The Racing Foundation, a UK-based philanthropy, has announced that it awarded grants totaling more than £7million ($9.04 million) in 2022.

The grants were awarded in alignment with the foundation’s focus on workforce diversity, equine welfare, community engagement, and environmental sustainability within the horse racing industry. Recipients include the Horserace Betting Levy Board, which was awarded £3 million ($3.88 million) in support of workforce, training, and education initiatives as well as efforts to help with the sport’s post-pandemic recovery, and the Riding a Dream Academy and the Racing Media Academy, both of which provide training and promote diversity and equity across the sport.

Established in 2012 to receive, invest, and distribute proceeds from the sale and privatization of the UK sports betting operator the Tote, the foundation has allocated grants totaling more than £37 million ($47.82 million) to horse racing-related charities to date.

“The Racing Foundation’s purpose is to make a difference in racing by acting as a catalyst and funder of improvement,” said Racing Foundation CEO Rob Hezel. “[We] are adamant the challenges we fund in the short term need to be managed and funded by the sport more generally in the future. This will require shifts in thinking and changes to business models if the sport’s long-term sustainability is to be assured.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Stockbyte)