Maryland Horse Industry Board Grant Program

About the Maryland Horse Board Grants Program

The Maryland Horse Industry Board Grant Program was developed to promote, bring awareness to and help grow the state’s horse industry. 

Goals

The main goals of the grant program are to:

• Increase public awareness and participation
• Advance education and training in youth and adults
• Support and promote equestrian events, programs, and activities
• Preserve access and use of public lands for riding in the Maryland horse industry. 

Funding source

The grant program is supported by the Maryland Feed Fund. 

Eligibility

Organizations eligible for MHIB grants include, but are not limited to:

• Nonprofit and not-for-profit organizations
• Clubs and associations
• Businesses
• Farms, stables, and horse rescues
• Government entities
• Schools, universities, and educational institutions. 

Types of projects we fund

Projects of interest to the Board include those that develop new opportunities for the Maryland horse industry.

Projects will be evaluated for their value to the industry, degree of industry promotion, size, and scope of activity, financial need, potential for matching funds, benefits, and quality of the written presentation. 

Grants that align with action items outlined in the most recent Maryland Horse Forum Report will be given strong consideration as well as grants that aim to enhance diversity and inclusion in the Maryland horse industry. 

The Maryland Horse Industry Board is less likely to fund grant projects that use money for 1) capital expenditures on farms including waterers, run-in sheds, trail bridges, fencing, etc., 2) supplies already purchased or projects already conducted, 3) University overhead or indirect costs, and 4) purchase, lease or care of horses.  The Board encourages entities seeking sponsorships for events to submit their request in the form of a grant to this program. 

Learn about previous Maryland Horse Industry Board Grant Recipients.

Grant amounts

Grant requests should not exceed $3,000. The average grant amount is approximately $1,200. I In FY 2022, 37 projects received nearly $40,000​ in grant allocations.

Grant funds for applicants to attend conferences, trainings, or certifications will be limited to $500 or less.  

The average grant amount awarded is approximately $1,000 with total grant monies awarded each year-$30,000. 

Timeline

All grant applications are typically due in early October with recipients announced in early January. Projects should be completed by June 30.

FY 2027 dates

• Application open: August 5, 2026
• Application deadline: October 5, 2026, 5 p.m. 

Grant application guidelines

• Online applications are preferred. Use this link: FY 2027 grant application form
• Do not exceed the number of words indicated in a section and maintain the order and format of the application form. Please use the notation "N/A" if a question is not applicable to your project.
• The use of links to supplemental material is allowed, but the inclusion of supplemental materials with the application is strongly discouraged. 
• Only eligible projects with completed applications submitted or emailed by the deadline date will be considered. No additional materials will be accepted after the deadline.
• Grant requests should not exceed $3,000
• Only one grant submitted per organization  

Paper grants will be accepted if scanned in and legible, but online is preferred. 

After you submit your application

Applications that meet the eligibility and submission guidelines above will be forwarded to the review committee for evaluation. The review committee is made up of three to five Maryland Horse Industry Board members and the Executive Director. Applications that do not qualify for review will be notified by email. In some instances, the review committee may recommend a grant amount less than what was requested.

What we look for

During the review process, grant applications will be reviewed for:

• Quality of written presentation and correct submissions
• Potential impact and value to the horse industry
• Feasibility of the project
• Financial need
• Potential for matching funds 

Grant notification & next steps

Grant recipients should be notified of the status of their application within 120 days of the deadline date.  

Funding will be available as soon as possible after January 15th. 

Project must be completed by June 30, 2027. A final report detailing how the grant monies were spent and the outcome of the project is also due by June 30, 2027. 

Get updates

To get news about this grant program, sign ​up for our email distribution list. Choose Grants under Quick Subscribe's Horse Industry Board. All licensed stables are automatically on the list.

Questions? Email [email protected]​