Carroll County’s MHIB Grant 2025 Recipients

Congratulations to our Carroll County based agribusinesses and non-profits that received MHIB grants for 2025: Full Moon Farm, Carroll County Equestrian Council & Center, Trail Riders of Today (TROT) and Maryland Fund for Horses!

ANNAPOLIS, MD (January 27, 2025)—The Maryland Horse Industry Board, a program within the Maryland Department of Agriculture, has awarded $31,200 in grants to 37 organizations and equestrian operations that represent a variety of equine groups and disciplines across the state. The grant review committee selected projects from a pool of 48 applicants.

Funding for these grants and the Maryland Horse Industry Board is provided by the Maryland Feed Fund, which collects $6 on every ton of horse feed sold in the state. Since the fund was established in 2002, the Board has awarded nearly $700,000 in grants to more than 450 projects.

“These grants are vital to the Maryland horse industry and agricultural sector,” said Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks. “Reaching a cross section of many horse organizations representing different disciplines and geographic areas of the state is important to keeping this industry thriving.”

This year’s recipients include funds for several new or recently started equine projects including the Common Ground equine assisted activities program, which helps Veterans, First Responders and others dealing with trauma and stress; the Therapeutic Riding Center of Western Maryland, the first of its kind in Allegany County; and Saddle Up Scholars, serving low income youth who want to experience horsemanship and horseback riding. Additionally, new this year is a registry cataloguing the activities of Maryland-bred sport horses and various other programs offering equine education, leadership, history and equine welfare projects, youth activities and other equestrian disciplines based in 16 of Maryland’s 23 counties.

A full list of recipients including a synopsis of each project is available on the Maryland Horse Industry Board’s website www.mda.maryland.gov/horseboard.

Projects are evaluated based on their value to the industry, degree of industry promotion, size and scope of activity, financial need, potential for matching funds, benefits and overall quality of the written presentation. Grants are capped at $3,000 in order to award funds to as many groups as possible. Eligible projects should have a completion date no later than June 30, 2025 although exceptions can be granted. Grant recipients are required to file a project report with the Board detailing how the money was used.

The Maryland Horse Industry Board was established in 1998 to promote and develop the equine industry in Maryland. For more information about the grants program and the Board, please visit our website or contact Maryland Horse Industry Board at mda.horseboard@maryland.gov.