Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Student Experience and Applied Education Fund?

A financial fund established to help support Equine Science and Management (ESMA) undergraduate students gain horse experience and enhance their education through experiential academic and/or recreational activities 

Who can apply? 

Individuals in the ESMA major or student groups with an equine focus that includes the participation of ESMA students

How much can be awarded? 

Small grants are awarded in the range of $500 to $3,000, depending on the purpose and objectives of the proposal.

What types of requests for support ARE encouraged? 

Equine educational and outreach activities may include, but are not limited to 

• Educational trips
• Initiatives organized through equine clubs and teams
• Other equine-related educational opportunities
• Independent study and capstone projects that have special financial needs and are being conducted by ESMA students
• An independent equine-related initiative by an ESMA student that will have valuable educational components

What types of requests for support are NOT eligible for consideration? 

• At this time, costs associated with study abroad or domestic study courses
• Dues, competition fees, riding apparel or other costs related to individual participation on an equine-affiliated student club or team
• Costs associated with personal riding lessons
• Costs associated with leasing or owning a personal horse
• Tuition, housing or other fixed costs associated with attending the university, either as an undergraduate or graduate student

Have an idea but not sure if it would be funded?

• There are a lot of good ideas that might not be covered in the examples above. If you need more clarification, please email Dr. Camie Heleski at camie.heleski@uky.edu. 

What is the application process?

Two important student benefits are envisioned for this program. First, of course, is the educational, experiential and personal growth opportunities from the idea and plan being proposed. Second, the experience of developing, writing and submitting a well-crafted and competitive proposal should be a valuable educational experience in and of itself. 

To this end, the application process will be mentored by Dr. Camie Heleski and optimally an additional faculty or staff member of the student's choosing. The reasoning is as follows:

• Mentoring is expected to yield high quality proposals requesting support for ideas and initiatives that are consistent with program guidelines and criteria.
• Students who work through the mentored application process should gain a foundation of knowledge related to the thought processes and planning/organizational skills necessary to prepare a ‘professional’ and competitive application for other small grants in the future.

How do you apply?

1. Make an appointment with Dr. Camie Heleski (camie.heleski@uky.edu ) to discuss your proposal idea, review Student Experience and Applied Education Fund guidelines and discuss the mentoring process.
2. Review content in the "Developing a Competitive Small Grant Application" learning folder.
3. Complete a draft application following the required format and share it with Dr. Heleski and any other mentor.
4. Work with Dr. Heleski and any other mentor to revise and finalize your proposal.
5. Submit the completed applications as PDF and Word document attachments (two separate files) with a formal cover letter email addressed to "Philanthropy Committee Members of the UK Ag Equine Programs Advisory Board." Send the email to both Dr. Heleski (camie.heleski@uky.edu) and the Equine Programs office (equine@uky.edu).

What is the deadline for applying?

There is no application deadline. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis. 

When will you find out if you’ve been awarded a grant?

The review process to evaluate and consider funding submitted proposals normally takes four to six weeks. 

If awarded, are there expectations for when and how the grant is managed or any follow-up information needed?

It is anticipated that fund requests granted will be spent within one year of the award notification or by the student's graduation date, whichever is earlier. 

Students who are awarded a grant are asked to provide outcome information to UK Ag Equine Programs to be used in communications efforts, including photos and information on impact(s) of the funding and whether the goals listed in the application were met.

Summaries of grants awarded in the past can be found at https://equine.mgcafe.uky.edu/student-experience-and-applied-education-fund