The USA Equestrian Trust has awarded $95,000 in grants to help fund four more equine projects as part of a historic year of grant-giving for the foundation. The awards come on top of nearly $240,000 awarded in May to 11 equine non-profits.

The trust’s volunteer leadership approved an expansion of the program earlier this year, offering a second grant application period for the first time in the foundation’s history. The organization saw even greater need from interested non-profits as the number of applications received in 2012 more than doubled compared to the year before. The leadership responded by granting more than it ever has before.

"In this time of continued economic instability, the board of USA Equestrian Trust dedicated itself to helping, as best we can, the many worthy equine non-profits in need of assistance," commented USA Equestrian Trust President Alan F. Balch.

Since the inception of the trust’s grants program, the organization has awarded more than $1.25 million in grants to equine non-profits