NEWTOWN, Conn. — With interest growing nationwide in target shooting and owning firearms for home and personal defense, the need for top-notch shooting ranges has never been greater. Recognizing this, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade associations for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry, has awarded $435,000 in grants to 22 ranges to develop programs that put more people on the firing line.
The NSSF Range Grant Program assists qualifying shooting ranges in their efforts to introduce newcomers, re-activate lapsed shooters, encourage active shooters to try another shooting discipline, and that promote the enjoyment of the shooting sports to people of all ages. Projects such as physical improvements to facilities not essential to the operation of the range are not eligible for grants.
“We saw a lot of growth in the applications for range grants this year,” said Melissa Schilling, NSSF manager of recruitment and retention. “We believe range operators nationwide are beginning to understand what a great opportunity this is to help get an idea that will be good for their business and the shooting sports off the ground.”
NSSF received 64 proposals requesting $2.8 million in grants–an all-time high for the program. Lauched in 2008, the NSSF Range Grant Program has awarded funding to 46 ranges totaling $1.17 million to date.
Schilling explained that a priority of program is to highlight “models of success,” so that grant-assisted initiatives that have been successful at the piloting range can be adopted by other facilities to build more participation, customers and profits. Case studies of programs that have received funding in prior years are available for review at www.nssf.org/shooting/grants.
Shooting facilities that received 2011 grants:
Center Target Sports, Inc., Post Falls, Idaho
Central Oregon Sporting Clays & Hunting Preserve, Redmond, Oregon
Clark County Shooting Park, Las Vegas, Nev.
Colorado Rifle Club, Littleton, Colo.
Desoto Rifle & Pistol Club, Germantown, Tenn.
Greene County Fish & Game Assoc., Xenia, Ohio
Handgunners, Inc., Burlington, N.C.
Herminie #2 Game Association, West Newton, Penn.
Jentoe Corp.-A&S Indoor Pistol Range, Youngwood, Penn.
Lead Valley Range, Inc., Deer Trail, Colo.
Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks Foundation, Jackson, Miss.
Norco Running Gun IPSC Club, Norco, Calif.
Pocono Pistol Club, Stroudsburg, Penn.
ProShots Indoor Range & Training, Rural Hall, N.C.
Red Bluff Lodge, Allendale, S.C.
Red River Regional Marksmanship Center, West Fargo, N.D.
Riverside Range, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
San Luis Obispo Sportsmen’s Association, Morro Bay, Calif.
Targething Pro Shop, Garrettsville, Ohio
The Shooter’s Depot, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Tri-State Shooters Club, Inc., Rosholt, S.D.
Walla Walla Gun Club, Walla Walla, Wash.
-30-
About NSSF
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 6,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.
NSSF is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2011. Learn about the Foundation’s history at www.nssf.org/50.
