The ABCA Health and Education Foundation, Inc. (HEF) is a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charity recently formed by the American Border Collie Association, Inc., the principal Border Collie registry in the United States.
The HEF’s mission is to support research into border collie genetics, diseases, disease prevention and treatment, and to disseminate educational information regarding Border Collies, including their use and value as working stock dogs, and their genetics, diseases, and proper breeding.
The HEF is managed by a board of directors and officers elected by the board. While the HEF is a separate entity from the ABCA itself, the registry does have input into the election of directors. The HEF’s officers and directors are all volunteers, there are no paid positions. The HEF is not a membership organization.
In the past, the ABCA has provided grants for health and genetic research and other efforts beneficial to Border Collies. This function will now be taken over by the HEF. The registry has provided a significant initial grant to get the HEF off the ground, but continued funding of the HEF’s work will come primarily through tax-deductible donations, large and small, from those concerned about the future of the working Border Collie. We expect that most of these donations will come from individuals, but corporate donations are also welcome. Visit our Donations page for more information. If you have ideas on other sources, please let us know.
The HEF is still in its infancy. Programs and activities are being formulated. The work to create an education section on this website is just beginning. The HEF will need support from the working Border Collie community with all aspects of operation – in generating ideas, carrying out programs and activities, or simply recommending what would be most useful or what could be done differently. The HEF hopes to improve the future of the Border Collie and needs your help and input to do so.