Rusty Halo Foundation

What Rusty Halo Foundation does

Rusty Halo Foundation is a privately held 501c3 nonprofit charitable organization (Tax ID 81-4291708) founded in 2015 and headquartered by mailing address in Martinez, California. It provides equine-assisted mental health services and outdoor programs for vulnerable teens and young adults across the Northern California Bay Area, operating through Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) and Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) modalities certified under the EAGALA model and delivered by a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with trauma-informed, expressive arts, and energy psychology training. Target beneficiaries include foster youth, children of veterans with PTSD, unhoused youth, youth with trauma or anxiety, and juvenile justice-involved youth; named program partners include the Contra Costa Youth Services Bureau, Concord Veterans Center, and Youth Spirit Artworks, with services delivered at the Zenerosity facility in Danville and Hossmore in Briones.

The foundation runs four core programs: (1) EAP and EAL individual/group sessions for youth, (2) the annual Warrior Riders veterans event in partnership with Shifting Strides, (3) the Adopt A Horse subscription sponsorship program featuring six therapy horses, and (4) the Contra Costa Youth Services winter day camps. Revenue is generated entirely through charitable donations, corporate sponsorships at tiered levels ($500-$1,500), event registrations (e.g., $200 per bocce team), $600 teen enrichment program fees with scholarships available, and merchandise sales via Big Truck Hat cobranded products. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on agency referrals, local media coverage (including a 2018 KPIX Jefferson Award to Executive Director Steph Peek), organic social on Instagram and Facebook, and email newsletters.

The organization operates with 1-10 employees plus a volunteer workforce under founder and Executive Director Steph Peek, with governance provided by a Board of Directors including Treasurer Laura Lawlor (Senior Software Solutions Architect at Oracle), Secretary Christi Waybright (retired police detective), and directors Marisa Barley, Rick Kraushar, and Dora Ritzer (LMFT). A 10th Anniversary Fundraiser at the Equestrian Center of Walnut Creek is planned for 2025 to support the long-term buildout of a permanent Rusty Halo Ranch facility in Clayton, CA, which would consolidate programming currently delivered across multiple partner venues.

Name

Rusty Halo Foundation

Legal name

Rusty Halo Foundation

Website

https://rustyhalofoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rusty Halo Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit providing EAGALA-certified equine-assisted psychotherapy and learning programs for foster, unhoused, justice-involved, and veteran-family youth across the Northern California Bay Area, funded by donations, corporate sponsorships, and annual fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Equine-Assisted Mental Health Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

Keywords

• Equine-assisted psychotherapy
• Youth mental health services
• Trauma-informed therapy
• Nonprofit charitable foundation
• Equine assisted learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Martinez

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting the foundation's mission to provide equine therapy to vulnerable youth. Organization is a 501c3 with tax ID 81-4291708.
2. Fundraising Events: Annual and special events including Fall Fun-draiser, bocce tournaments, anniversary celebrations, and veteran-focused Warrior Riders events that generate revenue through ticket sales, raffles, and sponsorships.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorship tiers (Pony Level $500, Mustang $950, Thoroughbred $1,500) providing visibility benefits for corporate donors at fundraising events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Rusty Halo Foundation provides Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) and Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) programs to vulnerable teens and young adults across the San Francisco Bay Area. Services are delivered at low cost or free to qualifying youth using EAGALA-certified methodologies, trauma-informed clinical social work, and expressive arts and energy psychology modalities. The foundation also runs the Warrior Riders veterans program, the Adopt A Horse sponsorship initiative, seasonal day camps with partner agencies, and merchandise/fundraising programs to sustain its mission.

Product overview

Rusty Halo Foundation operates as a single-program charitable organization offering mental health services through equine-assisted therapies. The core offerings include Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) and Equine Assisted Learning (EAL), which provide individual and group therapeutic sessions for vulnerable youth. Additional programs include the Adopt A Horse sponsorship initiative, the Warrior Riders veterans program, fundraiser sponsorship tiers, merchandise sales, and seasonal day camps in partnership with local youth services agencies. The programs are delivered at Rusty Halo Ranch and partner facilities, with the organization currently raising funds to build its own permanent ranch facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Halo Herd: The horse adoption program featuring therapy horses including Momma Mia, Aurora, Ginger, Mack, Galileo, and Stormy.

Products and services

• Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) Evidence-based therapeutic approach using horses, EAGALA-certified, to address emotional and behavioral challenges in vulnerable youth, delivered as individual and group sessions at low or no cost.
• Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) Educational and personal development sessions using horse interactions to build life skills, self-esteem, and social-emotional competencies for vulnerable teens and young adults.
• Warrior Riders Program Annual event held with Shifting Strides providing veterans and their families with horse experiences, grooming, and family activities.
• Adopt A Horse Program Subscription-based program allowing supporters to virtually adopt a therapy horse, receiving updates, photos, and invitations to special events.
• CC Youth Services Winter Day Camps Seasonal equine-assisted learning and therapeutic day camp activities delivered in partnership with Contra Costa Youth Services Bureau for groups of approximately six youth.
• Teen Enrichment Program Six-week equine-assisted learning program at partner facilities for teens, priced at $600 per participant with scholarships available.

Quantifiable outcome

• 158 youth now have access to Rusty Halo programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ZenerositycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary facility partner providing horses and space for Rusty Halo therapy services. Executive Director trains and earns licensing hours under Cyndi Lukk, LMFT supervision at this location. Clients receive treatment with dignity and respect in their space.
• Shifting StridescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual partnership for Warrior Riders events providing horse experiences for veterans and their families. Organizations collaborate each year to host the veteran-focused event.
• Youth Spirit ArtworkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partner receiving equine therapy services for youth participants. Provided testimonial noting youth conversations around boundaries, consent, confidence, and goal-setting.
• Spirit Horse Therapeutic Riding CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in American Canyon where Rusty Halo sponsors teen enrichment program. Executive Director previously worked at this facility.
• ConvergintminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner that organized Social Responsibility Day on June 10th with approximately 130 employees volunteering to clean barn, redo sand arena, repair stalls, and build tack shed foundation for Rusty Halo.
• Contra Costa Youth Services BureauminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for winter day camps providing equine assisted learning for groups of 6 youth. Rusty Halo provides programming while CCYS refers participants.
• Concord Veterans CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for annual Warrior Riders private event providing day of horse experiences for veterans and their families.
• Big Truck HatminorGTM or Marketing PartnerB Corp certified hat company partnered for cobranded merchandise. Custom designed trucker hats available at in-person events with minimum $35 donation.
• Agave StudiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerWebsite design and development partner providing Squarespace web design, brand identity and SEO services.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Shifting Strides: Shifting Strides is the annual co-host of Rusty Halo's Warrior Riders veterans events, providing horse experiences for veterans and families. Its mission of using horses to support veterans and at-risk populations makes it a direct functional peer.
• Zenerosity: Zenerosity is the primary facility partner providing horses and arena space for Rusty Halo's therapy services in Danville, CA. As a co-delivery partner operating equine-based therapeutic experiences in the same region, it is a direct operational peer.
• Hearts & Horses: Hearts & Horses is a Colorado-based therapeutic riding center serving people with disabilities, youth at risk and veterans through equine-assisted services. It is a direct functional peer in nonprofit equine-assisted services for vulnerable populations.
• Spirit Horse Therapeutic Riding Center: Spirit Horse is a therapeutic riding center in American Canyon that is also a partner of Rusty Halo Foundation (Rusty Halo sponsors a teen enrichment program there). It delivers equine-assisted services to youth using horses, making it the closest direct operating peer in the Bay Area.

Others

• Youth Spirit Artworks: Youth Spirit Artworks is a Bay Area nonprofit partner of Rusty Halo that refers youth participants into equine therapy. While not an equine provider itself, it serves an overlapping population of vulnerable Bay Area youth and is an ecosystem participant.

Regional players

• Reins of Hope: Reins of Hope is a Texas-based nonprofit providing equine-assisted services to at-risk youth, veterans and individuals with disabilities. Comparable in mission and service model to Rusty Halo but serving a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• BrightHaven: BrightHaven operates animal-assisted wellness and hospice programs (originally equine-focused) in Northern California, overlapping with Rusty Halo's mission of using horses to support vulnerable populations.
• PATH International (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship): PATH International is the leading industry association for equine-assisted services and therapeutic riding in the U.S. While Rusty Halo follows the EAGALA model rather than PATH certification, PATH member centers (e.g., Spirit Horse, other Bay Area centers) are the closest incumbent peer set.
• EAGALA (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association): EAGALA is the certifying body for the equine-assisted psychotherapy model Rusty Halo uses. It is a broad industry incumbent that sets standards, certifies practitioners and accredits programs, providing the framework within which all EAGALA-style providers like Rusty Halo operate.

Emerging players

• Mane Support (equine-assisted services): Smaller regional equine-assisted therapy and learning nonprofits that serve youth and trauma survivors, comparable in service model (EAGALA-style equine work) but operating outside the Bay Area and typically with smaller herds.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/rustyhaloranch

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rusty Halo Foundation