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Subject to Change |
Wednesday, October 15, 2025 |
Optional Daytime Field Trips: 9:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M. Bat World Sanctuary and Lake Mineral Wells State Park ($75; includes lunch)
Before heading back to the Hilton Fort Worth, participants will stop at Lake Mineral Wells State Park for lunch and a discussion about animal welfare with a park interpreter. Bat World Sanctuary Hosts:
Lake Mineral Wells State Park Hosts:
Animal Grantmakers Host:
1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Humane Society of North Texas: HSNT Equine Ranch and Saxe Forte Adoption Center (no charge)
The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area is home to several highly-respected animal welfare organizations. For those looking for an afternoon and / or shorter outing, the second field trip option is to two sites operated by the Humane Society of North Texas: HSNT Equine Ranch and Saxe Forte Adoption Center in Fort Worth. The Humane Society of North Texas has achieved unprecedented lifesaving through a variety of innovate programs aimed at ending animal cruelty and pet homelessness in the region. Equine Ranch Host:
Saxe Forte Adoption Center Hosts:
Animal Grantmakers Host:
6:00 P.M. – 7:30 P.M. Opening Reception Join fellow attendees for drinks, appetizers, and networking as AGCon 2025 officially kicks off. Welcome Remarks:
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Founded in 1994 by Amanda Lollar after she came across an injured
Thursday, October 16, 2025 |
7:15 A.M. – 8:30 A.M. Breakfast 8:45 A.M. – 9:00 A.M. Opening Remarks Speakers:
9:00 A.M. – 10:30 A.M. Unwantedness: Expanding Our Circle of Protection Animal advocates have always been innovators—from pioneering TNR programs to creating wildlife corridors to building sanctuaries for animals others had given up on. This session explores how that same creative, compassionate spirit can extend to animals who currently fall through the cracks. With our expert panelists we'll examine how certain wild, urban, lab, and farm animals are not just excluded from protection but exterminated. Our speakers will discuss ethical complexities and explore how the successful strategies we've developed for the animals we know and love might create pathways to help those we've overlooked. Speakers:
Moderator:
10:30 A.M. – 10:45 A.M. Break 10:45 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. Funding Systemically: An International Perspective on Creating Change for Dogs and Cats
Join us as we discuss what funding to achieve systemic change can look like for dogs and cats, drawing on examples from across the globe. We will invite reflections and advice from the panel to support funders interested in systemic funding and improving grantmaker practice. Speakers:
Moderator:
12:00 P.M. – 12:10 P.M. Fourth Annual Melanie Anderson Lifetime Excellence in Animal Protection (LEAP) Award
The Melanie Anderson LEAP Award was established by the Summerlee Foundation and Animal Grantmakers in 2022 to honor Melanie Anderson, Summerlee’s director of animal programs for 32 years. Geared toward lifetime achievement, it is given every fall at the Animal Grantmakers Conference to an animal advocate who has made a substantial and sustained contribution to the field of animal protection. Award Presenter:
12:10 P.M. – 1:25 P.M. Lunch 1:25 P.M. – 3:00 P.M. Lightning Talks Concise and engaging, these five TED-inspired talks—and talkers—on diverse topics within animal protection will leave you wanting to hear more! Presenters:
Introducer:
3:00 P.M. – 3:15 P.M. Break 3:15 P.M. – 4:30 P.M. Together Texas: Using Peer-to-Peer Grantmaking for Lifesaving in Companion Animal Shelters Throughout the Lone Star State This panel will showcase four different collaborative partnerships that are built on a model of scaling a funder's work through peer-to-peer grantmaking. We will hear different examples of challenges and wins with this model of funding. Speakers:
Moderator:
4:30 P.M. – 4:40 P.M. Break 4:40 P.M. – 5:30 P.M. Don't Mess with Animals! Protecting Farmed Animals in Texas (and Around the World) Join us for a lively talk about animal agriculture in Texas, the leading producer of cattle in the United States by a wide margin. In addition to learning about some of their campaigns and programs (e.g., corporate pressure, humane education), attendees will hear about Texas' increasing vegan-friendliness. Speakers:
Moderator:
6:30 P.M. – 7:30 P.M. Yappy Hour (Pay Own Way) Relax and unwind after the first day of sessions at a happy hour for animal lovers in the hotel bar. 7:30 P.M. – 9:30 P.M. Dine Around Fort Worth (Pay Own Way) Enjoy a delicious meal with other conference participants at one of Fort Worth's vegan or vegan-friendly restaurants. As Fort Worth's appetite for plant-based diets and food has increased considerably over the past few years, there will be plenty of good choices. |
Friday, October 17, 2025 |
7:15 A.M. – 8:30 A.M. Breakfast 8:45 A.M. – 11:30 A.M. Presentation and Interactive Discussions – Animal Grantmakers Members Only (a separate activity at the conference hotel is being planned for non-members during this time) 11:45 A.M. – 1:00 P.M. Designing Smarter Grants – Member-Led Workshop Join us for a hands on workshop to streamline and strengthen grantmaking. Together, we will design shared templates, explore reporting standards, and evaluate technology tools that work for both funders and grantees. Facilitators:
1:00 P.M. – 2:15 P.M. Lunch 2:15 P.M. – 3:15 P.M. Every Dollar Counts: Maximizing Impact Within Your Animal Cause Building on infrastructure insights from the previous session, join ACE's executive director to explore strategic frameworks for analyzing grant applications and reports to identify the highest-impact opportunities within your chosen animal cause areas. Gain practical knowledge developed through years of assessing hundreds of animal organizations. Facilitator:
3:15 P.M. – 3:30 P.M. 3:30 P.M. – 5:00 P.M. Bigger, Better, Tying It All Together – Member-Led Discussion This closing session will reflect on key insights from the conference, review action items and future directions, and provide an opportunity for each member to share their personal “why” for advocating for animals. We’ll wrap up the day on an energizing note, celebrating our collective power and sending attendees home ready to amplify their impact together. Facilitator:
6:30 P.M. – 8:30 P.M. Reception & Gala Dinner Keynote Speaker:
Moderators:
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