Foothills Chapter Scholarship Guidelines
General Statement of the Purpose of the Scholarship:

On March 1, 2006, the Foothills Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Dressage Society established the Foothills Chapter Scholarship to encourage promising and dedicated riders in their pursuit of training in Dressage. Appropriate activities for which the scholarship may be used include, but are not limited to: traditional avenues of training such as clinics and intensive work with recognized experts, auditing or otherwise participating in clinics, seminars or symposiums, as well as unique competition experience. The scholarship is intended for any activity involving the applicant that will make a significant impact on the riders’ level of understanding of the principles of dressage as well as their level of achievement.

Funding:

The goal of the scholarship shall be to award at least one $500-$750 scholarship each fiscal year. These funds will come out of the Foothills Chapter account. The amount and number of the scholarship(s) shall be at the discretion of the Scholarship Committee.

Timing:

Applications will be accepted March 1st through May 1st. The Grantee shall be announced June 1st. Applicants will be promptly notified of their status.

Criteria:

1. Applicant must be a Foothills member in good standing (scholarship committee members are excluded from eligibility).
2. Applicant and rider must be the same.
3. Horse need not be owned by the applicant; however, if not applicant owned, the owner’s signature must be on the application form.
4. Horse and rider should have competed at training level or above.
5. Changes in the nature of the proposed activity by the Grantee must have prior approval of the selection committee. If applicant is unable to complete the approved activity, unspent monies as described in the proposed budget must be returned to the Grant fund.
6. The recipient shall provide a brief written report to the Grant Administrator within two months following the approved activity (or at least once per quarter if the Grantee participates in several activities), which will be edited for publishing in the RMDS newsletter and the Foothills website.
7. The Grantee will have one year from the date of grant receipt to spend the scholarship monies on the approved activity.
8. The Applicant shall contact two people for recommendations to be submitted with the grant application.
9. The grant will not be awarded to the same person in two consecutive years or more than twice in five years.
10. Non-compliance with these criteria will prohibit recipient from receiving future grants.

Administration:

1. A Selection Committee with three-year staggered terms will be headed by a non-voting Grant Administrator. The Selection Committee was originally formed as an ad hoc committee. Replacements will be chosen by the Foothills President via Foothills member input.
2. The identity of the Selection Committee is to be known only to the current Foothills President and the Grant Administrator.
3. Suggestions for the Selection Committee members may be made by any Foothills member. Send suggestions to the current Foothills President.
4. Selection Committee members and the Grant Administrator are ineligible for the Grant while they hold office.
5. The Selection Committee will operate blind; that is, all communications, deliberations and polling will be carried out via the Grant Administrator.
6. The Grant Administrator shall be appointed by the Foothills President to serve a term of no less than three years. The duties of the Grant Administrator are as follows:

6.1 Provide application forms to the applicants
6.2 Maintain all records and distribute completed applicants to Selection Committee members.
6.3 Collect a straw vote with comments from the Selection Committee and prepare the final list candidates according to the straw vote.
6.4 Count the votes and oversee a reballoting should the vote be inconclusive.
6.5 Notify applicants of whether or not they were awarded the grant.
6.6 Announce the Grantee to the Foothills officers and then the membership via newsletter and website.
6.7 Remind Scholarship recipient (Grantee) of duties outlined in criteria section above.

These guidelines were originally prepared by the ad hoc committee: Kathy King Johnson, Grant Administrator Susan Kracklauer, and Jan Wingate with special thanks to the Houston Dressage Society.

Guidelines and Application      

Contact Us | 2006 Scholarship| Member Photos | Video Library| Forms| Meeting Minutes| Home|