Hunting Retriever Club, Inc. established the HRC Foundation, Inc. in 1994. Under the direction of its officers and directors, the Foundation awards annual grants and educational scholarships. Its grants are primarily awarded to worthwhile animal-health research projects at universities and colleges. As of 2024, the Foundation had awarded 314 scholarships and 23 research grants totaling more than $539,000.
History
The establishment of the Foundation was spearheaded by Roger Davis. In 1994 the proposed Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws were developed in preparation for filing for exempt status. Initial attempts were rejected by the IRS, and in March 1995 the Foundation was instructed to amend its Articles of Incorporation to state that it is organized exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. On 18 May 1995 the IRS approved The Hunting Retriever Club Foundation, Inc. as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3).
At the National Meeting in June 1998, the Foundation awarded its first $1,000 scholarships to four individuals: Carol Karas, Chris Payne, Samantha Ley, and Dana Morein. At the same meeting, a $1,000 grant was approved for the University of Wisconsin Veterinary School for canine cancer research.
Foundation officers
| Seat | Name |
|---|---|
| President | Ray Caito |
| Vice President | Jeremy Browning |
| Secretary | Elaine Mitchell |
| Treasurer | John Borchert |
Scholarships
- The applicant must be a citizen of the United States or Canada.
- The applicant must be an HRC member, or the legal dependent of an HRC member on a family membership, and that membership must have been in place for at least one year (12 months) at the time of application.
- The applicant must be a high school senior or graduate with at least a 3.0 grade point average on a four-point scale, or the equivalent on a five- or six-point scale. College students must meet the same requirements.
Applications are accepted January through April, and scholarships are awarded at the Hunting Retriever Club annual Board of Directors meeting in June. Application details are published in the December/January issue of Hunting Retriever Magazine.
- 2026 scholarship application (Cognito form) (external site)The application linked from the current site is for the 2026 cycle, which closed in April. Check the next cycle’s details before applying.
Named scholarships
- Honorary: Omar Driskill Honorary Scholarship; Roger Davis and Paul Zellisko Honorary Scholarship
- Memorial: Carol Ford, Phillip Freeman, Bob Huschle, Ernie Istre, John Pritchett, Rod and Carol Rombauer, John Wallace, Wayne Gey, Tom Hell, and Ted Preston Memorial Scholarships
- Club scholarships: Middle Georgia HRC; Colorado River Retriever Club
Supporting the Foundation
The Foundation is sustained by the contributions of members and corporate sponsors. All donations go to the General Foundation Fund; to make a specific donation, note on the check where you want it to go.
- Solid Gold Foundation Supporters: any individual or club can donate $250 to join the Solid Gold club.
- HRC Memorial / Honor Program: established by the HRC Board of Directors in 1996 to remember retrievers and HRC members who have passed, and to honor the accomplishments of retrievers and individuals. Funds go to the benefit of the HRC Foundation, Inc. or to a charitable designee of the contributor through the Foundation.
- Corporate sponsorships: companies interested in sponsorship opportunities can reach out through the Sponsors Committee.
- Memorial / Honor contribution form, 2024 (PDF) (external site)Hosted on hrc.dog.