Grow Your Own Adopters

They say the grass is always greener where you water it. What if you water your community and grow your own first-time adopters? That’s the heart and soul of our newest grant opportunity available to our Right Horse Partners and active Warm-Up Ring participants!

Applications open 8/27/2020 and close 9/24/2020

An ASPCA® study identified that there are as many as 2.3 million individuals who have the capacity and a strong interest to adopt a horse. We all recognize the life-changing joy that comes from owning and loving a horse. So how do we connect the large number of individuals who have the desire to own a horse to the act of adopting one of the aforementioned equines? A Right Horse Partner has figured out the trick. (Spoiler alert: it has a lot to do with community and inclusivity!)

Focused on building a supportive community, Right Horse Partner This Old Horse has a powerful formula for growing their adopter base and welcoming new horse owners into their community. What’s the secret? Just a few powerful elements: building a community, providing resources and a hub for connection, identifying potential adopters and providing the barn space and moral support. 

If you’re ready to take that inspiration and channel it into your own plan for growing a community of new adopters, share it with us! This Old Horse’s model has proven success, so we encourage you to take their framework and adapt it to your region. Organizations are invited to submit an application for a grant up to $30,000 to support the launch and first year of programming. innovative proposals.

Before you submit, please review the complete requirements and process (PDF)

Okay, I’m interested. Tell me more about what you’re looking for!

Eligibility Requirements

    • Must be an established 501(c)(3) located within the United States and in good standing with the Internal Revenue Service
    • Must be a Right Horse partner or active member in the Warm-Up Ring
    • If past ASPCA® grant recipient, must be current on all reporting requirements
    • Must be an incorporated or organized legal entity in good standing with Secretary of State in the state where the organization is incorporated or organized
    • Must have a board of at least 4 members with a majority of independent members with neither board chair nor treasurer receiving compensation from the organization

Before you submit, please review the complete requirements and process (PDF)

Tips for Strong Proposals

  • Incorporate a version of a novice volunteer training program and a barn-leasing model into the proposal to help fertilize those horse enthusiasts to grow into adopters
  • Identify and confirm viability and availability of barns that would serve as your community locations so that there can be the sense of community and belonging for new companion horse owners
  • Articulate how you will build a community for these new adopters
  • Articulate how you will market the program and find those horse enthusiasts ready to take the next step if they are supported
  • Build opportunities for collaboration with community stakeholders into the proposal
  • Determine how many horses and adopters the program will impact
  • Include a clear and detailed budget
  • Include a timeline

Before you submit, please review the complete requirements and process (PDF)

Eligibility

Tips for Strong Proposals

  • All grant applicants must meet these minimum requirements to be considered for a grant.
  • Must be an established 501(c)(3) located within the United States and in good standing with the Internal Revenue Service
  • Must be a Right Horse partner or active member in the Warm-Up Ring
  • If past ASPCA® grant recipient, must be current on all reporting requirements
  • Must be an incorporated or organized legal entity in good standing with Secretary of State in the state where the organization is incorporated or organized
  • Must have a board of at least 4 members with a majority of independent members with neither board chair nor treasurer receiving compensation from the organization

Before you submit, please review the complete requirements and process (PDF)

Timeline:

    • The application opens 8/27/2020 and closes 9/24/2020
    • Finalists will be announced no later than 10/08/2020
    • Finalists will be invited to submit formal applications for grant funding

Questions?

We’re here to help! For program-related inquiries, please contact [email protected], For application submission inquiries or technical difficulties, please contact [email protected]

Timeline:

    • The application opens 8/27/2020 and closes 9/24/2020
    • Finalists will be announced no later than 10/08/2020
    • Finalists will be invited to submit formal applications for grant funding

Questions?

We’re here to help! For program-related inquiries, please contact [email protected], For application submission inquiries or technical difficulties, please contact [email protected]

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