Brooke USA funds a huge diversity of programs and projects, designed to address specific needs of working equines and their owners in the developing world and right here in the United States. These programs are guided by these four thematic focus areas.
Work with animals by directly relieving their suffering through treatment and improved husbandry and handling.
Work with owners because by working with them we address the most common and severe problems to ensure a healthier future for working equines.
Work with health services because by working with local vets and other providers we improve the availability and quality of services for working animals.
Work with governments to advocate for local, national, and international institutions to include the welfare of working equines in policy and implementation.
Brooke USA designates resources to communities where private funding – your contributions – make a significant difference in the lives of working horses, donkeys and mules and the people that depend on them.
Brooke USA tackles human poverty by funding programs that improve the welfare of working equines as these animals are lead contributors to sustaining and improving family livelihoods. Poverty cannot be overcome in equine-dependent communities without healthy and cared for working horses, donkeys, and mules.
Where we work…
Cameroon: International Organization for Animal Protection (OIPA). OIPA approached us for funding knowing that Brooke USA has an international reputation for funding working equines in dire situations. This new project will bring mobile health clinics and animal welfare training to a group of equines in desperate need of attention.
Cuba: Our grantee, Cuba’s Horses is a small, persistent, and creative charity. We’re pleased to announce their grant has been renewed for a 2nd year. Cuba’s Horses provides training on what horses can and cannot eat and the importance of nutritious regular feedings and access to clean water.
A donkey working in a Pakistan coal mine. © Brooke: Action for Working Horses & Donkeys.
India: Growing as an organization has allowed Brooke USA to launch our biggest project yet, Brick Kilns 360⁰. Work has already begun on this five-year project which seeks to reach the invisible workers in one of the most grueling industries in the world. The scope of this project focuses on sustainable change, improving animal welfare while providing community support and economic opportunities. Read more about this transformational project on page one or at www.brookeusa.org/brick-kilns-360.
Indonesia: Horses of Gili, is a small charity dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and welfare of the working horses on the Gili Islands. Their program includes the successful operation of a hospital, boarding, foster care and horse clinics.
Kenya: The Betty Murgian Memorial Fund/Donkey Care Club Tribute, has been established by the Murgian family as a legacy gift to honor the memory of their matriarch, Betty Murgian. This three-year project will ensure that selected Donkey Care Clubs (a well-established Brooke USA program) continue to undertake various activities to improve their educational facilities, promote environmental sustainability and of course, teach students to be compassionate animal handlers! (See page X for more details).
Namibia – Funding for the Namibia Animal Welfare Association’s (NAWA) Project Donkey was used to provide veterinary care including emergency treatments in impoverished rural areas. NAWA replaces ill-fitting tack with humane harnesses, bridles and bits and even goes so far as to burn the confiscated tack ensuring it can’t be reused. Like many of our grantees, they are focused on sustainability and train local artisans in manufacturing tack helping communities become more self-sufficient while providing better care for their working equines.
Pakistan Coal Mines- When donkeys emerge from working in coal mines, they are temporary blinded. No natural light and air thick with dust; conditions are dire at the 170 coal mines involved in our new project. Coal mine donkeys are afflicted by a range of severe welfare and health issues, including poor husbandry, lack of services, harmful traditional practices and inadequate feed. Mountainous terrain and limited availability of veterinary facilities make it difficult for mine workers to access veterinary care. As always, a cornerstone of our project is community engagement first. By training and teaching best practices, Brooke USA promotes self-sufficiency for the long term. This project also includes installing watering and feeding stations.
Senegal: –Did you know that farriery is not recognized as a formal profession in most countries Brooke USA operates in? To address the cultural perception that farriery is not a worthy career, Brooke West Africa opened the continent’s first ever farriery school. This grant will further their core work offering trainings in farriery and compassionate handling. Brooke West Africa will also continue to advocate against the donkey hide trade in countries like Togo, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Chad.
South Africa: Animal Relief for Rural Communities (ARRC) - Building upon its work to improve materials used in local harnessing and bridles, ARRC has requested funding for an industrial sewing machine to keep up with demand for their comfortable harnesses. This will be a considerable improvement over hand sewing!
Using a true 360⁰ approach, ARRC realized that many of the donkey injuries they are seeing stem from pulling ill-constructed carts. The logical next step is to assist cart owners in repairing their carts to reduce the stress of pulling heavy loads on bad equipment. Their 2025 plans also call for a borehole so donkeys can have a water trough all year around and crops can be irrigated through winter. It’s easy to forget that clean running water is a luxury. We can’t wait to hear what’s next for ARRC!
Tanzania: Recognizing that 70% of equine owners in rural parts of Tanzania receive medical advice at local Agrovet stores (which are like US farm stores), the goal of this grant is to train over 120 Agrovet practitioners, including women, in up-to-date veterinary diagnosis, simple surgical procedures and drug use. The participants had no formal training or qualifications but were still seen as their community’s source for medical advice and treatment.
Gold Mines: When Brooke East Africa was shown evidence of the inhumane treatment of working donkeys in the remote Tanzanian gold mine industry, they knew they had to act. Coming to their sister organization, Brooke USA for funding, this project is perhaps our most daunting yet. Small-scale mines operate under the radar in very remote locations. The mines have never been visited by equine welfare-focused non-profits despite the severely inhumane treatment the donkeys face daily. Our project begins with a scoping plan to assess the situation and develop a plan of intervention. Will the mine owners tolerate outsiders? We will have to walk a delicate line to be allowed to work.
United States: Brooke USA Bridge Grants at the Equus Foundation. This annual fund awards up to $10,000 in grants a year to American charities like horse sanctuaries and rescue centers to cover unanticipated expenses. Applicants can register with the Equus Foundation to be vetted in advance so that when the unexpected happens – funds can be released quickly. This year, multiple grants were made to offer veterinary care for rescue horses. As we all know, caring for equines is not cheap and costs mount quickly in emergencies. Please see equusfoundation.org for more information.
California Wildfire’s Emergency Response – A core part of Brooke USA’s mission is to support disaster relief operations. Thanks to our supporters, we raised $5,000 for our California Fires Emergency Fund. The funds were given to Fleet of Angels, a specialist charity with expertise in providing hay and supply banks to serve horses in the long months to come.
Hurricane Helene and Milton Disaster Relief- $24,000 was raised and delivered to Equestrian Aid Foundation, EQUUS Foundation and Fleet of Angels for distribution to equestrian communities in Western North Carolina and Florida that were catastrophically affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Thanks to you, Brooke USA works in communities where the need is greatest and where the road is less traveled. Our country-specific programs seek to help as many animals as we can; as well as the people whose livelihoods depend on them sustainably and compassionately. If you have any questions about any of the programs listed or wish to do more, please contact Karen Moon at karen.moon@BrookeUSA.org.
Funding Vulnerable Communities Across the Globe
Over the years, Brooke USA has funded the work of our sister organization, Brooke: Action for Working Horses and Donkeys. Brooke is the leading international animal welfare charity dedicated to improving the lives of working horses, donkeys, and mules. Through Brooke’s work, we know that our donors’ funds are put to great use as they equip local people with the knowledge and skills to give their horse, donkey, or mule a better life.
Brooke USA also accepts unsolicited proposals from other organizations across the globe and in the United States that fit our eligibility and selection criteria and whose work addresses one of our four thematic focus areas. We take monitoring and evaluating our grantee organizations very seriously and we foster respectful and transparent partnerships. We select organizations after thorough review by our Board of Directors and require appropriate project-specific reporting.
Eligibility Criteria:
Brooke USA selects our grantee partners based on their demonstrated potential to provide solutions to the needs of vulnerable working equines and the people they serve and generate significant improvements in their lives.
Selection Guidelines:
Beyond the basic eligibility criteria, Brooke USA uses the following selection guidelines in identifying partnering organizations.
Impact – We prioritize organizations that can use the requested funds to reach the greatest number of animals and people.
Geography – We prefer geographic diversity when selecting grantees and strive to ensure a variety of communities across the globe benefit from our support.
Project Type – We look for program diversity when selecting grantees and strive to fund a variety of innovative programs in the following areas - capacity building, sustainability programming, female empowerment, and international advocacy.
Reputation and Referral – We prioritize organizations that are recognized and trusted. We also value our previous experience with grantee organizations.
Capable Management – Prospective grantee partners must have systems and processes for enquiring responsible management of funds, and they must be able to meet Brooke USA’s reporting requirements.
Organizational Need – We prefer to fund organizations with limited access to alternative funding sources.
Potential for Sustainability – We prioritize organizations that have a strategy for ensuring the long-term sustainability of their programs through development and partnerships, community involvement, income-generating activities, or other creative measures. Preference will be given to organizations that aim to continue their programmatic work beyond the lifetimes of the Brooke USA grant.