Minimum
Eligibility Criteria

The EQUUS Foundation awards grants to organizations defined as tax-exempt under IRS code section 501(c)(3) located in a U.S. state or territory, that are not private foundations as defined in IRS code section 509(a), and have in existence for at least one full operating year as a 501(c)(3). Please review all our guidelines and our sections on What We Will Fund and What We Will Not Fund before applying.

What We Will Fund

Grants have been awarded for:
1) therapeutic riding programs and equine-assisted activities for individuals with physical, emotional, behavioral, learning disabilities and life-threatening or other serious illnesses, and underserved, underprivileged or "at-risk" youth, as well as horsemanship programs, for scholarships, financial aid, riding apparel and equipment, certified riding instructors, transportation, and horse care;
3) horse rescue, rehabilitation, adoption and retirement, for feed, supplements, tack, grooming supplies, horse gear, farrier, veterinary care, equipment, and capital improvements.
3) veterinary education and research;
4) equine ambulance services;
5) enhancing the equestrian sport, for scholarships, awards, youth involvement, relief for equestrians in need, and programs to promote public education and awareness.

What We Will Not Fund

Please review the following information carefully before applying for an EQUUS grant.

Grants will not be awarded to:
1) Organizations that are not defined as tax-exempt under IRS code section 501(c)(3);
2) Organizations that are private foundations as defined in IRS code section 509(a);
3) Organizations that are not located in a U.S. state or terrority;
4) Organizations that have been in existence for less than one full operating year as a 501(c)(3);
5) Organizations that propagate a religious faith or restricted to one religion or denomination;
6) Organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, religion, creed, national origin, disability, handicap, age, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or any other basis prohibited by law;
7) Political organizations; or
8) Individuals.

Grants will not be awarded for:
1) Operating Deficits;
2) Fundraising activities, such as galas, benefits, dinners and sporting events, goodwill advertising, souvenir journals or programs; and
3) Travel expenses for individuals or groups or fees for conferences or conventions.

Timetable

Grant applications may be submitted online from May 1 and June 15. Applications cannot be submitted prior to May 1 or after June 15. Grant applicants selected by The EQUUS Foundation will be notified by August 31 with grant awards disbursed by September 30.

Disclaimer

As a potential grantee of The EQUUS Foundation, please be aware of the following: By completing and submitting an application, you will give your organization's permission to The EQUUS Foundation to ask people to review the application and to give advice and information to the foundation about your organization, board, staff and others with whom you are affiliated.

Materials submitted to The EQUUS Foundation as part of the application process become the property of the foundation and will not be returned. The materials will be used as the foundation deems appropriate. They are not subject to any right of confidentiality unless specifically agreed to in writing by The EQUUS Foundation.

The EQUUS Foundation is under no obligation to fund or otherwise have a future relationship with the applicant. If it does choose to have a relationship, The EQUUS Foundation may suggest various kinds of relationships, including contracts, grants, loans, program-related investments, or other kinds of investments and relationships.

Prior Year
Grant Recipients

Organizations that have previously been awarded grants must complete an online Prior Year Grant Report as part of the application process. No further funding will be considered without this report. The Grant Report should describe the purpose of the grant received, including the original goals and objectives of the grant, how the goals and objectives were met, including lessons learned, specific outcomes and the impact that the grant had on your organization, your community, and the population you are serving. If possible, include a "human/horse interest story that illustrates the outcomes and impact; and describe your rationale for ongoing funding, expansion, replication or termination. Include detailed expenses and income for the project, including any variances from the original budget, a detailed, complete accounting of how our specific grant dollars were spent, and all other funding sources and their level of support.

Grant Making Guidelines

The EQUUS Foundation, Inc., a federally tax-exempt 501 (c) (3) charitable organization, awards grants to charitable organizations that have a beneficial impact on the community, with special emphasis on programs that promote the positive use of the horse for the benefit of the general public, improve the quality of life of horses, contribute to the welfare of the participants in the equestrian sport, and elevate the equestrian sport and profession as a whole.

Grant recipients must meet the eligibility criteria set by The EQUUS Foundation with respect to management and fiscal practices. Grant applications are reviewed by the Grant Review Committee of The EQUUS Foundation and approved by the Board of Directors.

Applications will only be accepted through the online application process. Applications that are mailed in or are not completed in their entirety will not be considered. A site visit may be required before or as a condition of a grant.

Grant applications must be received by The EQUUS Foundation, Inc., by June 15th of each year. Grant applicants selected by The EQUUS Foundation, Inc., will be notified by August 31st; grant awards will be made during the month of September.

Funding Priorities

Grants must fall into one of our three funding priorities - programs that use the horse to benefit the public; promote horse welfare; and/or elevate the equestrian sport.

Grants typically represent less than 3% of an organization's operating budget and average $5,000 or less. Grants may be awarded for general operations or specific projects.

Grants are typically awarded on an annual basis due to the large volume of requests received; however, multi-year requests will be considered.

Challenge or matching grants will also be considered.

Application Process

Applications will only be accepted through the online application process. Mailed applications will not be considered. Applications must be completed in their entirely. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Step One: Review our Grant Making Guidelines.

Step Two: Confirm that your organization is eligible to apply by completing the Eligibility Quiz. The Eligibility Quiz will be available online on May 1. Only eligible organizations will be provided access to the online grant application.

Step Three: If your organization is deemed eligible, your organization will be provided access to the online grant application. Applications must be completed and submitted online. The information will be stored in an online database, which you may continue to update between May 1 and June 15. On June 15, your application must be complete as the link to the online application will be deleted. After June 15, you will not be able to update your application.

Required Documents

In addition to completing the online application, the following documents must be submitted electronically as part of the application in order for your request to be considered. Acceptable formats are Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, or Adobe Acrobat. Submission in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) is preferred. No other documents are required or requested. Please do not attach any other additional documents.

1) Grant Request: The Grant Request should describe the project or program operations for which you are requesting support in detail, including the goals, the population served, how that population will be affected, the budget, how you will measure success, and how you expect to fund and sustain the project or program operations, including your other funding sources.

2) IRS Letter confirming 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status: The Grant applicant must be an existing 501(c)(3) public charity. The EQUUS Foundation, Inc., does not award grants to private foundations. Please provide the letter your organization received from the Internal Revenue Service granting your organization 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.

3) Roster of organization’s Officers and Board of Directors: The roster should include the full name, mailing address, phone number, and email address of all Officers and Board of Directors.

4) IRS Tax Filing: Organizations must file the Form 990 annually with the IRS unless the organization has gross revenues of less than $25,000, in which case, the organization may file the 990-N, or the organization has gross revenues are less than $1,000,000 and total assets are less than $2,500,000, in which case the organization may file the 990-EZ. These forms should be filed within five and a half months after the end of the organization’s fiscal year.

5) Financial Information: All grant applicants must complete and submit The EQUUS Foundation Fiscal Data Form and provide its financial statements that correspond to the information provided on the Fiscal Data Form. If your financial statements are audited, please submit the audit reflecting the same figures provided on the Fiscal Data Form. If your financial statements are not audited, then please submit your internally prepared financial statements reflecting the same figures provided on the Fiscal Data Form.

Each State has its own requirements for organizations doing business or fundraising in that state, including specific audit requirements, e.g., the state of Connecticut requires that the financial statements of all organizations with gross revenues of more than $500,000 be audited by a licensed or certified public accountant. Please insure that your organization is in compliance with your state's requirements.