Support and preserve the American Quarter Horse through funding equine research, scholarships, educational programs, the Hall of Fame & Museum, and assistance programs for horsemen.
Equine research is the clearest thread in the American Quarter Horse Foundation’s recent grantmaking, with university awards ranging from $6,667 to $69,724 and multiple repeat recipients across years. The foundation uses that research funding to support horses and the Quarter Horse industry, while also backing scholarships, leadership development, museum preservation, and assistance for professional horsemen. Recent grants show a strong academic footprint: Colorado State University received $69,724 for equine research, Iowa State University received $56,250, and Montana State University received $56,199. Alongside those research awards, the foundation also funds internal and affiliated programs through program reimbursement grants, reflecting a mix of external and program-specific support. Its active programs include scholarship offerings, AQHLead leadership support, equine research grants, and crisis assistance for professional horsemen. The combination of research, education, and direct support for industry participants places the foundation squarely within the Quarter Horse ecosystem rather than a single-purpose grantmaker. Grant recipients are located nationwide, but the pattern of awards centers on institutions and programs tied to equine health, education, and industry development.
Equine research is the largest theme in the recent grant list. The American Quarter Horse Foundation gave $69,724 to Colorado State University, $56,250 to Iowa State University, and $56,199 to Montana State University, all for equine research. Those awards align with the foundation’s stated focus on equine health, veterinary research, horse welfare, and equine science. Education is another core area. Through scholarship programming, the foundation made grants such as $37,775 to the American Quarter Horse Association for program reimbursement grants and supports multiple scholarship tracks, including Career Path Scholarships, AQHF Scholarship Program, and AQHA Foundation Scholarships. The foundation also funds equine-assisted services. Recent grants include $6,991 to MTRA - Marion Therapeutic Ridi for equine assisted services, plus support to Healing Strides of VA, Forward Stride, and Soul Friends Inc. These awards fit the foundation’s broader emphasis on horse-related programs and participant support.
$158K
$71.9M
$11.9M
$2.3M
Most grants fall between $11K and $38K, with a median of $19K.
25th Percentile
$11K
Median
$19K
75th Percentile
$38K
About 23% of grants go to recipients in TX.
Karl Stressman
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The foundation’s typical grant size sits at $10,594 at the 25th percentile, $19,380 at the median, and $37,659 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards show both one-time institutional research grants and repeat funding across years: Iowa State University, University of Pennsylvania, Tarleton State University, and American Quarter Horse Association each appear more than once in the recent grant list. Grantmaking is structured through named programs rather than open-ended general support, including scholarship programs, AQHLead, equine research grants, and crisis assistance. The foundation also uses program reimbursement grants for affiliated operations. Unsolicited applications are accepted for several active programs.
Grant recipients are entirely in the United States, and Texas is the top state by grant count, with 23% of grants going to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. Recent awards reach university and program sites in Fort Collins, Ames, Bozeman, Philadelphia, College Station, and Gainesville, showing a broad national spread. Texas recipients include College Station, Stephenville, and Amarillo, while other grants land in Ocala, Boones Mill, Beaverton, and Wallingford. The pattern is national, but with a clear concentration in Texas and other equine-research hubs.
It funds equine research, scholarships and education, museum and historical preservation, professional horsemen assistance, and youth and young adult programs. Active programs also include AQHLead leadership support, Career Path Scholarships, Equine Research Grants, and Professional Horsemen's Crisis Assistance.
Its recent grant sizes cluster around a median of $19,380, with the 25th percentile at $10,594 and the 75th percentile at $37,659. The recent list also includes larger research awards, such as $69,724 to Colorado State University and $56,250 to Iowa State University.
Yes. Several active programs are listed as accepting unsolicited applications, including Career Path Scholarships, AQHF Scholarship Program, AQHLead, Equine Research Grants, Professional Horsemen's Crisis Assistance, and AQHA Foundation Scholarships.
No. The grant recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, and recent grants go to universities and programs across multiple states, including Colorado, Iowa, Montana, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Florida, California, Virginia, and Texas. Texas is the top state by grant count, with 23% of grants.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas A&M Agrilife Research | College Station, TX | $39,347 | 2025 | Equine research |
| American Quarter Horse Association | Amarillo, TX | $37,775 | 2025 | Program Reimbursement Grants |
| University of California | Davis, CA | $26,748 | 2025 | Equine research |
| Iowa State University | Ames, IA | $18,750 | 2025 | Equine Research |
| Tarleton State University | Stephenville, TX | $18,655 | 2025 | Equine Research |
| North Carolina State University | Raleigh, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | Equine research |
| Purdue University | Chicago, IL | $6,667 | 2025 | Equine research |
| Iowa State University | Ames, IA | $56,250 | 2024 | Equine Research |
| Montana State University | Bozeman, MT | $56,199 | 2024 | Equine Research |
| Tarleton State University | Stephenville, TX | $37,310 | 2024 | Equine Research |
| American Quarter Horse Association | Amarillo, TX | $31,936 | 2024 | Program Reimbursement Grants |
| University of Florida | Gainesville, FL | $30,626 | 2024 | Equine Research |
| University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | $17,148 | 2024 | Equine Research |
| Cornell University | Ithaca, NY | $14,996 | 2024 | Equine Research |
| Louisiana State University | Baton Rouge, LA | $14,957 | 2024 | Equine Research |
| MTRA - Marion Therapeutic Ridi | Ocala, FL | $6,991 | 2024 | Equine Assisted Services |
| Healing Strides of VA | Boones Mill, VA | $5,500 | 2024 | Equine Assisted Services |
| Forward Stride | Beaverton, OR | $5,150 | 2024 | Equine Assisted Services |
| SOUL FRIENDS INC | Wallingford, CT | $5,095 | 2024 | Equine Assisted Services |
| COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY | FORT COLLINS, CO | $69,724 | 2023 | EQUINE RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $51,443 | 2023 | EQUINE RESEARCH |
| TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY | COLLEGE STATION, TX | $45,638 | 2023 | EQUINE RESEARCH |
| MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY | EAST LANSING, MI | $44,205 | 2023 | EQUINE RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA | ATHENS, GA | $31,188 | 2023 | EQUINE RESEARCH |
| AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION | AMARILLO, TX | $26,481 | 2023 | PROGRAM REIMBURSEMENT GRANTS |
| VIRGINIA TECH UNIVERSITY | BLACKSBURG, VA | $20,009 | 2023 | EQUINE RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS | DAVIS, CA | $14,411 | 2023 | EQUINE RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS | CHAMPAIGN, IL | $12,375 | 2023 | EQUINE RESEARCH |
| AUBURN UNIVERSITY | AUBURN, AL | $9,788 | 2023 | EQUINE RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY | LEXINGTON, KY | $8,001 | 2023 | EQUINE RESEARCH |
Texas A&M Agrilife Research
$39,347Equine research
American Quarter Horse Association
$37,775Program Reimbursement Grants
University of California
$26,748Equine research
Iowa State University
$18,750Equine Research
Tarleton State University
$18,655Equine Research
North Carolina State University
$10,000Equine research
Purdue University
$6,667Equine research
Iowa State University
$56,250Equine Research
Montana State University
$56,199Equine Research
Tarleton State University
$37,310Equine Research
American Quarter Horse Association
$31,936Program Reimbursement Grants
University of Florida
$30,626Equine Research
University of Pennsylvania
$17,148Equine Research
Cornell University
$14,996Equine Research
Louisiana State University
$14,957Equine Research
MTRA - Marion Therapeutic Ridi
$6,991Equine Assisted Services
Healing Strides of VA
$5,500Equine Assisted Services
Forward Stride
$5,150Equine Assisted Services
SOUL FRIENDS INC
$5,095Equine Assisted Services
COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
$69,724EQUINE RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
$51,443EQUINE RESEARCH
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
$45,638EQUINE RESEARCH
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
$44,205EQUINE RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
$31,188EQUINE RESEARCH
AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION
$26,481PROGRAM REIMBURSEMENT GRANTS
VIRGINIA TECH UNIVERSITY
$20,009EQUINE RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS
$14,411EQUINE RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
$12,375EQUINE RESEARCH
AUBURN UNIVERSITY
$9,788EQUINE RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
$8,001EQUINE RESEARCH