2010 Audit letter

Yearly financial reports:

For more current financial data, please go to http://www2.guidestar.org. 

2006 Financial Data
2005 Financial Data
2004 Financial Data
2003 Financial Data
2002 Financial Data
2001 Financial Data

Where Your Money Goes
Animal welfare organizations and youth service organizations nationwide need to be held accountable for their spending to the same degree as the Red Cross, United Way or any of the other people-oriented organizations. Our main job should never be to build a vast empire, but to place ourselves completely in the service of those animals and kids that are suffering from the ravages of abuse and neglect.

While the BBB recommends that 50% of charitable donations go to program services, the National Charities Service Bureau says that at least 60% should be allocated to the programs. However, in a public survey done by those organizations, over half of those who responded said that they want at least 80% of their dollars spent on programs.

We are the first to admit that fundraising is always a problem. We are forever seeking the funds for not only our current programs, but also for their expansion. Our growth, while spectacular to some, is very small compared to the challenges of horse and child abuse in this country. We are determined to continue our expansion, but never at the cost of spending your dollars on needless fluff and weekly mass mailing fundraising letters.

At Habitat for Horses, our mission comes first: To rescue abused horses and to provide sanctuary for the healing and growth of both horses and young people through equine-assisted activities.

It's only through your knowledge of our work that we will slowly build a loyal base of solid supporters to fund our programs.

Our last four financial statements, taken from the IRS Form 990, are now online. We place them within your view for one reason, to strengthen your trust in us. We need the loyalty of supporters who are well informed and committed to the success of Habitat for Horses. We depend upon you not only for your continued financial support, but also for your ideas, your direction and your inspiration.

Our administrative cost and fundraising expense for 2001 came to 11%. In other words, 89 cents of every dollar you sent us went to program services. For the fiscal year 2002, we decreased that to 9%, meaning that 91 cents of every dollar went to program services. In 2004, the administrative cost and fundraising expense stayed at around 10%, a figure that shows that once again, 90 cents of every dollar goes directly to the horses.

For an excellent explanation of how to determine the effectiveness of a nonprofit based on the Form 990 figures, look at: "How To Read a Form 990". I highly recommend that you apply the information on that page to any nonprofit to which you might donate.

In March of 2005, Lone Start Equine Rescue merged with Habitat for Horses. The two largest equine rescue organizations in Texas finally became one, combining the benefits of both a central ranch operation and a large foster home based operation. Under one umbrella, we now are responsible for around 250 horses scattered over Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. After an extensive training period, we now have around 50 trained equine cruelty investigators throughout Texas, making our skills far more beneficial to law enforcement. While our goal has always been primarily one of education for owners of neglected horses, we successfully assist law enforcement when owners stop listening.

In September, 2005, Habitat for Horses/LSER became the primary rescue in Louisiana working the recovery for equine during both Katrina and Rita. Our members spent thousands of hours organizing aid for the stricken areas, and our rescue teams handled not only horses, but also hundreds of dogs and cats. Under the authorization of the State of Louisiana and the Louisiana Veterinarian Medical Association, we delivered thousands of dollars worth of hay, feed, medical supplies and tack to the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, which was the center for the recovery of animals, to the Parishes south of New Orleans, New Iberia, Slidell and into Mississippi.

This organization is also played a strong support role in the passage of the Sweeney/Ensign amendment to the Federal Agricultural Appropriations Bill that puts an end to the payment of Federal Inspectors at the three horse slaughter facilities in the United States. We continue to support the passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (HR503 and SR 1915) and will continue to do so “until they are safe.”

We are setting some pretty serious goals for 2006, goals that involve saving the lives of hundreds of horses. Those goals will take a lot of money. To raise that money, we are changing the concept of our organization from a local level equine rescue to a national member-operated equine center.  Since we depend entirely on contributions, our supporters have always had a strong voice in our operations. Through our new membership program, not only will our supporters have a voice, they will be able to directly participate in our operation through our new interactive website.

As we ask for your financial support this year we remain very aware that you want your dollars to be spent on program services that directly affect the lives and welfare of both horses and young people. Our members will help us determine where their money should be spent and where Habitat for Horses goes in the future.

To those who willingly give us your financial support, we thank you from the bottom of our heart. To those who are still deciding, the evidence is here. Please, for the horses and kids, become a member and make Habitat for Horses a part of your life.