Local grant expands pasture, strengthens animal care in Laramie

Home on the Range Animal Haven used a $2,500 grant awarded on December 3, 2025 to upgrade fencing and expand grazing pasture for its equines, officials said. The funding came from the Far West Donor Advised Endowment Fund through the Wyoming Community Foundation and directly translated into increased safe acreage for the sanctuary’s donkeys, ponies and horses.

The grant is a modest infusion of capital that addressed a practical infrastructure need for a nonprofit operating on limited resources. Improved fencing reduces the risk of animal injury and escape, and it increases the usable pasture area available for rotation and rest. For residents of Albany County, the improvements lower the chance that animal control or emergency responders will need to intervene, and they support the ongoing day to day care provided by the sanctuary.

This award highlights the role of community philanthropy in filling gaps left by constrained municipal budgets. Animal care operations statewide and locally often rely on a mix of donations, grants and volunteer labor to maintain safe facilities. Small targeted grants such as this one enable nonprofits to make specific, measurable improvements without drawing on operating funds that support feed, veterinary care and staffing.

Institutionally, the grant demonstrates how donor advised endowment funds operate as a mechanism for channeling philanthropic dollars to local causes. The Wyoming Community Foundation’s program provides a vehicle for donors to support projects that have direct community impact while allowing small organizations to pursue discrete capital projects. For Albany County policymakers, the outcome underscores the potential leverage of small grants in extending the reach of public services related to animal welfare.

The sanctuary’s fencing work serves as a practical example of how targeted investments increase resilience in local nonprofit infrastructure. As community groups and officials consider long term planning for animal welfare, the case underscores the value of combining philanthropic support, volunteer engagement and public oversight to maintain safe, humane conditions for animals across Albany County.