Hearts And Horses Foundation

Hearts And Horses Foundation is a private operating foundation — it conducts its own equine-assisted therapy programs rather than making grants to third-party organizations. This means traditional grant applications to this entity are not applicable. The foundation is run by the Fleischman family (Lisa Loiodice Fleischman as President, Richard Fleischman as Treasurer/Secretary) on a volunteer basis. The only paid staff member is a horse trainer (Gerly Corrales, ~$70K/year), confirming direct program delivery.

Applicants seeking equine therapy funding in the Long Island area should approach Hearts And Horses Foundation as a potential collaborator or program partner rather than a grantmaker. Organizations providing complementary disability services, adaptive recreation, or veteran support in Suffolk County may explore partnership referrals, but direct grant funding from this foundation to external organizations is not the foundation's model.

Hearts And Horses Foundation allocates 91-93% of annual expenditures directly to charitable disbursements (program costs), with the remainder covering administrative expenses. All revenue comes from private contributions and donations — the foundation has $0 in investment income or asset-based returns, which is unusual for a foundation of this size. This indicates the founders (the Fleischman family) are the primary donors, essentially self-funding the operation.

Financial trajectory (FY ending June): - FY2019: Revenue $813K | Expenses $446K | Assets $1.09M - FY2020: Revenue $635K | Expenses $468K | Assets $1.25M - FY2021: Revenue $564K | Expenses $442K | Assets $1.37M - FY2022: Revenue $708K | Expenses $616K | Assets $1.44M - FY2023: Revenue $589K | Expenses $547K | Assets $1.48M - FY2024: Revenue $520K | Expenses $526K | Assets $1.48M (slight net loss)

The FY2024 data shows the foundation approaching steady-state with assets stabilizing around $1.48M and revenue slightly below expenses for the first time. The foundation does not maintain an endowment for grantmaking — all assets appear tied to program equipment, horses, and facility costs.

Within the equine-assisted therapy space on Long Island, Hearts And Horses Foundation is a small-to-mid-sized operating foundation. For comparison: - NTEE T23 (Private Operating Foundations) foundations typically maintain assets of $500K–$5M at this scale - Peer organizations in NY equine therapy include Equestrians With Disabilities of NY, Fieldstone Farm (OH), and PATH Intl.-certified centers - Most PATH Intl.-certified therapeutic riding centers in NY operate as 501(c)(3) nonprofits (not private foundations), which means they actively seek grants from other foundations - The Fleischman family's private foundation structure provides significant tax and operational advantages compared to a standard charitable nonprofit but limits grant-seeking from public sources - Geographic peers: Several therapeutic riding nonprofits operate in Suffolk County (Long Island), including programs affiliated with local hospitals and disability services agencies

Hearts And Horses Foundation's private operating foundation status sets it apart from peer organizations that rely on competitive grant funding. Its self-funded model provides program stability but limits scalability.

The foundation was established in April 2016 and has grown consistently from $494K in assets (FY2018) to $1.48M (FY2024). Key recent developments: - FY2024 (ending June 2024): First year with net operating loss (-$6,094), suggesting revenue moderation - Consistent paid position for a horse trainer ($64-70K range, FY2021-2024) indicates sustained direct program delivery - All officer/director roles (President, Treasurer/Secretary, Director) remain volunteer/unpaid — hallmark of a family-run foundation - The foundation's website listed in IRS records (heartsandhorses.org) belongs to a different Colorado organization, suggesting the NY foundation has limited or no public web presence - Ruling date of April 2016 means the foundation is approximately 8-9 years old and has demonstrated consistent year-over-year operation - No federal grants or audits appear in available records, consistent with a privately-funded operation

Since Hearts And Horses Foundation is a private operating foundation that delivers its own equine therapy programs, traditional grant applications to the foundation are not appropriate. However, organizations in the equine therapy, disability services, or veteran support space in Long Island should be aware of the following:

1. PARTNERSHIP APPROACH: Rather than seeking grants, explore collaborative service agreements or participant referral partnerships. The foundation's program reach could benefit from partnerships with hospitals, schools, or veteran services organizations in Suffolk County.

2. CONTACT STRATEGY: No public website or contact form has been identified. Direct outreach through the Fleischman family (8 Turnberry St, East Setauket, NY 11733) or through professional networks (PATH Intl., NY equine therapy associations) is the recommended approach.

3. PROGRAM ALIGNMENT: Any partnership proposal should emphasize populations served (physical/cognitive disabilities, youth at-risk, veterans) and the Long Island/Suffolk County geographic focus.

4. TIMING: The foundation's fiscal year ends June 30. Program planning and budget cycles likely align with a July-June calendar.

5. SIMILAR FUNDERS TO SEEK: Organizations seeking equine therapy grants should look to larger NY-based foundations (Altman Foundation, Tiger Baron Foundation, Community Foundation for Long Island) and federal sources (VA therapeutic programs, SAMHSA) rather than this private operating foundation.