The Racing Foundation announces over £570,000 of grant awards at second Board meeting of 2026

The Racing Foundation has awarded £571,304 in charitable grants during its second Board meeting of the year, taking the total amount awarded by the Foundation in 2026 to more than £1.5million.

The grants will support a diverse range of activities across British racing, from educational opportunities for young people and the continuation of the Horse Welfare Board’s programme team, to improved medical provision for racing staff and practical support for the rehabilitation and rehoming of former racehorses.

The grants approved at the Foundation’s August Board meeting include:

•    Continuity funding for Racing to School’s Education Programme supporting young people in inner-city, disadvantaged and rural areas.
•    Funding towards a new horsebox for Racehorse Relief to support its work with former racehorses.
•    Continuity funding of the Horse Welfare Board’s programme team for 2027 to enable the delivery of the next industry-wide equine welfare strategy to commence.
•    Continuity funding for the industry’s Programme Lead for Wellbeing and Culture for 2027 to enable the delivery of the Industry Occupational Health and Wellbeing Strategy.
•    Funding towards urgent measures to assure essential utility supplies at the National Horseracing College.
•    Funding of a new Heath Medics treatment vehicle to support a safer working environment for stable staff and help deal with accidents associated with work-riding on the Newmarket gallops.

Tansy Challis, Chief Executive of the Racing Foundation, said: “We are pleased to be supporting a broad range of projects through our second funding round of 2026. These awards reflect the importance of investing in racing’s people, the welfare of its horses and the wider contribution that the sport can make to communities and society.

“From giving young people the opportunity to learn through Racing to School, to supporting the Horse Welfare Board project team delivering horse welfare programmes and strengthening frontline medical provision in Newmarket, these grants will make a practical difference across the industry.

“We are also delighted to support Racehorse Relief with a new horsebox, helping the charity continue its important work providing former racehorses with the rehabilitation, retraining and rehoming support they need.

“The Foundation remains committed to working collaboratively with organisations across British racing to address the key charitable issues facing the sport and to support projects that can deliver meaningful and lasting impact.”

The grants were approved at the Racing Foundation’s second Board meeting of 2026, held in August, and form part of the Foundation’s ongoing 2025 – 2027 strategy, which focuses on developing understanding and action around the key charitable issues facing British racing in the areas of horse welfare, racing’s people and ESG. Further information about the Racing Foundation’s funding rounds can be found at https://www.racingfoundation.co.uk/our-grants-programme/