Michael Poulin Dressage Fund

Michael Poulin and Graf George

The purpose of The Michael Poulin Dressage Fund is to provide financial support to organizations to host unique, innovative, collaborative events or programs that work toward the advancement of dressage in the United States through any of its component disciplines including riding, competing, training, instructing, or judging.  

Application Deadline: At least 75 days before the event 

Amount of Grant: Up to $5,000 

The Michael Poulin Dressage Fund was established in 2003 by Michael’s friends, students, and colleagues to honor Michael’s long and impactful career in dressage.  

Applicant Information: 

• Applications are accepted from equestrian organizations, dressage clubs, owners of private facilities, etc. 
• Applications should be creative, innovative, and unique ideas for an event or program that improve or strengthen dressage. 
• Collaboration between organizations is encouraged where one or more equestrian organizations might pool their financial resources with a grant from the Michael Poulin Dressage Fund. 

Additional Grant Information:  

• Grants should only be used to support the educational part of the event or program and should not be used to purchase food, goodie bags, vests/t-shirts, etc. 
• Grants may not be used for the organizer to make a profit and will only be provided to the break-even point for selected events.  Excess income should be returned to The Dressage Foundation, to be put back into the Fund.  
• If the grant recipient cannot hold the event or program specified in the application, The Dressage Foundation must be notified as soon as possible. Approval for a change in the use of funds is at the discretion of The Dressage Foundation and the grant selection committee.   
• Recipients are chosen by an independent selection committee comprised of dressage professionals. The applications and discussions of the selection committee are confidential, and their decisions are final. 
• The selection committee reserves the right not to award a grant in any given year if they determine that no applicants have met the criteria. 
• Organizers/groups can receive a grant only once per calendar year.  

Reporting Information: 

• For all recipients, 75% of grant funds will be paid prior to the event, 25% will be paid after the event or program, and after The Dressage Foundation receives the evaluations, final budget, and photos from the event.  
• The recipients of the grants are required to provide evaluations, a financial report, and photos from their event to The Dressage Foundation.  
• The report is due within two months following the completion of the event or program.  
• Before and throughout the event or program, recipients are encouraged to share updates with The Dressage Foundation via email or tag The Dressage Foundation on social media.   

About Michael Poulin:

Michael is a member of the Bronze Medal winning United States Team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and boasts multiple national and international championships. Michael heads the Poulin School of Dressage at the Dressage Center, Inc. in DeLeon Springs, FL, where he works with a prominent student roster. Former students include some of the top United States riders including Carol Lavell and Lendon Gray.  He has traveled nationally and internationally as a dressage coach and "S" rated dressage judge. 

In addition to serving on The Dressage Foundation's Board of Directors, Michael was also a long-time member of the Board of Directors and Dressage Committee of the USEF. He was instrumental in the founding of the USDF Instructor Certification Program. Through The Dressage Foundation, Michael also originated the "Young Rider Dream Program." In 2012, Michael was inducted into the Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of Fame.