ANNAPOLIS, MD (December 17, 2025) ~ The Maryland Horse Industry Board (MHIB) has recently announced the recipients of their competitive grants, totaling $20,680. The grants were awarded to 35 organizations and equine operations across the state, representing a diverse range of disciplines, regions, and community-based programs. This year's grant pool was highly competitive, with 56 applications being considered.

Funding for these grants comes from the Maryland Feed Fund, which collects $6 on every ton of horse feed sold in the state. Since its establishment in 2002, the Feed Fund has provided nearly $700,000 in funding to over 500 projects, helping to strengthen Maryland's equine industry from within.

Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks expressed his support for the grants and highlighted the importance of a unified horse ecosystem in promoting growth within the industry. "As the horse industry continues to work together, we are better able to see both its breadth and opportunities for growth," said Atticks.

This year's grant recipients span across 14 of Maryland's 23 counties and showcase a growing emphasis on various areas such as workforce development, youth education, equine-assisted therapy, public outreach, emergency preparedness, and professional training. Some notable projects include expanded youth and young adult equine education programs like the Maryland Horse Career Program and statewide outreach initiatives like Horseland's educational programming.

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Anne Litz, Executive Director of MHIB, noted the diversity and impact of the supported programs within the horse industry. "These grants reflect a modern and inclusive horse industry that reaches far beyond one sector," said Litz. "The Board is proud to invest in programs that strengthen Maryland's horse ecosystem while delivering tangible benefits to people across the state."

Grant projects were evaluated based on their value to the industry, degree of promotion for the industry as a whole, scope and scale of impact, financial need, potential for matching funds, overall benefit to individuals or communities, and the quality of the application. To ensure that funding reaches as many projects as possible, individual grants were capped at $2,000. All projects are required to be completed by June 30, 2026, and recipients must submit a final report detailing the use of funds and project outcomes.

A full list of grant recipients and project descriptions can be found on the Maryland Horse Industry Board's website at https://mda.maryland.gov/horseboard/Pages/grant.... The Board encourages those interested in supporting Maryland's equine industry to visit their website for more information on how to get involved.

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