Mission & Vision
Stray Dog Institute is a private operating foundation providing grants and strategic support to farmed animal advocacy organizations working to reduce, reform, and replace the use of animals in the food system.
We cultivate a powerful and inclusive global movement for food systems transformation through five interconnected areas of work: trust-based grantmaking, capacity building, research, connection and coordination, and narrative change.
We envision a just and sustainable future food system based on plants and alternative proteins.
Reduce
Encouraging plant-forward eating.
Reform
Opposing industrial animal agriculture.
Replace
Advancing alternatives to animal-based food systems
Strategic Approach
We take a movement-first, systems-change approach – funding across geographies and strategic leverage points so progress in one area reinforces progress in others.
We view our work through the lens of food systems transformation, recognizing the interlinked harms of industrial animal agriculture and the need for coordinated solutions. Our portfolio spans interventions such as institutional engagement, law and policy, alternative proteins, capacity building, research and data, education, and more – with grantmaking that extends across global regions to grow the movement and strengthen connections among its many parts
Beyond grantmaking, we dedicate programmatic resources to areas where we can have outsized impact, such as our State of the Movement research initiative.
Our Five Areas of Work
We support building the movement through five interconnected focus areas. These pillars guide how we translate our approach into action.
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Organizations need flexible, dependable resources to plan and adapt. We work to be a funder that provides fuel without friction.
Nearly all our grants are unrestricted general operating support, and over half are made with multi-year intentions. This approach reflects our belief in trust-based philanthropy: investing in advocates' expertise, reducing administrative burden, and building relationships grounded in mutual respect.
We pair funding with "support beyond the check" – offering thought partnership, resources, and connections to help organizations achieve their goals.
How we work:
Provide nearly all grants as unrestricted general operating support, with approximately half made as multi-year intentions to enable organizations’ stability and long-term planning
Offer philanthropic and strategic thought partnership, including review and feedback on proposals, presentations, and organizational strategies
Facilitate connections and collaborations, linking partners to funders, organizations, and experts, and supporting the design and hosting of collaborative efforts
Share subject-matter expertise in food systems, alternative proteins, research, AI for nonprofits, and more
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We produce and support farmed animal movement research, data, and evidence that guide strategy and promote fieldwide learning. We believe it’s vital for improving effectiveness, and avoiding unintentional duplication. By producing and supporting accessible, movement-wide research, we help advocates adapt to new opportunities and challenges.
How we work:
Lead the State of the Movement initiative which provides a data-driven overview of global farmed animal advocacy, mapping organizations, strategies, and geographies
Commission and publish major reports on food systems transformation, protein transitions, philanthropy practices, and more, making them freely available
Fund organizations advancing research and data work, including field scans, evaluations, and academic partnerships that strengthen evidence-based decision-making
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Transforming the food system requires shifting the narratives that shape public opinion and decision-making.
We support organizations working to expand the movement's reach, advance narrative strategies, and create communications that highlight the movement's diversity and grow its inclusivity.
How we work:
Fund organizations engaged in narrative change work, creative media, and public communications campaigns
Support advocacy that broadens the coalition for change and normalizes plant-forward food systems
Elevate voices from across the movement to reinforce diverse and inclusive narratives
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We invest in capacity building as a central engine of movement effectiveness and sustainability. Robust governance, leadership, internal systems, and communications help organizations increase their impact today while strengthening their resilience for the future. By supporting capacity-building efforts for both our grantee partners and the broader movement, we extend our reach far beyond individual grants.
How we work:
Support capacity-building organizations and initiatives in areas such as research and data, technology, branding and communications, operations, finance, compliance, monitoring and evaluation, campaigns, legal support, incubation, coalitions, and regranting
Invest in leadership development, team resilience, and infrastructure upgrades that build long-term effectiveness
Advance the movement's responsible adoption of artificial intelligence by making tools, training, and ethical guidance accessible. We believe AI offers a major opportunity to scale impact for farmed animal advocacy, and we invest in resources that empower advocates to use it wisely.
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Movements are stronger when organizations work together. We value the role of in-person and virtual connection in strengthening relationships, aligning strategies, and enabling cross-pollination across organizations, approaches, and geographies.
How we work:
Support global and regional hubs and convenings that connect advocates and foster collaboration and shared learning
Host and support collaborative working groups of nonprofits to tackle pressing challenges and build trust
Actively connect partners to each other, drawing on our network to enable collaboration and exchange of ideas