Logo via US Equestrian.
US Equestrian is pleased to announce that it has awarded more than $60,000 in USEF Opportunity Fund grants to seven USEF Community Outreach Organizations in the fund’s inaugural year.
The 2022 USEF Opportunity Fund grants will support a range of projects, from expanding programming and purchasing safety equipment to infrastructure improvements and business operations support. Grantees are listed below in alphabetical order:
- City to Saddle – Mesa Farm (Rutland, Mass.): City to Saddle will use this grant to replace and upgrade the equipment used by participants, namely helmets, safety stirrup irons, stirrup leathers, and a vaulting surcingle.
- Cloverleaf Equine Center (Clifton, Va.): Cloverleaf Equine Center has experienced a growing demand for equine-assisted services from recovering service members and military veterans, and this grant will be used to expand their mounted and unmounted programs designed to support these populations.
- Detroit Horse Power (Detroit, Mich.): This grant will be used to support Detroit Horse Power’s construction of an equestrian center within the Detroit, Mich., city limits to expand their community impact with youth through equine activities and other educational resources.
- Heartland Therapeutic Riding (Overland Park, Kan.): This grant will be used to support Heartland Therapeutic Riding’s efforts to improve their arena and make it usable year-round, an important feature to a Midwest-based organization that is navigating very hot and very cold weather.
- HorseSensing (Shelbyville, Ky.): HorseSensing recognized a need to provide housing for military veterans across the country wanting to attend their programming in Kentucky, and this grant will support their efforts to renovate a second home for their female veteran clients.
- Solid Strides (Pleasant Hill, Ore.): Solid Strides will use this grant to support the costs of hiring a lead instructor who can amplify their impact through the development of camps, lesson programming, and internship opportunities for students who would otherwise be unable to afford participating in equestrian sport.
- Special Equestrians (Warrington, Pa.): Special Equestrians will use this grant to improve the operational efficiency and better support their clients’ needs by transitioning from paper-based to digital through the purchase of new computers and a customer relationship management software.
Learn more about all of the USEF Community Outreach organizations here.
“We are thrilled to support these incredible community-based organizations. The selection process was very challenging as all the organizations who applied are deserving and have important needs. Our goal is to increase fundraising so we can further support all of their great work in future years. From new helmets to funding software to contributing to a new permanent facility to horse care, every dollar contributed to the Opportunity Fund goes directly to helping these organizations so they can help others find horses and a better quality of life. This was our Opportunity Funds inaugural year and many donated to help us, but as you can see, we weren’t able to fulfill all of the grant requests due to funding limitations, so please, consider donating today,” said Tom O’Mara, President of US Equestrian.
These grants were awarded through a competitive grants request process. One hundred-percent of funds raised for the Opportunity Fund are dedicated to supporting the USEF Community Outreach Program and its recognized USEF Community Outreach Organizations. These organizations can be found across the country and are committed to bringing horses to traditionally under-represented and/or under-served communities, including active military and veterans; low-income individuals; people with disabilities; Black, Indigenous, and people of color; and more. The USEF Opportunity Fund aims to extend the reach and impact of these outstanding organizations to improve access to horses and bring the joy of horse sports to as many people as possible. These grants were made possible by the generous contributions of the USEF Board of Directors, members, partners, and competition organizers. Please consider supporting the Opportunity Fund and make a donation today.
About USEF Community Outreach Organizations
Recognized USEF Community Outreach Organizations are united by their standards in their mission to provide equine-based learning opportunities and to support the positive impact horses can have within their local communities. These organizations must meet certain standards of horse and human welfare, including USEF Safe Sport requirements and abiding by the USEF Non-Discrimination Policy, as well as offering their services for free or on a sliding scale of fees based on financial need, and more, before being recognized through this program.
