About the Grant
The Division of Animal Welfare is starting a new cycle for the Equine Welfare Assistance Grant to fund projects that advance the wellbeing of Colorado’s domestic equine population.
With this grant opportunity, the division will broadly focus on awarding grants in the following categories:
- Education and outreach
- Safety net programs to keep equines in their homes
- Adoption support
The purpose of the Equine Welfare Assistance Grants is to enhance domestic equine welfare through education and outreach, safety net programs, and adoption support. Due to limited funding, the Division of Animal Welfare has decided to use this grant opportunity to concentrate on initiatives that improve the well-being of Colorado equines requiring additional assistance. A domestic equine is a horse, burro, donkey, or mule that has been tamed and kept as a work or companion animal.
This grant program is funded through HB24-1458, which provided $200,000 for Fiscal Year 2025-26, with additional funding through FY 26-27.
Informational Session
Below are the links to the recorded informational webinar as well as the slides to accompany the recording.
Grant Application
Application Process
Only the approved application form will be accepted for the State Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Equine Welfare Assistance Grant. For information about the grant requirements, please see the Grant Guidelines below. The link to the grant application can be found below and will open on April 14th at 8am. Applications will close May 16, 2025 at 5pm. For any questions email CDA_EquineWelfare@state.co.us.
Application instructions
The application form will open on April 14th at 8am. All questions will need to be answered before the application can be submitted. Once submitted you will receive a confirmation email. If you do not receive a confirmation email please resubmit your application. For any questions or concerns email CDA_equinewelfare@state.co.us.
Review Process
Applications will be reviewed by an Evaluation Committee of industry experts and state staff, based on the Grant Evaluation Rubric found below. The Committee will make recommendations for awards to the Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture for final review and approval.
Grant Timeline
This Timeline is for information and planning purposes only. The Schedule of Activities listed are estimated and may be subject to change depending on the needs of the State.
April 14, 2025 - Grant Application Opens
April 18, 2025 - Grant Guidelines Webinar at 10 am MT
May 16, 2025 - Application Deadline at 5:00 pm MT
June 12-June 19, 2025 - Notice of Award
July 21, 2025 - Grant Encumbrance Documents issued to Awardees (as soon as encumbrance document is effective)
June 30, 2026 - End of Grant Period
August 25, 2026 - Final Grant Report Due
Invoicing & Reporting Requirements
Grantees may submit invoices at least quarterly (between 1-3 months) for reimbursement. Grantees must also submit a Grant Progress Report each quarter. Grant Progress Reports must include:
- A short narrative on progress towards grant deliverables, any obstacles encountered, and how those obstacles will be resolved
- Budget expended to date
- Budget remaining
- Encumbrance or agreement number
- Any public printed/electronic materials developed with grant funding
- Additional supporting information as necessary
Grantees will be required to submit a Final Report no later than 8 weeks after the end of the grant agreement. CDA will provide a Final Report template, but the grantee will be expected to report on:
- Final deliverables
- Final metrics
- Success stories and lessons learned
- Additional supporting information as necessary
Who is Eligible
Eligible entities can be any of the following:
- Non-profit entities
- For-profit entities
- Tribal or local government
- Colleges, universities, or other institutions of higher education.
Research projects and individual owners or companies seeking funding for care of privately owned equines are not eligible for this grant.
Defining Equine
A domestic equine is a horse, burro, donkey, or mule that has been tamed and kept as a work or companion animal.
Stay in the know
To receive information with updates from the Equine Welfare Assistance Grant, please sign up for our email list.
Contact
Grant Application Point of Contact: Emily Lowmon, Community Outreach and Education Specialist, Division of Animal Welfare.
Equine Welfare Grants email: CDA_EquineWelfare@state.co.us