JOIN THE EQUINE WELFARE NETWORK

Charity Request

Thank you for expressing interest in joining the Equine Welfare Network. The listing is provided free of charge to eligible organizations. The listing of an organization on this site does not imply any endorsement or recommendation by the EQUUS Foundation.

Please review the Eligibility Requirements below before completing the request. Please use proper grammar when completing this form. Check your spelling and do not use ALL CAPS.

Please complete all the information and press SUBMIT. We will respond back to the email of the primary contact with either 1) login instructions to complete the request, 2) a request for additional information or 3) a notification that the request to join the Equine Welfare Network has been declined.

I. GuideStar Profile

The EQUUS Foundation requires that the Guidestar seal reflecting the current year be displayed on your Guidestar profile.
Please copy and paste your GuideStar link/URL here:

II. IRS Tax Exemption Letter

The EQUUS Foundation requires that your organization provide us with your organization's IRS Tax Exemption Letter.

Only Acrobat (.pdf) files can be uploaded. Please avoid using special characters in the file name. Keep the file name short and simple.

NOTE: If your IRS Tax Determination Letter does not reflect current information about your organization, i.e., if there has been a name or address change, etc., you should request an "Affirmation" Letter from the IRS to confirm your good standing. Click this link - https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/exempt-organizations-affirmation-letters - for more information.
Contact IRS by phone: 877-829-5500
Contact IRS by fax: 513-263-4330
Contact IRS by mail:
Internal Revenue Service
Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division
Customer Service
P.O. Box 2508, Room 4024
Cincinnati, OH 45201

III. General and Contact Information

Organization

Tax ID

Street

City

State/US Territory

Zip (5-digit)

Physical Address if different from above:
Please use the address where your equines are sheltered

Street

City

State/US Territory

Zip (5-digit)

Website

NOTE: If your organization is involved with programs other than those that are equine-related, please provide the direct link to your equine-related programs on your website above.

Email

Re-enter Email

Phone

Year Founded Enter as yyyy

What was your organization's total expenses for your organization's last fiscal year? Check one:
Under $10K     $10K to $100K     $100K to $500K
$500K to $1M     $1M to $2M     $2M+

What was your organization's total equine care costs for your organization's last fiscal year? Check one:
Under $10K     $10K to $25K     $25K to $35K     $35K to $50K
$50K to $100K     $100K to $150K     $150K to $250K
$250K to $500K     $500K to $1M     $1M+     Not Applicable; None
NOTE: Include only direct costs, i.e., feed, bedding, veterinary, farrier, dentist, medications, supplements, supplies, manure removal, maintenance, and transportation. DO NOT INCLUDE STAFF COSTS. If your organization pays board or pays a leasing/rental fee for the use of horses, which includes items listed above, base the answer on the total amount of the board or leasing fee.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Contact Name

Contact Phone

Contact Email

Re-Enter Email
The email address of the primary contact will serve as the login email.

IV. Purpose and Program Information

Select your PRIMARY mission type/focus:
Select Horse Welfare if your organization is primarily involved with the rescue, rehabilitation, retraining, retirement and re-homing of horses.
Select Public Service if your organization is primarily involved with conducting Equine Assisted Services.
Select Sport & Recreation if your organization is primarily involved with the equestrian sport and/or equine related recreational activities.

Please provide your purpose or mission limited to 50 words.

Please describe briefly how your organization is involved with horses in the United States.

Please answer the following questions:

   1-a.  Does your organization provide programs involved with horse rescue, foster care, rehabilitation, adoption, and/or retirement?
Please select Yes or No.
Answer NO if your organization is primarily involved with EAS and uses rescue horses unless your organization has a specific program aimed at the rescue, adoption and/or retirement of horses in transition.

   1-b.  If yes, select one answer below that describes the primary activity of your organization.


   2-a.  Does your organization conduct Equine Assisted Services (EAS) in accordance with the EQUUS Foundation Guidelines on Qualifications of Organizations Conducting Equine Assisted Services (EAS)? Please select Yes or No.
*Before answering this question, click here to review the EQUUS Foundation definitions of EAS and SPECIAL NEEDS and click here to review EQUUS Foundation Guidelines on Qualifications of Organizations Conducting Equine Assisted Services (EAS).

   2-b.  Does your organization provide Community Outreach and/or public education programs involving horses? Please select Yes or No.
*Before answering this question, click here to review the EQUUS Foundation definition of COMMUNITY OUTREACH.

   3.  Which of the following best describes your organization's responsibility for the care of horses:
Our organization is directly responsible for the care and shelter of equines involved in our programs.
Our organization relies on other organization(s) for the care and shelter of equines involved in our programs.
Our organization is directly responsible for the care and shelter of some of the equines involved in our programs and some of the equines in our programs are cared for and sheltered by other organization(s).
The mission of our organization is equine-related, but our organization does not involve, care for, or shelter equines to fulfill our mission.

4. Has your organization ever made equines available for research studies or medical training? Please answer Yes or No.

4-b. If YES, please explain where and for what purpose equines are/were provided to use in research or medical training.

5. Has your organization ever sold, donated or given an equine to an auction or consider selling, donating, or giving an equine to an auction? Please answer Yes or No.

5-b. If YES, describe under the circumstances where you have sold, donated, or given an equine to an auction, or where you would sell, donate, or give an equine to an auction.

V. Petitions and Certifications

• I hereby petition the EQUUS Foundation, Inc., to accept the organization named in this request as a charity on the Equine Charity Network.
• I certify that I have the authority to make this petition and that the representations made in this request are, to the best of my knowledge, truthful and accurate. I further certify that I will notify the EQUUS Foundation in writing if any of the statements affirmed in this request become untrue or inaccurate.
• I certify that the organization named in this request is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as tax-exempt under 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) to which contributions are tax deductible pursuant to 26 U.S.C. 170(c)(2) and that the organization is not a private foundation.
• I certify that the organization named in this request has been in existence as a 501(c)(3) charity for at least one full operating year.
• I certify that the organization named in this request provides or conducts real services, benefits, assistance, or program activities in the United States related to horse welfare, or involving horses to benefit the public.
• I certify that the organization named in this request does not engage in any activity that disregards the welfare of animals of any kind, causes an animal to feel pain or fear, exploits or harms an animal to benefit the organization, or willfully slaughters an animal to benefit the organization.
• I certify that the organization named in this request submits to the IRS a complete copy of the organization's IRS Form 990; IRS Form 990-EZ, or IRS Form 990-N annually.
• I certify an active and responsible governing body directs the organization named in this request, whose voting members have no material conflict of interest and serve without compensation.
• I certify that the organization named in this request effectively uses the funds contributed for its announced purposes.
• I certify that the organization named in this request conducts publicity based upon its actual programs and operations, and that these activities are truthful and non-deceptive, include all material facts, and make no exaggerated or misleading claims.
• I certify that the organization named in this request does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, creed, national origin, disability, handicap, age, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by law.
• I certify that the organization named in this request does not promote or use donations for religious education or religious purposes; require participants to be of a certain faith or participate in religious activities or services; or require participation in prayer, worship, or other religious activities as a condition of receiving social or secular services offered.
• I certify that the organization named in this request meets all the eligibility requirements outlined below in this request.
• I certify that the organizaton named in this nomination does not support or sponsor political campaigns or otherwise advocate for (or against) political candidates and does not lobby a federal, state or local government agency or government official except where and only to the extent permitted under applicable laws.

Name of Authorizer (This acts as your signature)

Job Title of Authorizer

Enter 4&0234 Here:
The answer to the above question is required for spam control.

Eligibility

To be accepted as a public charity on our network:
I. The organization must certify that
• The organization is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as tax-exempt under 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) to which contributions are tax deductible pursuant to 26 U.S.C. 170(c)(2) as a public charity and the organization is not a private foundation.
• The organization provides or conducts real services, benefits, assistance, or program activities related to horse welfare in the United States.
• The organization does not engage in any activity that disregards the welfare of animals of any kind, causes an animal to feel pain or fear, exploits or harms an animal to benefit the organization, or willfully slaughters an animal to benefit the organization.
• The organization's programs and activities are directed by an active and responsible governing body, whose members have no material conflict of interest and a majority of which serve without compensation.
• The organization prepares and submits to the IRS a complete copy of the organization's IRS Form 990 or certifies that the organization is not required to submit an IRS Form 990.
• The organization conducts publicity and promotional activities based upon its actual program and operations, and that these activities are truthful and non-deceptive, include all material facts, and make no exaggerated or misleading claims.
• The organization has operated as a 501(c)(3) tax exempt public charity for at least one full operating year.
• The organization does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, creed, national origin, disability, handicap, age, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by law.
• The organization does not promote or use donations for religious education or religious purposes; require participants to be of a certain faith or participate in religious activities or services; or require participation in prayer, worship, or other religious activities as a condition of receiving social or secular services offered.

II. The organization must provide programs that involve one or more of the following:
• Shelter and rehabilitation for America's equines subjected to abuse and neglect, and at risk for slaughter;
• Retraining and re-homing of America's equines in transition with careers as athletes, companions, teachers, and healers;
• Peaceful and humane retirement and end of life for aged equines that ensures that they are able to live out their lives in comfort and with dignity;
• Mutually beneficial opportunities for people and equines to partner for the purpose of contributing positively to cognitive, physical, emotional and social well-being.

III. The organization must have a presence on the internet, i.e., a unique domain/url address that clearly defines its equine programs and ensure that the content displayed is kept current and based on actual programs and operations. A Facebook page is not acceptable.

IV. The organization must keep its Guidestar profile current. The EQUUS Foundation expects all charities that are accepted on our network, regardless of their size and scope, to be accountable and transparent to the public. The EQUUS Foundation requires that the Guidestar seal reflecting the current year be displayed on the charity's Guidestar profile. GuideStar is a free information service specializing in U.S. nonprofit companies. Please update your organization's GuideStar profile at https://www.guidestar.org/Login.aspx with the required information. If you have not done so already, you will need to create an account; otherwise sign in to update the report.

Definitions

Equine Assisted Services (EAS): Any activity that incorporates equine interactions and/or the equine environment, mounted or unmounted, to include 1) psychotherapy and/or mental health counseling aimed at achieving goals set forth by the licensed mental health professional and the client, 2) occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology treatment strategies utilizing equine movement set forth by the licensed therapist and the client, 3) horsemanship instruction adapted to the ability/disability of those receiving services, for the purpose of contributing positively to their cognitive, physical, emotional and social well-being conducted by a certified professional, and 4) experiential learning approaches that promote the development of life skills to achieve educational, professional and personal goals conducted by a licensed educator, mental health professional or coach. Please refer to our Guidelines for Conducting EAS for additional information.

Special Needs: Any difficulty or difficulties (such as a physical, emotional, behavioral, or cognitive disability or impairment) that require or benefit from instructors, specialists, counselors, trainers and/or facilitators who have certified training for their scope of practice applicable to the people participating in the programs and specific to the program offerings. The difficulty may not be limited to a health issue but may result from the interaction between the individual and the society in which he or she lives arising from an abusive or unhealthy environment or situation and/or a lack of resources, including economic resources, placing them at risk of a future with less than optimal outcomes.

At-Risk: Refers to being at-risk of a future with less than optimal outcomes. Youth are considered at-risk for a number of reasons, such as if they are homeless or transient, involved in drugs or alcohol, abused sexually, physically or emotionally, mentally ill, neglected at home or live in stressful family environments, lacking social or emotional supports, and involved with delinquent peers. At-Risk youth are likely to be involved in a number of risky behaviors, such as running away, skipping school, drinking underage, engaging in sexual behavior, displaying disruptive behavior, bullying/harassment, fighting, and committing acts of vandalism.

Community Outreach: Refers to public education programs aimed at educating the public about the horse-human bond, issues impacting the welfare of horses, and how horses change lives and activities that include, but are not limited to, any activity OTHER THAN Equine Assisted Services (EAS) that require a credentialed service provider, such as off site visits with horses at hospitals, nursing homes, and schools, crisis response, workplace well-being, on site tours, seminars and clinics, camps, community service hours, able-bodied mounted and unmounted lessons, etc.

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