The Equine Industry has deep roots in North Carolina.  The first horses arrived in North Carolina during the 1500’s where they were used, as they are today, for work, pleasure and companionship.  Today, North Carolina’s equine population encompasses three hundred six thousand (306,000) horses, ponies, mules, donkeys and burros.  While the equine industry is large and ranges from stable operators, trainers, and veterinarians to feed suppliers, fencing and construction companies, trailer manufactures, and saddle and tack shops, the industry segments exist largely independent of one another.  Furthermore, equine enthusiasts tend to segregate by favored breed or type of activity such as trail riding, showing, jumping, racing or working horses.  This segregation leads to misinformation, lack of ability for improved economic benefit and sometimes to the lack of proper care and treatment of the animal, which the Organization seeks to address and remedy.

     The North Carolina Horse Council Foundation (NCHCF), Inc. was formed exclusively to preserve and enhance the Equine Industry and its agricultural interests.   The Foundation will work companionably with the North Carolina Horse Council (NCHC)by assisting our North Carolina horses and owners via charitable, educational, and research programs.  

     The primary purpose of the NCHCF is to educate the general public as well as the equine owning public about such things as the selection, care, management and health of all equine. The Foundation was formed to assist in providing educational programs and bring general awareness to equine issues. It is the intent of the Foundation to put all dollars received back into these efforts via a grants/gifting  program.

     The NCHCF intends to assist educational efforts featuring speakers from North Carolina Land Grant Institutions, trainers, equine therapists, farriers, veterinarians and other equine specialists. These educational programs will address various segments and interests of the North Carolina equine industry, including but not limited to educational programs on such topics as:

• “How to Select Your First Horse” - purchasing a horse is a lifetime commitment, and it is important that prior to buying a horse the potential owner understands what it is going to take to own the animal to prevent an unwanted horse situation.
• “General Equine Care and Management” - as North Carolina becomes increasingly urbanized, livestock owners need to understand the amount of land necessary for the responsible upkeep of equine as well as the structures necessary for their well-being.
• “Equine Health” – discussions would touch on a variety of topics to provide equine owners and equine enthusiasts with a basic understanding of equine health needs, including dental health, basic first aid, and an understanding of animal to human transmission of disease. 
•  “Pasture and Facility Management” - as the loss of farm land continues to rise in North Carolina, equine owners and equine enthusiasts must become more aware of environmental issues and develop “best management practices” to ensure high water quality and lessen nutrient runoff.
• “Equine Nutrition and Supplements” - what works and what constitutes good nutrition for healthy livestock
• “Hoof Care and Lameness” – addressing issues to ensure the animal’s usefulness and prevent the animal from becoming unwanted by its owner.
• “Equine Legal Issues” – will educate equine owners and the general public regarding basic rules and regulations governing equine ownership, including such programs as understanding agricultural present use value, land zoning issues, local ordinances which govern ownership or building and liability issues, understanding lease agreements, tools for starting your own equine business, and buying and selling of horses.
• “Boarding and Training” - provide the general public with information on what to look for in a boarding facility and understanding training programs and different types of riding. 
•  “Trail Construction and Maintenance Courses” – planning for, designing and maintaining environmentally safe equine and multi use trails.  
•  “Leave No Trace” - assisting both the equine trail user group as well as other trail user groups on how to teach others to enjoy our recreational trails and leave them unspoiled for future users. 
• “Livestock Investigation Training” – conduct multi level training in livestock investigation.   

     Additionally, the Organization will participate in  other educational events, including open houses, slide presentations, and other public speaking engagements that will be free and open to the public with an aim at educating the public on all types of equine issues.  Open house events will likely be conducted at local equine facilities, both public and private, and will give North Carolina citizens and the general public an opportunity to experience hands on-equine agricultural activities.  TheFoundation will make itself available to attend other events and conduct educational seminars and slide presentations at state and local equine associations, state organized agricultural meetings, and private businesses interested in furthering equine economic development within North Carolina. 

      The NCHCF may also send out educational articles of interest to people who subscribe to an email list and also post related articles on the Foundation’s website.  The Foundation’s website will feature contact information and announcements about upcoming equine opportunities.  In addition to the website, the Foundation will assist the development of and help  distribute brochures and written materials addressing general information about the Organization and how to become a donor, as well as information regarding the educational programs offered throughout the state. 

     Moreover, the NCHCF may host educational symposiums to address specific equine topics, including but not limited to equine neglect and cruelty cases and abandoned and rescued equines.   All such events will be open to the public

 The NCHCF will also provide scholarships for North Carolina students who are working towards agricultural education both in secondary and post-secondary institutions, including but not limited to students pursuing equine related externships, internships, degrees in animal science and/or graduate programs including veterinary science.  

      One other way that the NCHC Foundation hopes to operate is to provide economic support to other 501(c)(3) charitable institutions, provided such support would further the mission and goals of the Foundation. Some areas where grant monies may be granted might include:

•  Equine Safety Net Programs: provide short term feed for horses in instances when an owner experiences an injury, loss of job, or other hardship. 
•  Gelding Voucher Program: Low income owners may apply for geld vouchers, paid directly to the servicing veterinarian
• Euthanasia Voucher:  Low income owners may apply for euthanasia vouchers, paid directly to the servicing veterinarian after the euthanasia is complete.  The horse owner would be responsible for carcass disposal.
• Hay Banks: purchase equine quality hay available to horse farmers in distress either due to drought, flood or other environmental issue.

     The NCHCF would accept grant requests from existing clubs, associations, institutions of higher education or individuals maintaining an interest in the health, recreational and educational interests of the horse industry as well as other topics or interests deemed important to the equine industry, provided such organizations are tax exempt within the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.  Grant requests impacting the broadest scope of horse owners will receive preferential treatment.  Moreover, the Foundation will evaluate grant requests based on the following guidelines: fit with the Organization’s mission, quality of proposed program, magnitude of impact on horse owners, feasibility and sustainability of proposal, and accountability.  

             The Foundation may also partner with other tax exempt organizations. For example, the NCHCF may partner with a land conservation non-profits to secure land for horse trails, a university or educational institution to develop  an equine research unit, fencing, stabling, or other facilities, or the Organization may partner with the cattle or pork councils to promote and develop a more general animal welfare program or fund research.  

     At the beginning of the year and as you or your company may begin to think about tax deductions, The North Carolina Horse Council would like to remind you that the NC Horse Council Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) organization, meaning that gifts to the Foundation are tax deductible.  The Foundation has been organized and is affiliated with the North Carolina Horse Council, a 501 (c) (5) organization and working together to further the broad equine interests of our state.

     An important distinction between the mutually exclusive 501 designations, according to Bob Sanford, who chairs the Foundation’s board of directors, is that while a (c) (3) can receive tax deductible contributions, a (c) (5) permits an organization to conduct legislative lobbying and advocacy work,  which is the North Carolina Horse Council’s (NCHC) principal mission as the voice of the North Carolina horse industry. 

     Gifts to support the work of the NCHCF may be received through the Foundation as monetary sums via checks or wire transfers as well as in the form of stocks, annuities, bequests from an estate, endowments, etc. 

     “For more than thirty years, the NCHC has supported charitable programs via the Educational, Trails and Health and Research Grants. By charter, the NCHC Foundation funds will be used solely to continue this charitable work as well as offer scholarships and equine safety net type programs”, Sanford said. 

    Sue Gray, Executive Director of the NCHC said that “contributors may designate their gifts, however, for general or specific uses, such as either the scholarship programs or to expand educational efforts, including development, publication and distribution of equine related pamphlets, guides and brochures, or to assist in the physical improvement of our state’s equine facilities.”

     Gifts can be in any amount. For example, someone may desire to provide $10,000 to support an annual scholarship in his or her name. Gifts of $25 or more will automatically generate receipts for tax purposes. 

     For information on how to become a major Foundation Sponsor or sustaining member, contact the NC Horse Councl Foundation, 4904 Waters Edge Drive, Suite 290, Raleigh, NC 27606 or email: suegray@nchorsecouncil.com Checks may be made payable to the NC Horse Council Foundation and mailed to the address above.