Professional Education
Professional Education Grants
For eligible people building or expanding practical capability in dog training, behavior, care, or related fields.
What this grant supports
Grants that help emerging and current animal professionals access affordable, high-quality education in dog training, behavior, and care, so the field has more capable people in it.
Growing the number of well-trained professionals in the field has a multiplying effect: one trained person can help many dogs over a career.
Professional Education Grants help eligible people access education, mentorship, tools, and development that can grow their career and expand the quality of support available to dogs and communities. This program is for eligible people building or expanding practical capability in dog training, behavior, care, or related fields.
Many Professional Education Grants include a Pay-It-Forward Service Commitment: approved, mission-aligned service that applies the recipient's developing skills to a real community need. It is never a debt and never a requirement to work for Partners Dog School specifically.
Eligible expenses can include tuition or program fees, required learning materials, approved equipment, examination or credential costs, mentorship or supervised practice, approved travel, and accessibility accommodations, all controlled by the signed award agreement.
Applicants are usually practicing or future professionals, trainers, behavior consultants, care providers, and educators, building practical capability, alongside people developing research or rehabilitation expertise as a specific part of their professional growth.
No single person decides a Professional Education Grant alone. A Foundation program lead reviews every application first; larger requests bring in additional reviewers, and the largest awards include the Foundation's board as a final layer of oversight. Specific dollar thresholds for each tier are not published.
In practice, an application moves from submission, to a review conversation with a program lead and any additional reviewers, to a documented decision in writing, and finally into the award agreement, any Pay-It-Forward Service Commitment, and the reporting that follows.
Eligibility
Reviewers look for a clear professional direction, evidence of readiness and follow-through, a credible education or development plan, a meaningful community need or potential contribution, a reasonable budget and realistic timing, and a practical Pay-It-Forward Service plan when the program requires one.
Eligibility depends on the specific program open at the time you apply. Checking eligibility returns "likely fit," "not eligible," or "staff review needed," never a final decision.
Professional Education Grants is opening soon
This program is not yet open for applications. Join Foundation updates to hear when it opens.