Funding Opportunities

In the quiet strength of the High Desert, where wind moves through the sage and the land teaches patience, Big Valley Donkey Ranch carries a mission rooted in stewardship, heritage, and hope. Our work with America’s wild burros is more than training — it is restoration, education, and the rebuilding of rural resilience.

We welcome philanthropic partners who believe in meaningful, generational impact. Your support strengthens a ranch that serves animals, families, tribal partners, youth programs, and the land itself.

Our Mission

Big Valley Donkey Ranch provides elite, traditional training for wild burros gathered from public lands, transforming misunderstood animals into safe, rideable, draft‑capable partners. Every part of our work — from soil building to herd care — reflects a commitment to stewardship, biodiversity, and Western heritage.

Why Your Support Matters

Across the American West, thousands of burros wait in government holding facilities with no path forward. Our ranch offers that path — humane training, purpose, and partnership.

Your investment helps us:

• Expand safe training facilities

• Increase herd capacity

• Build soil and restore High Desert ecosystems

• Support tribal partnerships with Navajo and White Mountain Apache communities

• Provide youth education through Girl Scouts, 4H, and farrier apprenticeship programs

• Strengthen rural economic development in Apache County

• Create a replicable model of stewardship for other ranches and communities

Current Funding Opportunities

1. Wild Burro Training & Stewardship Program

Support the expansion of our elite training program, allowing more burros to move from holding pens into safe, productive lives.

2. High Desert Sustainability & Soil Restoration

Help us build resilient ecosystems through regenerative practices, water‑wise design, and long‑term land restoration.

3. Youth & Community Education

Fund hands‑on learning for Girl Scouts, 4H students, and young farriers preparing for American Farrier’s Association certification.

4. Tribal Partnership Initiatives

Strengthen collaborative programs with Navajo and White Mountain Apache communities focused on land stewardship, animal care, and rural opportunity.

5. Rural Economic Development

Support a woman‑owned ranch bringing new jobs, training opportunities, and tourism‑based growth to Apache County.

Ways to Give

We welcome support from:

• Philanthropic foundations

• Rural development programs

• Conservation and sustainability organizations

• Private donors

• Legacy‑minded individuals

• Corporate giving programs

• Faith‑based charitable organizations

Gifts may be directed toward specific programs or offered as general support for ranch operations and expansion.

Our Promise to Donors

Every dollar is used with intention, transparency, and stewardship. We honor the land, the animals, and the people who believe in this work. Your support becomes part of a legacy — one that restores purpose, strengthens communities, and protects the heritage of the American West.

Contact for Philanthropic Partnerships

Rene Hillman — Founder, Big Valley Donkey Ranch  

Email: bigvalleydonkeyranch@gmail.com

Website: bigvalleydonkeyranch.com