About Zoa Fund
About
Zoa Fund is a small animal-protection fund. We make grants to organizations working on animal welfare and animal rights in the United States — and occasionally design and run our own projects.
We believe lasting change for animals will come from public policy, durable political institutions, and the cultural shifts that surround them — built locally, sustained over time, and grounded in real-world wins.
Mission
We fund organizations advancing systemic, tractable solutions to animal welfare and rights — moving the needle in tangible ways, particularly through public policy, by supporting intelligent movement-building strategies and concrete political and cultural change for animals.
Vision
A world where animals are not harmed for human purposes, and where humans and animals coexist without exploitation. We are grounded in reality and believe change comes from coordinated, well-designed efforts. Our role is to fund and occasionally shape policy-focused projects that solve concrete problems and build toward larger movement-wide wins.
Values
- Liberation — Animal liberation and human liberation. A just world requires the end of exploitation and the expansion of freedom, dignity, and fairness for all.
- Strategy & intelligence — Clear thinking, evidence, and strategic design. Lasting change comes from understanding power and acting with intention, not from good intentions alone.
- Real-world impact — Concrete, tractable progress for animals — especially through policy and systemic change — over symbolic or isolated wins.
- Movement & community — Transformative change comes from strong, coordinated social movements built on collaboration, trust, and shared purpose.
- Humility, creativity & care — Learning, imagination, dedication, and kindness in how we work and how we treat one another.
Team
Sabina Makhdomi
Leads Zoa Fund's strategy and grantmaking, with a focus on durable, locally rooted policy work for animals.
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John Boland
Runs operations, infrastructure, and the systems that keep Zoa Fund focused on its grantees and partners.
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Parent organization
Zoa Fund is a subdivision of Phauna Foundation, a 501(c)(3) private foundation. Phauna Foundation is the legal and financial home for Zoa Fund's grantmaking and operations. Inquiries about Phauna's broader work should go through phaunaproject.org.
Get in touch
For general inquiries: hello@zoafund.org · For funding inquiries: grants@zoafund.org (see how we fund).