Horse Illustrated Magazine

Edited Press Release

Thousands of horses are retired off the nation’s horse racing tracks every year. Some are retired due to injury, others because they’re just not fast enough. Some are so broken down that they will never be able to be ridden again; but many others have a long, full life ahead of them, perhaps in another equine discipline. The ASPCA is putting out a call for proposals from those providing rescue, rehabilitation and/or sanctuary and, thus, saving the lives of retired racers from a terrifying and undignified ending on the slaughterhouse floor. Up to $250,000 in total is available for this program. Please note these grants are not meant for general operations or feed programs.

Applicants must meet the following criteria to be eligible:

• Established 501(c)(3) equine rescues and sanctuaries located within the United States, in good standing with the ASPCA.
• Must participate in the rehabilitation and placement of 12 or more retired race horses (of any breed) or offer sanctuary to 25 or more retirees annually
• Preference will be given to those programs that forbid the breeding of retired racers when all other considerations are equal
• Preference will be given to GFAS-accredited organizations when all other considerations are equal
• Must take back their returns when adoptions fail for whatever reason

Grants may be used to support the following programs:

• Adoption programs that place retired broodmares and other cast-offs from the breeding/racing industry
• Training programs that improve adoption rates
• Capital improvement grants to expand capacity, improve efficiency, or build a training arena
• Lay-up grants to allow injured retirees time to heal
• Sanctuary enrichment grants for long-term residents
• Model adoption programs/innovative adoption promotions

Grants are typically for one year or under, and generally range from $5,000-$35,000. Requests should not exceed 10% of an organization’s annual budget.

To access the grant application, click here.

Please note that you will need to know your Federal Tax ID/Employer Identification Number (EIN) to complete your application. You will also be asked to upload a “Financial Statement,” which may be (in order of preference): a detailed Form 990, audited or unaudited financial statements from the last completed year, or a revenue and expense statement of the last completed year.

Please note these important dates:

• Full applications must be received electronically through the above link no later than 11:59 pm ET on May 27, 2013. The ASPCA does not accept grant applications in any other format.
• Applicants will be notified of a funding decision by June 14, 2013. Please do not inquire about your grant application prior to that date.

For program-related inquiries, please contact Jacque.schultz@aspca.org. For application submission inquiries/technical difficulties, please contact grants@aspca.org. Usual ASPCA guidelines and reporting apply.

Further Reading
The Ex-Racehorse Factor