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Dates for the 2024 funding rounds can be found below.

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1. WHAT WE WILL FUND

Through our Open Grants Programme (including small grants of less than £20,000), we consider applications from organisations whose charitable activities are associated with the UK Thoroughbred horseracing and breeding industries for projects and activities that fit within the criteria of our current strategy. We can only do so where outcomes are deemed to be charitable by nature.

Our current strategy focuses on 4 key areas:

People

PEOPLE
(Including social welfare and training & education)

EQUINE WELFARE

EQUINE
WELFARE

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT

ENVIRONMENT & EMERGING ISSUES

ENVIRONMENT &
EMERGING ISSUES

We will support work on the people agenda that directly supports the stated aims of the industry’s strategy and in the following areas:

  • The improvement in the health or the rehabilitation from injury of current or former members of the horseracing industry.
  • The prevention or relief of poverty among current or former members of the horseracing industry and their dependents.
  • Community development work in areas particularly connected with the horseracing industry (provided it is clear how such grants will benefit current or former members of the horseracing industry).
  • The promotion of education and training connected with the horseracing and Thoroughbred breeding industry and the provision of wider opportunities for staff to develop their learning and capability.
  • Development of the racing industry’s diversity and inclusion agenda.

We will support work on the equine agenda that directly supports the stated aims of the industry’s strategy for the improvement of the welfare of current or former Thoroughbred racehorses.

2022-2025

All of the Racing Foundation’s available funds for horse welfare (excluding equine science) to 2025 have been fully committed via the Horse Welfare Board and the delivery of the industry’s horse welfare strategy. The acceptance of further applications for horse welfare projects will be limited to innovation projects that will enable significant improvements or due to unforeseen emergency situations.  

We will support veterinary research into the Thoroughbred horse that will benefit both the breed and the sport. 

This support is provided in partnership with the Horserace Betting Levy Board and we will consider grant applications for applied research in the field of equine science, as long as the research has demonstrable practical benefits to Thoroughbred horseracing and only where the useful results of any such research will be published and publicised.

The application and assessment process is administered by the HBLB and all applications must be submitted through their system. You can find out more by clicking here.

We will support community engagement projects that align with the creation of an overarching industry strategy, including the following areas:

  • Engaging with new and diverse audiences in all aspects of the racing industry.
  • Promoting diversity and inclusion.
  • Racing-related activities that provide positive impact to local communities within which the sport operates.

We will support projects focusing on environmental awareness and sustainability to increase understanding and cultivate an industry response.

We will consider funding activities and projects that respond to emerging issues being faced by the racing and breeding industries.

Our grants programme will focus on supporting capability and capacity building (such as developing knowledge and thinking; producing transferable templates and funding generic resources) rather than the implementation of individual organisation’s sustainability action plans.

We will fund activities that bring people together to understand the issues and encourage the relevant parties to work together on a solution.

Lady with Horse

We prefer to support projects that:

  • Will involve, or lead to, collaboration with other industry stakeholders
  • Are aligned with industry strategies (where appropriate)
  • Will help build understanding
  • Have the potential to achieve a substantial impact

We will also:

  • Support work on the development and strengthening of those charities and organisations working to deliver charitable activities across the industry
  • Fund research to better understand risks and issues faced by the industry
  • Support the development of organisations’ capacity and capability to better support the industry
  • Support the development of stronger organisational governance
Racing Foundation 2024 Strategy

We accept applications for:

Click the dropdowns to learn more.

This may include funding for overheads and staff salaries (applications for staffing costs primarily associated with fundraising will only be accepted for a limited grant period and on condition that applicants can demonstrate how the proposed role fits within their wider fundraising strategy).

The Racing Foundation is only able to consider research grant applications for projects with a direct link to the Thoroughbred horseracing industry; where findings and recommendations will be used to benefit the sport’s participants and used by relevant stakeholders to implement change.

All research projects have to be endorsed by relevant racing industry stakeholders to show they agree with the need for the research and that they will take on board the findings and use them to protect the health and wellbeing of the sport’s participants.

We will accept applications for core costs if they will have a positive long-term impact on the organisation or industry.

We will accept applications for items of equipment under our Small Grants Programme (less than £20,000) where welfare-related need and impact can be demonstrated, although we will not fund basic stable management equipment.

We will fund multi-year grants, usually up to a maximum of three years (although longer periods may be considered in exceptional circumstances ie the nature of the project, its likely impact and its longer-term funding options).

We will fund innovative or risky projects if it can be shown that the work has the potential to achieve a substantial impact.

We encourage applications for joint projects that involve organisations working in collaboration and for projects where efforts are being made to secure match-funding.

We accept applications for loan financing of capital projects whereby the Racing Foundation can maintain the real value of its endowment and make a return on its investment.

Jockey Walking BW

Other Considerations

We accept applications from charities – i.e. an institution established for exclusively charitable purposes. As well as charities registered with the Charity Commission, the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator or the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, this may include unregistered charities with an annual income of less than £5,000 or charities regulated by another body including universities and higher education corporations, registered Industrial and Provident Societies and registered Friendly Societies.

We also accept applications from non-charitable organisations as long as proposed projects have a defined charitable purpose associated with the Thoroughbred horseracing and breeding industries.

We expect to make the majority of our grants to organisations with objects that are directly associated with the horseracing and Thoroughbred breeding industries. However, we may fund organisations that do not work exclusively within the industry when the work is of exceptional quality and can be shown to directly impact industry participants.

When assessing applications, we will consider the ability of an applicant to self-fund (including a consideration of its reserves position) or to fund from alternative sources.

Our Guidance Notes include an overview of what the Racing Foundation’s Trustees will focus on when allocating grant awards.