The IHSGB Training Bursary
Background
As Members will know the last few years have seen only a fraction of the activity we would normally hope to deliver. It is probable that we will, again, end our financial year (31st July 2022) with another surplus thanks to Omicron. Although Education courses are now entering our diaries once again the first confirmed date is already in the next financial year (September).
As a Society we are committed to our Membership and sincerely thank them for patiently waiting on our spending programme. Our intentions are still to ratchet up the Education Initiative by investing £15,000 into courses and grants, subsidizing events for our Members and bringing in an exciting range of international trainer talent….as well as our home grown experts!
Because we have not been able to offer as many of these day to day activities as planned we now feel it is appropriate to introduce a new initiative for Members, offering a one off £50 training bursary to all Adult Single Members of the Society and a £62.50 bursary per Family Membership (the pro rata equivalent of your annual £36 single v. £45 family Membership fees).
Eligibility
The ONLY mandatory eligibility criteria for receiving this bursary is that, on application, you must be, and have been, a fully paid up Member of the Society for at least three consecutive years. The bursary will be paid directly to you, the Member, and the Society requires no subsequent ‘proof’ of spend/usage. All we ask is that the money is used in the spirit of the award, the grant being made to fund activities that will, broadly, further the Society’s objectives. Indeed, as a Charity, this is a must do/have! We do request that you subsequently write a short account of how you used the money. These summary articles will be collated and shared, anonymously, in future editions of Sleipnir – just to show the range of activities and opportunities out there for Icey owners. Maybe you want to use the money to help pay for a course fee, attend a series of webinars, travel to an Icelandic event, facilitate organizing an event etc. etc?…..there is no blueprint: this is a ‘payback’ to Members for them to use as they see fit with their Icelandics and to help with costs.
The Future
We estimate that if 100% of our Members were to apply for this bursary then that would reduce the Society’s reserves by c. £12,000 (leaving £3k of the planned £15k spend, spend, spend programme). We cannot estimate take-up but feel it is unlikely that all Members will take advantage of this initiative. Each Membership (Adult or Family) can only apply once and this bursary programme will remain open for three years, with a spend cap of £4,000 in each financial year.
Obviously using Society funds (ie: spending some of our savings) in this way will reduce our ability to grow any education programme, or fund other initiatives, over and above the monies we have available to us in any one financial year. However we do feel that our reserves have, through exceptional Pandemic circumstances, grown inappropriately and we would like to make this offer to our Members before we can, once again, offer more activities in year as the ‘world opens up’!
Going Live Now!
The Board and Management Team shared this proposal with Society
Members in the April 2022 edition of Sleipnir. It was not a proposal that required a Member vote and remained within the powers of the Trustees to determine. However we invited Members’ immediate thoughts and reactions. Feedback was positive and the Board voted, unanimously, to implement the proposal as soon as possible.
- Applicants must be a current member of the Society and have been a member for THREE consecutive years at the time of application. If the category of membership has changed during that time, for example youngsters covered by a family membership have now become single members, just the Family bursary will apply until the young members have achieved 3 consecutive years of single membership.
- To apply, please fill in the IHSGB BURSARY APPLICATION FORM
which is available online through the Members Area of the website.) - Bursaries will be awarded in year in the order of date of application until the spend cap is reached when o/s applications will be carried forward to the following year. If an application is carried forward the revised application date will the 1st August of the new financial year ie: the three year consecutive membership eligibility criteria will be judged as at 1st August.
Eligibility
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The ONLY mandatory eligibility criteria for receiving this bursary is that you must be, and have been, a current and fully paid up Member of the Society for at least three consecutive years at date of application.
The bursary will be paid directly to you, the Member, and the Society requires no subsequent ‘proof’ of spend/usage. All we ask is that the
money is used in the spirit of the award, the grant being made to fund activities that will, broadly, further the Society’s objectives.
The Society’s Objectives
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To educate the public about the Icelandic horse and its origins, preservation and standards in accordance with the standards of FEIF (The Federation of Icelandic Horse Associations).
To improve general standards in the management, use and treatment of horses with particular reference to the special features of the Icelandic horse by the education of breeders, importers, owners, judges, veterinarians, trainers & Members of the public.
The Scheme
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The Bursary will run for three financial years, 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/4.
However the Board reserves the right to bring the scheme to a close at any point dependent on the financial position of the Society in year.
An initial spend cap of £4,000 will exist for each financial year but this will be kept under review.
To apply, please fill in the IHSGB BURSARY APPLICATION FORM (see Members’ Area) and send to office@ihsgb.co.uk