Program Purpose: The Range Partnership Grant Program
provides funding to help public and private shooting facilities jumpstart
recruitment and retention efforts. We
want to help you grow shooter numbers and shooting opportunities. The
best way to increase participation is to promote and enhance shooting opportunities
at the local level.
Many of the Range Partnership Grants will be pilot
projects designed to test new or existing recruitment techniques and see
if they are worth the investment. The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) is looking
for unique models that move the needle on recruiting new shooters, re-activation
of lapsed shooters and increasing opportunities for active shooters. If
your project is showing to be successful, NSSF can then share this model
with other public and private shooting facilities across the country as
encouragement to do the same.
Guidelines
Who May Apply?
Only project proposals submitted by and in the name of public and
private ranges/clubs or educational institutions with hunting and shooting
sports curriculums/facilities shall be eligible for funding under the Grant
Program. Project proposals from public and private shooting facilities only. Separate
proposals must be submitted for each project to be funded.
A total of $250,000 will be available to public and private
shooting facilities for the purpose of supporting projects designed to put more
recreational shooters and hunters in the field. The amount of
funding that selected applicants may be awarded shall be at the sole discretion
of NSSF. NSSF reserves the right to suspend and/or terminate the Grant
Program, adjust the total amount of funding available under the Program
and correct any errors made in awarding Program funds, at any time.
2008 Project Examples:
Openrange, Inc. – Guerilla Marketing and Media Initiative -
$26,500 - Generate substantial traffic from the 20-35 year-old demographic
and to retain them by involving then in a word of mouth, rewards-driven guerilla-marketing
program. Example of Proposal.
Contact – Barry Laws, (502) 243-8282, barry@openrangesports.com
Tripoli’s Triggers, Inc. – Firearms Safety and Personal
Protection/Self-Defense Training Programs - $56,350 – Offer
three various programs (Firearms Training Program, Ladies 5 week Program,
Tripoli’s Triggers 5-4-3 League) to educate the proper way to handle
a handgun, responsibilities that come with carrying a handgun, gun laws
and regulations, and self-protection to decrease firearm related accidents. Example
of Proposal.
Contact – Frank Tripoli, (570) 326-4181, info@tripolistriggers.com
How much funding is available?
A total of $250,000 is
available for the purpose of supporting
projects designed to increase shooting sports participation. The
amount of funding that selected applicants may be awarded shall be made
at the sole discretion of NSSF. NSSF reserves the right to suspend and/or
terminate the Grant Program, adjust the total amount of funding available
under the Program and correct any errors made in awarding Program funds,
at any time.
How to Apply:
Download the Grant
Application Guidelines PDF and submit according to guidelines.
Scope of Project:
Eligible projects must address one or
more of the following:
a. Recruitment of new shooters;
b. Re-activation of lapsed shooters;
c. Increased opportunities for active shooters to try
another discipline;
d. Communications or outreach programs/projects geared
toward retaining and/or recruiting shooters.
e. NSSF will consider funding public and private
shooting facility sponsored meetings, symposia or conferences
with the specific goal being to look at the future of recreational shooters
and hunters in a state/county/town and determine what types of projects
are needed to address recruitment, retention or access.
What it Isn't:
The following types of projects are not eligible for Grant
Program funding:
a. Projects that involve building new or improving existing
structures, such as clubhouses, shelter buildings, residences of employees
and similar or other facilities not essential to the operation of a shooting
range.
b. Projects including activities other than with
a firearm.
c. Projects that include the purchase of land.
d. Operation and maintenance of equipment and
supplies and purchase of new equipment.
e. Engineering and design documents and plans.
f. All other projects that are not directly related to
the above-stated project eligibility requirements as determined by the
NSSF.
Project Deadline:
Projects must be completed by February
1, 2010. Grant recipients shall also be required to submit
final written reports regarding their projects. Final written reports
shall be due February 17, 2010.
**Be advised of the following when planning your use of funds:
a. Upon receipt of a signed Agreement from Grantee, NSSF
shall disburse 50% of the funds to Grantee.
b. The remaining 50% of the funds shall be disbursed
to Grantee within a reasonable time following NSSF's receipt and satisfactory
review of final written reports.
Please seriously consider this schedule prior to submitting
a grant proposal to be sure that your shooting facility can
cover up-front costs.
Proposal Review and Selection Process
Grant awards are not final and shall be non-binding on NSSF until written
contracts are signed with grant recipients. Grant proposals shall be evaluated
for eligibility by a committee of the NSSF. Awards shall only be made to
applicants with proposals that comply with all RFP guidelines, and who, in
the sole judgment of the NSSF, propose activities that best promote target
shooting and hunter recruitment, participation and retention objectives.
(All decisions of NSSF are final and non-reviewable.)
Grant recipients shall be required to sign a written Grants Condition
Acknowledgement Agreement with the NSSF immediately following notification
of acceptance. Please review the Grant
Conditions Acknowledgement Agreement. Grant recipients shall also be required to execute
and submit all other necessary documentation (e.g., reports) as directed
during the term of the grant to ensure their commitment to the Grant Program.
The NSSF reserves the right, at any time, to cancel or amend this Review
and Selection Process, reject any or all proposals, in whole or in part,
waive minor irregularities in proposals, or to allow applicants to correct
minor irregularities, if the best interests of the Grant Program will be
served by doing so.
For more information contact:
Melissa A. Schilling
Manager, Recruitment & Retention
National Shooting Sports Foundation
11 Mile Hill Road
Newtown, CT 06470-2359
(P): (203) 426-1320
(E): mschilling@nssf.org