Hello everyone,
This week, Mercy For Animals released White Striping at Whole Foods, a shopper-led investigative report exposing the company's continued reliance on birds bred for extreme and unnaturally fast growth. The exposé, featured on WholeFoodsChicken.com, addresses the disturbing truth behind white striping and the prevalence of signs of muscle abnormality in Whole Foods' chicken supply.
The Investigation: In February 2025, Mercy For Animals called on people living near Whole Foods locations to survey chicken meat at their local stores for evidence of white striping disease. This disease is visible as white lines of fat across chicken meat that have replaced oxygen-deprived muscle tissue, commonly due to rapid growth. Meat products from ultrafast-growing birds often bear these scars. While not harmful to consumers, they are visible proof of the appalling cruelty the animals endure.
The Results: Participants investigated chicken meat at 88 Whole Foods locations in North America. The stores surveyed span 52 cities across 18 U.S. states and six cities in one Canadian province. Meat with clear signs of white striping was found at every location visited, a strong indication that Whole Foods continues to source Frankenchickens.
Next Steps: The findings are alarming and highlight the urgent need for Whole Foods to fulfill their promise to stop sourcing ultrafast-growing birds. With the report's release, we are escalating our public efforts to urge Whole Foods to publish a clear, incremental roadmap toward fulfilling their commitment to banning Frankenchickens and improving chicken welfare in their supply chain. One such effort is an open letter signed by 14 doctors and public health experts imploring Whole Foods to follow through on their pledge, pointing out the risks posed by failing to do so. The letter cites the results of this report.
We hope this report is beneficial to your organization. Feel free to reach out directly to me with any questions at natal
Hello. This is my first time approaching and considering applying for a grant from ACE. I wanted to know if you accept grants for salaries of employees and if you fund projects from US citizens who want to do outreach work in other countries. Thank you.
Hi Gwenna,
Yes, in some cases we’ll fund operating costs like salaries, depending on the type and strength of the application, and the operating budget of the organization that the employee works at. We’ll also fund projects from U.S. citizens who want to do outreach work in other countries; however, we take seriously the importance of our grantees understanding the cultural context of their work, so we’d need to see in the application some kind of evidence of “right fit” for the person doing the work. For general outreach work, we’d also need to see evidence of a strategically developed approach that has the capacity to reach people at scale and track relevant outcomes.
Thank you, Elisabeth
Thank you so much for all the great questions! Also, thanks to David van Beveren and the FAST Forum for hosting this AMA. It looks like we've answered all of your questions so we'll be signing off for now. Feel free to submit more questions if you have them—we'll keep an eye on this thread and try to respond over the next couple of days and then will close it.
If you'd like to support highly promising projects working to reduce animal suffering around the world, make a gift to our Movement Grants today.
As always, if you have any questions about our work, you can also reach out to us on email, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Threads, and Bluesky or via our website. Thanks again!
Which are the most impactfull areas for Africa, especially sun saharan Africca
Hi Alfred, thank you for your question!
Sub-Saharan Africa includes many countries and contexts, so I am reluctant to make any sweeping statements about what are the most impactful areas for such a large region, but I will try to offer some useful thoughts.
There has been relatively little advocacy work in the region, so if I were to advise groups on what they might focus on, I would start by looking at what interventions have been the most impactful in other parts of the world, and focus on how one might adapt such approaches to the new context. For instance, higher rates of informal markets, or norms around communication might be different, this would lead to significant changes in how you might implement an intervention that has been successful in other parts of the world.
Another angle would be to look at what interventions have uniquely worked well in your country for other (non-animal) issues, and if you could test whether these interventions could be used to benefit animals.
The current and predicted rate of animal farming and consumption vary greatly between countries within sub-Saharan Africa so it is possible that if you have the freedom to move and work in different countries (I appreciate this is a privilege many don’t have), you may find that you can be more impactful in your work.
I am not an expert in advocacy in this region, so I would love to see in the replies what others think!
Thank you, Eleanor
Thanks for this opportunity! I am asking on behalf of Switch4Good, are you excited to fund federal legislation, corporate policy change (like Starbucks and Tim Horton's recently dropping the upcharge for plant-based milk), governmental policy change (like the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Women’s, Infants and Children’s Program) and/or effective digital campaigns to help upend the Ultra Processed Food myth? Thank you again for your consideration.
Thank you for your question! Federal legislation, corporate policy change, and governmental policy change all have the potential to have a huge impact based on the change that is being called for and the likelihood of success. For each of the ideas you have suggested, we would like to hear what your expected outcomes are, how you’re tracking them, and how you expect those outcomes to have downstream impacts for animals e.g., did removing the surcharge for plant-based milks in Starbucks result in a significant reduction in dairy milk consumption? We are currently highly uncertain about the impact of digital campaigns, but find they can be impactful as part of a wider campaign utilizing multiple tactics—it will be interesting to learn more about the impact you are hoping to see with your UPF campaign!
Thank you, Elisabeth
Hello ACE team,
Thank you for hosting this forum, I hoping I'm not too late to post questions here.
Do you have a definition for what constitutes as lobbying?
Do you have a maximum amount/percentage we need to stay within?
Some of our advocacy work may be considered lobbying hence wanting to be clear.
Thanks!
Hi there! Thanks for your questions.
Thanks, Eleanor
Thanks ACE for the opportunity and my questions are;
Thanks so much, looking forward to hearing from you 😊
Hi Julius, thank you for your questions!
Thank you, Eleanor
Thanks so much for the clarification 😊
Thanks so much for the clarification 😊
Appreciate you all hosting this AMA. I do have three questions related to what grants ACE might be open to considering.
1. Is there a time when ACE might consider funding ballot initiative proposals that go further in their ask than the initiatives we saw in 2024?
2. What impact from ballot initiatives would ACE consider worthwhile? And are there specific metrics you would be hoping campaigns use to measure their impact?
3. Are there other ways ACE may be interested in supporting ballot initiative campaigns that they may not choose to fund directly?
Hi David, thanks for your questions!
Thank you, Holly and Eleanor
Thank you for this opportunity. I am working with an organization with a mission to rescue and rehabilitate farmed animals from abuse, neglect, and abandonment, provide humane education with a focus on veganism, rehabilitate wildlife, and advocate for policy changes to benefit animals. Very much looking forward to applying for grant funding.
Hi Carol, thank you for the great work you do to help animals! As much as we’d love to help every animal, ACE doesn’t currently prioritize organizations and projects working in direct animal care (rescue and rehabilitation) as we focus on more large-scale advocacy work (for example, see our recent grant recipients). In this instance, we would be open to hearing more about your education work (if this is directed toward a large number of people) or your work in advocating for policy change. We ideally want to see work that is scalable and has the potential to affect a large number of animals. I hope this helps.
Thank you, Holly
Thank you, Holly. The information provided is extremely helpful.
Thank you very much for the opportunity, I don't have any questions. Gratitude!
Thank you for this opportunity
What are some trends in the funding space that applicants might not be aware of?
What do you enjoy when it comes to reading and assessing funding applications?
What's one thing you wished applicants would do less or more?
One exciting trend is the increase in climate funders supporting a reduction in animal agriculture through dietary change and alt proteins as climate mitigation. Just last week the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein opened at Imperial College London with $30M in funding. This shift could open up a lot of funding opportunities for organizations that are currently solely reliant on funding from funders concerned with the welfare of animals.
I enjoy reading applications from new organizations the most –that’s not to say they are more/less likely to get funding– but it is such a pleasure to see the dedication and bravery it takes to start something new. Even more so, when I see they are working in a country where there is a nascent animal advocacy movement.
I would like to see some applicants include a bit more detail on the context in which they are working, in particular, whether there are political, social, or economic factors that might impact their work. Similarly, for some niche species-specific work, it is useful for our grant review team if you include the animal science research you are relying on.
Thanks, Eleanor
Hello ACE,
I’m Darleen from Plant Futures, a US- and Mexico-based organization dedicated to advancing animal rights, education, and workforce development. Our mission is to equip students with the skills, resources, and community support necessary to transition into a more just and sustainable food system.
We are looking to scale our work in Mexico across three core areas:
- Education & Curriculum Development
- Professional & Career Development
- Campus Advocacy & Student Chapters
Which of these areas would you be most likely to fund?
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Hi Darleen, thank you for reaching out and for the work you’re doing with Plant Futures. All of the areas you mention are within the scope of the Movement Grants program. Given your experience working in Mexico, you likely have insights into which area is the most pressing or has the highest potential impact right now, and I recommend that you submit your proposal on that basis. Alternatively, if you think that the programs have synergies that mean they should be implemented at the same time, you could apply for general operating funds for all your work in Mexico.
Thank you, Eleanor
Thank you for this opportunity.
We would like to know if you are interested in supporting university-led research projects that aim to address issues of protection and welfare by studying the behavior and cognition of invertebrates.
Thanks.
Hi Cinzia, thank you for your question and this work sounds very interesting! We don’t fund academic research unless there is a clear dissemination plan that goes beyond publishing the work in academic journals. We would like to know how you’ll create information value that can be used by animal advocates and lead to impact for animals. Without such a plan, we would be hesitant to award funding. Another factor we take into consideration is that academic research often has other sources of funding (e.g. through government grants or other academic funders) so we prioritize work that is unlikely to be funded by other means. I hope this provides more clarification.
Thank you, Holly
Hi ACE team!
Thank you very much for this space.
We are a an educational project founded by teachers and we basically do talks in schools and seminars for teacher's training as well as educational materials promoting respect and consideration for animals.
I had some questions regarding some tips in order to write a good Expression of Interest but you already answered them, so thank you very much in advanced : )
Anyway, I have some doubts:
Thank you very much!
Kind regards,
Pilar
Hi Pilar, thank you for your 15 years of dedication for animals!
Thank you, Eleanor
Hello, I would like to apply for a grant. UnchainedTV is the brand of our nonprofit media company. We are the world's only free, nonprofit streaming TV network for the plant-based lifestyle, producing, acquiring and distributing award-winning documentaries, vegan cooking shows, biographies and breaking news. Often called the CNN/Netflix of veganism, UnchainedTV is now expanding distribution globally via FAST and VOD channels. Our goal is to do an end-run around the mainstream media blackout on the vegan movement. I founded this nonprofit after 30 years reporting in mainstream media, including at CNN and Disney. Is this something that would appeal to Animal Charity Evaluators and what are your suggestions to focus on in our application? Best, Jane Velez-Mitchell, Founder UnchainedTV (janeunchained news network is the name of the 501c3 EIN 82-3892784)
Hi Jane, thank you for your question and for the great work that you’re doing! We are open to receiving an Expression of Interest from UnchainedTV. A strong application would need to clearly demonstrate how your streaming TV network leads to meaningful change for animals. For example, how does it go beyond raising awareness? Can you provide evidence that your content leads to tangible outcomes for animals? Is this work scalable? And if so, how?
One thing that would be particularly interesting is if you could propose a plan to, or provide evidence for, your content reaching non-vegans and how this impacts them. If you decide to apply, outlining a clear theory of change and providing examples of how your work will be different from existing work will be helpful.
Thank you, Holly
Thanks so much Holly. We are precisely targeting non-vegans who are generally not exposed to the vegan message by distributing to platforms that are not associated with veganism at all, but are primarily serving a global population looking for free-to-watch television. We also appear on PBS stations around the US, on Gusto TV - the "world's best food network" - and on In The Black Network and other platforms that are not vegan oriented. And, scalable is our focus as well which is why we've launched a FAST channel that can be picked up by platforms globally. We will definitely apply! Thanks, Jane
Hello and thank you so much for this space.
We received funding from another grant provider with the condition that we secure an amount of matching grant. Do you offer matching grants?
Hi Morgan, ACE does not offer matching grants in the sense that we do not require grantees to secure additional funding as a condition of our grants. However, if an organization has received a grant from another funder that requires matching funds, an ACE grant can be used to fulfill that requirement—unless the other funder has specific restrictions that prevent this.
Thanks, Eleanor
Hi Eleanor, Elisabeth and Holly, and thanks for doing this.
I’m working with Fauna Films on a short-film fellowship concept that would use our filmmaking expertise to spotlight under-resourced animal advocacy groups in the Global South. Our goal is to help them document their work and their stories in a way that raises awareness, ideally fosters institutional change, and builds capacity, especially in communities that often go unheard. Would a storytelling-focused initiative like this, aimed at amplifying local advocates and campaigns, align with the priorities for ACE’s Movement Grants? Is this something you'd at all consider in the current round?
Hi Silvano, thank you for your question!
We would be open to receiving an Expression of Interest from your organization. Research on the impact of documentaries is mixed—while some films have had outsized effects, reported impact varies significantly by country and context. Because of this, our team is somewhat uncertain about documentaries as an intervention overall, meaning a strong application would need to clearly demonstrate how the films and their distribution would lead to meaningful outcomes for animals.
We’d be particularly interested in how this project would go beyond raising awareness to create concrete impact, whether through policy change, movement-building, or direct improvements for animals. If you decide to apply, outlining a clear theory of change and providing examples of how similar initiatives have led to measurable outcomes would strengthen your application.
Thank you, Eleanor
Amazing, thank you for your thoughtful reply, Eleanor!
Hi ACE team!
My name is Abir Gitlin, and I’m a PhD student (Environmental Studies and International Relations) at the Hebrew University in Israel.
My research focuses on how political ideology shapes responses to meat reduction messaging (in the US and Israel), with the goal of designing effective interventions that promote policy support and behavioral change.
My questions are: does ACE fund academic research that aims to promote social change on meat consumption? If so, what kinds of costs are typically covered under Movement Grants, and what criteria do you prioritize when evaluating research proposals?
Thanks in advance!
Abir
Thanks for doing this interesting work, Abir. We don’t fund academic research like this unless there is a clear dissemination plan that goes beyond publishing the work in academic journals. We want to know how you’ll create information value that can be used by animal advocates and lead to impact for animals, so without such a plan in place we would be very hesitant to award funding. An additional factor is that academic research often has other sources of funding (e.g. through government grants or other academic funders) so we prioritize funding work that is unlikely to be funded by other means.
Thanks, Elisabeth
Hello and thank you for hosting this informative space. Would you all consider funding to reach a certain demographic in the US? We are a new org that focuses on outreach to the Mexican-American community.
Hello, thank you for your question. Yes, we are open to applications focused on a particular demographic within a wider population such as the Mexican-American community. In your application, we would need to see how you plan to strategically target this population so that you are able to have an impact at scale.
Thank you, Eleanor
Thank you!
Thank you for this session.
What are the metrics of success you use when assessing potential projects?
Do you accept proposals that incorporate regranting to other relevant actors in the movement?
Thanks for joining and for your questions.
We assess effectiveness on a case-by-case basis, depending on the intervention and the stage of the project (e.g., pilot, scaling, or full implementation). We start with what the applicant states they aim to achieve and how they plan to measure it. Based on this, we identify additional reporting requirements and share them with the grant recipient early on in the grant period, allowing them to provide feedback if they believe other metrics would be more useful. We are in the early stages of implementing our own Measurement, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) in the Movement Grants program, which will include what we learn from our grant reporting to understand our own impact. We hope to share how this is going towards the end of the year.
At this time, we are not considering applications for regranting, as we are a regranting organization ourselves. However, if you know of a regranter playing an important role in the movement, we’d be happy to hear about them—we may be able to share their information within our network.
Thank you, Eleanor
Hello and thank you for all you do!
I’m working alongside an incredible team of changemakers and visionaries to launch a groundbreaking multi-day event aligned with the ACE mission. This immersive experience is designed to revolutionize the movement by fusing cutting-edge technology, music, arts, and solution-driven concepts to create powerful, deeply personal engagement.
With a focus on accessibility, innovation, and cultural impact, this event will:
✅ Advance skill-building and training programs
✅ Foster collaborative networks
✅ Empower grassroots leadership
✅ Showcase groundbreaking solutions for planetary, animal, and nature protection
✅ Inspire individuals to step into action
This initiative is deeply committed to strengthening eco-social justice issues, including the animal advocacy movement. Through a dynamic range of platforms, it amplifies awareness, fuels community-driven action, and equips advocates with cutting-edge tools, resources and a variety of support to create lasting change—for animals, people, and the planet.
Is this something ACE would fund to help get off the ground? Please let me know if you have any questions to help further render a determination.
In Action & Solidarity,
~Jeremy
Thank you for your question—it sounds like an exciting initiative. For a proposal like this, we would need to understand how the event would lead to meaningful change for a large number of animals. Specifically, we’d be interested in whether the event is targeting influential individuals within the movement, how it differs from or complements existing initiatives, and what concrete outcomes it aims to achieve.
If you decide to submit an expression of interest, providing specific examples of expected outcomes would strengthen your proposal.
Eleanor
Would you consider funding fund individuals (who have a fiscal sponsor) to do capacity building work for the movement?
Hi Amruza, yes, capacity building working is within the scope of the program. You can find the full Movement Grants eligibility criteria here on our website under the FAQs: What are we interested in funding? What are we not interested in funding?
Thanks, Eleanor
Will this be a live forum? I am not seeing a link here to join if so....thanks!
Hi @Tracyk, you can just post your questions in the comments section here and we will respond to you :)
Wonderful! Thanks so much.