mapping MPs by their animal welfare commitment and advocating for farmed animal welfare and plant-based food
- Participated in the Ministry of Agriculture’s six-month working group to influence new agricultural legislation
- Collaborated with seven NGOs to mobilize MPs for the revision of the European regulatory framework on animal welfare legislation, covering farming conditions, transport, slaughter methods, and labeling
- Organized three events gathering MPs and NGOs, focusing on plant-based food transition and the future of farming, advocating for ending intensive farming and promoting plant-based alternatives
- Supported 25 partner NGOs in their political advocacy, enhancing the animal advocacy movement in France
Dansk Vegetarisk Forening
Dansk Vegetarisk Forening (DVF) is committed to fostering institutional changes to make Denmark more plant-based. Their advocacy led to a significant governmental commitment of $175 million USD toward plant-based initiatives in the agricultural sector. DVF’s Movement Grant supports their ongoing efforts to influence policy and guide other European organizations in similar advocacy. Dansk Vegetarisk Forening is now an ACE Recommended Charity; read our charity review here.
Country: Denmark
ACE Grant Amount: $29,000
Percent of their reported updates funded by ACE: 50%
Main Accomplishments:
- Secured a pivotal role for the DVF Secretary-General on the Board of Denmark’s Fund for Plant-Based Foods, influencing the allocation of a landmark $100 million USD toward plant-based projects
- Influenced Denmark’s National Action Plan for Plant-Based Foods through strategic meetings with key politicians
- Released a significant report on the actions and inactions of Denmark’s 27 largest banks regarding the transition from animal-based to plant-based sectors, receiving substantial interest from financial media and constructive responses from the banks
- Extended their influence beyond Denmark by presenting their political advocacy strategies at conferences in London, Brussels, and Stockholm, and online presentations globally, sharing insights with colleagues from Israel, India, the U.S., and other countries.
Dzīvnieku Brīvība
Dzīvnieku Brīvība, established in Latvia in 2012, engages in diverse advocacy efforts including cage-free campaigns, fur farming bans, and vegan pledges. With ACE’s funding, they’ve expanded their Augi & Draugi program from restaurants to food producers and retailers, encouraging a broader availability of plant-based products.
Country: Latvia
ACE Grant Amount: $20,000
Percent of their reported updates funded by ACE: 88%
Main Accomplishments:
- Following their poor “Vegvērtējums” public retailers ranking, Maxima, a leading retailer, expanded its vegan range, alongside dialogue initiated with three other retailers
- Added 11 new restaurants, including major chains, to their partner list (now working on vegan menus)
- Conducted the “Gada augu produkts” survey, which led to increased promotion and media coverage of vegan products
- Created and distributed outreach materials, enhancing their role at “Riga Food 2022” the biggest food industry fair in the Baltic region.
- Developed a new website design to facilitate corporate outreach, featuring endorsements from prominent chefs and business figures
Gyvi Gali
Gyvi Gali promotes veganism in Lithuania through a 22-day vegan pledge, media engagement, and collaborations with restaurants to expand plant-based menu options. Their Movement Grant supported the salaries of two key employees, enabling Gyvi Gali’s campaigns.
Country: Lithuania
ACE Grant Amount: $25,000
Percent of their reported updates funded by ACE: 40%
Main Accomplishments:
- Successfully attracted nearly 10,000 participants to their vegan challenge
- Garnered extensive media coverage, with over 300 mentions across major news platforms, TV, and radio shows, raising public awareness about veganism
- Collaborated with over 70 restaurants, encouraging the inclusion of more plant-based options in their menus
- Organized events such as vegan picnics and fine dining dinners for politicians, influencers, and journalists, showcasing the appeal and variety of plant-based cuisine
Shrimp Welfare Project
Shrimp Welfare Project, launched in the U.K. in 2021, aims to improve farmed shrimp welfare in India and Vietnam, with activities also in the U.S. and Europe. The project works directly with producers to introduce better practices such as electrical stunning and enhanced water quality. The Movement Grant contributes to staff costs critical for executing these initiatives. The Shrimp Welfare Project is now a Recommended Charity; read our charity review here.
Country: United Kingdom (activities in India, Honduras and Vietnam)
ACE Grant Amount: $40,000
Percent of their reported updates funded by ACE: Approximately 13.1%
Main Accomplishments:
- Secured agreements to place electrical stunners with some producers, who commit to stun a minimum of ~500 million shrimps per year.
- To date, this has resulted in written commitments, to the effect of approximately 550,000,000 shrimps per year.
- Collaborated with MER Seafood and Seajoy to ensure the welfare of shrimps, covering limits to stocking densities, maintaining water quality within certain parameters, not using eyestalk ablation, and ensuring that slaughter methods are as humane as possible.
- Published the Shrimp Welfare Report, providing insights into shrimp welfare and identifying research gaps.
- Conducted a pilot study in Andhra Pradesh, India, finding positive impacts on shrimp welfare and profitability from reduced stocking density, reportedly affecting 101,175 shrimps.
- Launched the Sustainable Shrimp Farmers of India (SSFI) platform, facilitating knowledge exchange and providing technical services, with a significant impact on shrimp welfare.
- Released the Vietnam Scoping Report, offering insights into shrimp welfare practices and challenges encountered in stakeholder engagement.
Latin America
Fundación Derecho y Defensa Animal
Fundación Derecho y Defensa Animal, established in 2014 in Chile, leverages legal strategies to enhance animal welfare standards. Their work encompasses introducing legislation, influencing legal discussions, pursuing litigation for law enforcement, and promoting animal law as an academic discipline. Their Movement Grant primarily supports staff salaries to advance these initiatives.
Country: Chile
ACE Grant Amount: $35,000
Percent of their reported updates funded by ACE: 90%
Main Accomplishments:
- Achieved inclusion of an article in the first draft of Chile’s proposed new Constitution recognizing animals’ sentience and rights to a life free from cruelty
- Positioned their norm proposal (Proposal N°4131) among the most supported by citizens for the second draft of the Constitution
- Utilized lobbying and public participation to advocate for animals’ inclusion in the Constitution
- Enhanced their legal team’s capabilities in strategic litigation to undertake legal actions on behalf of animals, aiming for long-term impact
Oceania
Cellular Agriculture Australia
Cellular Agriculture Australia is dedicated to advancing cell-cultured products by promoting research and collaboration in the sector. Their seed grant program, funded by ACE, aims to ignite new research projects in cellular agriculture across various disciplines.
Country: Australia
ACE Grant Amount: $44,000
Percent of their reported updates funded by ACE: 100%
Main Accomplishments:
- Supported six grantees from three universities across five disciplines, with four projects completed and two ongoing
- Ran an education program featuring industry insights and professional development, highly praised by grantees
- Hosted an in-person event for grantees to present their research, fostering academic interest in cellular agriculture
- Four grantees are considering further cellular agriculture projects, with one applying to a cultivated seafood company
- Facilitated new academic collaborations, including a joint research project on consumer acceptance, potentially leading to federal grant applications
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