Trail to Sustainability:
Securing Your Program Future
Leading an equine-assisted services program takes more than passion—it takes clarity, strategy, and sustainability.
REGISTER NOW!Does any of this apply to you?
This mini course is designed for leaders in equine-assisted services who are doing their best—but know there has to be a more sustainable way forward.
You might see yourself here if:
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You’re an Executive Director or Program Director wearing multiple hats and making big decisions with limited time and resources
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Your program has grown (or shifted), but your budget, systems, or staffing haven’t kept pace
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You’re unsure of the true cost of your programs, or you feel pressure to keep fees low without a clear plan to cover expenses
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Fundraising feels reactive instead of strategic, and you’re chasing dollars rather than building long-term support
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Grants sound appealing, but all the requirements feel overwhelming
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Your board, staff, or volunteers aren’t always aligned, and organizational culture feels harder to manage than it used to
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You want better data and feedback—but don’t know how to evaluate impact without overburdening participants or staff
You're not alone!
INTRODUCING THE SIX WEEK MINI-COURSE
Leading an equine-assisted services program takes more than passion—it takes clarity, strategy, and sustainability.
HETRA University’s newest mini-course is designed specifically for executive directors, program directors, and leadership teams in equine-assisted services.
Over six weeks, you’ll learn how to assess your mission, culture, resources, and community needs—then build practical skills in budgeting, fundraising, marketing, and grant writing that reflect the real costs of running an EAS program.
REGISTER NOW!What is a Mini Course?
A mini course is a bundle of comprehensive education that is completely self-paced. Get full access to all course materials for 6 weeks, simply come and go from our educational platform when it’s convenient for you.
It's the most affordable and accessible CEU's you will ever gain!
Register now!What's included in the Course?
All online and completely self-paced!
- (5) Core Curriculum Modules including video/audio presentations.
- PDF Downloads to keep key concepts handy after the course.
- Access to helpful HETRA strategies such as forms, online links and other downloads.
- LIVE "Office Hours" throughout the course! Each week your instructor, Edye Godden, will go live to answer any questions, discuss lessons learned or get content application advice for your own center- an incredible opportunity for mentorship!
Module 1
Start Where You Are: Assessing Program Capacity and Status
Module 2
Budgeting and Financials
Module two equips participants with the financial literacy needed to create and manage sustainable budgets for an EAS program. You’ll learn to build realistic operating budgets, understand direct and indirect costs, differentiate restricted versus unrestricted funds, and interpret financial statements. The module also covers budget monitoring, forecasting, communicating financial realities to boards and funders, and planning for long-term sustainability. Participants will capture their top three takeaways to guide future financial decisions.
Module 3
Fundraising & Marketing in EAS
This module helps participants integrate fundraising and marketing strategies to increase visibility, engage their community, and cultivate long-term supporters. You’ll learn to develop a diversified fundraising plan, craft compelling EAS-specific stories, and build donor relationships through stewardship and impact messaging. The module also covers marketing essentials—brand clarity, consistent messaging across channels, leveraging testimonials and visuals, and community engagement through collaborations and networking. Participants will identify their top three takeaways to apply in growing support for their programs.
Module 4
Grants That Grow: Finding, Writing & Managing Impactful Funding
This module equips participants to find, write, and manage grant proposals that align with funder priorities and showcase their EAS program’s impact. You’ll learn to craft needs statements and budgets, navigate funder restrictions, and use simple evaluation strategies to track outcomes and demonstrate success. Participants will also explore building funder relationships, meeting post-award responsibilities, and capturing their top three takeaways to guide future funding efforts.
Module 5 - LIVE
This recorded live session guides participants in applying what they’ve learned to create a realistic, actionable plan tailored to their program’s needs. You’ll identify your top three sustainability priorities, set goals for leadership and team culture, and develop a 12-month action plan covering budget, fundraising, grants, and evaluation steps.
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Edye Godden
OTR/L, HPCS, PATH Intl. CTRI, ESMHL
CEO at HETRA
Edye Godden has been a driving force at HETRA since 1991 and has served as Chief Executive Officer for over 30 years, guiding the organization through tremendous growth and transformation. Under her leadership, HETRA expanded its programs, enhanced its impact, and successfully completed a major capital campaign in 2014 to establish its new home in Gretna, Nebraska.
As an occupational therapist and PATH Intl. CTRI, Edye continues to maintain a small caseload of participants while providing expert consultation and training to other professionals entering the field of equine-assisted services. She has played a pivotal role in the development and ongoing evolution of all aspects of HETRA’s programs, ensuring they maintain the highest standards of quality and care.
Hear what others have had to say about educational offerings at HETRA University...
I really enjoyed this course. I found it very informative and so relevant to a lot of conversations my center has been having in regards to which horses we should keep, which horses we should retire, how to organize volunteers to best support the horses. Loved it!
I have so many take-aways overall... The detail of training for every horse and volunteer is something we all know is important, but this provided a great detailed plan to make it something we can incorporate into our personal centers.
Fantastic course with tons of great info about horses-to help center insure horses are happy and healthy. Gained lots of tools for preventing equine burnout.
Very relevant - every facility may/will deal with equine sustainability issues. I found this information inspiring -especially with
volunteer and equine training.
GOING LIVE JANUARY 15
Trail to Sustainability:
Securing Your Program Future
Get immediate access to the self-paced course starting January 15, 2026.
Six weeks of access to all of the education, simply log-in to come and go as you please!
*Live course benefits will take place only January 15- February 27, see details below.
Why should I register now?
If you get in before January 15th, you get the FULL LIVE COURSE EXPERIENCE, which features "office hours" with Edye until February 27th.
What are "office hours?" An optional portion of the course where your instructor goes live. Simply Log on to your learning platform to ask any questions, discuss lessons learned or get content application advice for your own center!
You can register at any time for the course and receive unlimited access for 6 weeks following your date of purchase... however, you will only receive the live office hours benefits during the dates indicated above.
