Equestrians Helping Equestrians: Relief Efforts in the Wake of COVID-19

US Equestrian has gathered a great deal of helpful information about how to Get or Give help to the Equine community. Find out how you can get involved, offer assistance, or get the help you and your horses may need. Read the full article to learn about the resources available, as well as ways to contribute.

Excerpts below from Leslie Potter/US Equestrian Communications Department:

The PonyApp and Connolly’s Red Mills have also teamed up to give away feed to lesson barns this spring. Nominations of barns and programs in need are accepted now at ponygroceries.theponyapp.com.

Rescue Relief

The EQUUS Foundation offers financial support to equine organizations that are part of its Guardians program. These organizations are put through a rigorous vetting process every year to ensure high standards of horse care and transparent and accountable operations.

US Equestrian has provided a USEF Disaster Relief Fund grant to support both the Equus Foundation Guardian Charities and HSUS’s Equine Protection Program to help horses in need due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Help for Horse People

Equine safety-net programs offer direct financial support to owners who need short-term assistance to keep their animals, thereby helping to keep horses from entering the rescue system. The Homes for Horses Coalition maintains a searchable list of safety net programs by state that assist owners with emergency funds, feed, veterinary care, or other essential expenses. The United Horse Coalition also provides a comprehensive listing of local and national equine relief programs on its website.

The Equestrian Aid Foundation is currently assisting equestrian professionals and service providers through its Disaster Relief Fund. Individuals who make their living through the horse industry and have lost their income as a direct result of the pandemic can apply for a one-time emergency grant payment of $500 to assist with basic living expenses.

In addition to its ongoing social media campaigns, the JLC is providing funds to horse trainers, riding instructors, and horse show staff in the trotting breed industry who have lost income due to COVID-19 through its Horsemen’s Relief Fund. At www.jlccares.com, equine industry professionals can find resources for financial assistance and creative solutions for generating income during the shutdown.

Get Involved

If you have room in your barn, consider adopting or fostering a horse in need. This will help free up space and resources at a local rescue. One place to start is MyRightHorse.org, a search engine established by The Right Horse initiative that helps connect available horses of all ages, breeds, and types with prospective adopters across the country.

Monetary donations to the USHJA’s Feed Aid Initiative are tax-deductible and will be matched by the USHJA Foundation up to $300,000.

Learn more

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Disaster Relief Assistance for Immigrants

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, California is providing one-time state-funded disaster relief assistance to undocumented adults who are ineligible for other forms of assistance, including assistance under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and pandemic unemployment benefits, because of their immigration status.

This state funding is expected to reach about 150,000 undocumented adults.

Individuals may begin applying on May 18, 2020. Assistance will be available until the funding is spent or until June 30, 2020, at the latest. Applicants will be considered on a first come, first served basis. Applicants may only seek assistance with the nonprofit organization(s) assigned to their county of residency (see below).

An undocumented adult who qualifies can receive $500 in direct assistance, with a maximum of $1000 in assistance per household.

 Read frequently asked questions.

Within Northern California: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Tehama, Trinity

Contact: California Human Development Corporation
(707) 228-1338
www.californiahumandevelopment.org/

Within Bay Area: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara

Contact: Catholic Charities of California
(415) 324-1011
Alameda and Contra Costa: www.cceb.org
Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo: www.catholiccharitiessf.org/
Santa Clara: www.catholiccharitiesscc.org/

Learn more

Fleet of Angels- FOA Emergency Micro-Grant

Crisis: COVID-19 - Learn More

Covid-19 restrictions are leaving many private horse owners without the financial means to cover the cost of horse feed.  Charitable donations have decreased significantly, and long duration of crisis is draining rescue facilities' accounts of emergency funds.

FOA Emergency Micro-Grant Application*: 

Because funds for COVID-19 related crises are very limited, please apply for this grant only 1) after pursuing any other available options such as social media fundraising, applying for assistance from crisis-related government programs, seeking other grant options, etc. OR 2) if hay is needed immediately

Please be patient. Grants are reviewed and applicants notified as quickly as possible, but please expect a delay due to the large number of applicants. 

As of 4/17/20:

All new applications will be added to a wait list.  If/when additional funds are made available, as many applications will be processed as possible.

About Fleet of Angels:

Fleet of Angels is a grass roots not for profit organization that was originally created to get more at-risk equines rescued and adopted by making  transporting them more affordable.  Thousands of trailer owners, over 2300 layover hosts, over 500 quarantine providers, and hundreds of other service providers have joined our network.  As a result, FOA has been able to help thousands of at-risk equines in our first four years.  Fleet of Angels has expanded its services over the years to include the management of equine crises of all kinds to insure that at-risk horses get the help and safe haven they need. 

Learn more

Equestrian Aid Foundation COVID-19 Relief Application

Equestrian Aid Foundation COVID-19 Relief Application

Relief grants will provide financial assistance to equestrian professionals and industry service providers who are experiencing unexpected financial crisis due to the negative economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Foundation is prioritizing assistance to those who have lost their primary/only income as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant amount will support a one-time payment of $500 (per household) to assist with basic living expenses.

The grant application is open only to equestrian professionals and industry service providers. Applicants must be citizens or legal residents of the United States.

***Your personal information will be kept strictly confidential. It will not be disclosed outside of the Equestrian Aid Foundation applicant review committee. EAF will maintain the same standard of confidentiality it extends to traditional grant applicants to COVID-19 relief grant applicants.***

APPLY NOW

*** The COVID-19 Emergency Grant window is temporarily closed. Please leave your contact information and we will notify you as soon as it repoens ***

EAF will prioritize assistance to equestrian professionals and industry service providers who have lost their primary or only income as a direct result of COVID-19.

IF YOU NEED TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE CARING FOR YOUR HORSE

If, as a horse owner, you have come upon a temporary situation in which you would like to keep your horse, but need assistance in the interim, the United Horse Coalition has created a listing of Safety Net Programs and other Resources to help you get back up on your feet.  These programs can help temporarily in the form of hay and feed, veterinary assistance, gelding clinics, training, help with behavior issues, and more.

Learn more.

SAFER Hay Assistance Program

Hay Assistance Program for Sonoma County

APPLICATION

For those struggling to keep their horses fed, Sonoma Action for Equine Rescue offers a program of temporary hay and feed. Please email info@saferhorse.com with any questions.

SAFER: 707-824-9543

Bay Area Barns and Trails Grant Application Due May 1, 2020

BAY AREA BARNS AND TRAILS GRANT PROGRAM: $500 - $2,500*

*$2500 is the maximum standard grant. Projects that meet BABT’s mission and serve the public in significant ways may be considered for larger grants.  

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES GRANT

Bay Area Barns & Trails (BABT) is offering small grants to barns, or groups associated with barns, needing help during the current pandemic. We are offering these funds to those who need help keeping their current level of horses safe and fed.

Economic Injury Disaster Loan And Paycheck Protection Program Differences

Learn more

The CARES Act and How Equine Businesses Can Participate

Sharing from Stable Management
Kimberly S. Brown

“As an equine business owner, you need to become informed about the CARES Act and what you need to do to participate. As an equine business owner, you need to become informed about the CARES Act and what you need to do to participate in its relief programs.

Horse farm and stable owners, trainers, managers, employees, show managers and many other independent equine business persons are trying to figure out how they fit into the $2-trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), enacted on March 27, 2020.

The CARES Act was created to encourage eligible employers to keep employees on their payrolls, despite experiencing economic hardship related to COVID-19, with an employee retention tax credit, among other measures.

There also are provisions for small business loans, expanded unemployment payments, and payments directly to individuals from the federal government based on adjusted income.

We will start with the personal payments, then delve into the business side of the CARES Act to understand what it is and how to determine if you qualify, and how to apply if you do qualify.”

Read more