October 17, 2018

NSSF Partners with Hunting Heritage Trust in Major New Grant Program

Pittsburgh, PENN. — Last night, at the 2018 National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW) Expo in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the National Shooting Sports Foundation^® (NSSF^®) announced that it has entered into a partnership with the Hunting Heritage Trust to create a first-of-its-kind million-dollar grant program in support of hunting and the shooting sports recruitment efforts. NSSF is the trade association for the firearms industry.

The new grant program is funded by a $500,000 donation from the Hunting Heritage Trust, an amount NSSF has agreed to match. The Hunting Heritage Trust was created in 2002 by leaders in the hunting, shooting sports and conservation communities “to fund and foster programs that enhance appreciation of our hunting heritage and increase public understanding and participation in recreational shooting sports.”

Each year, beginning in 2019, organizations meeting certain eligibility requirements may apply for an annual $100,000 grant to be used to support recruitment, retention and reactivation programs — known as R3 efforts — within the hunting and shooting sports industry. The grant program will be offered for a period of not less than 10 years, and while all organizations with formalized R3 programs will be considered for each year’s award, there will be an emphasis on those programs focusing on youth and non-traditional participants.

“Providing the resources to those newly interested in learning about firearms safety and the shooting sports, sparking renewed interest in those who used to hunt or shoot, and keeping up interest of those engaged in hunting and the shooting sports, is of paramount importance to our industry,” said Steve Sanetti, NSSF CEO. “The new NSSF Hunting Heritage Trust grant program provides much-needed funding for these efforts.”

“The Hunting Heritage Trust has awarded dozens of grants totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars over the past 15 years but none will have a greater long-term impact on the future of our hunting and shootings sports heritage than this $500,000 grant,” said Bob Delfay, President of the Hunting Heritage Trust and former NSSF President. “There is no organization more dedicated than NSSF when it comes to R3 efforts in our industry. From its research and educational services to its numerous conferences and summits, NSSF leads the way in providing the tools our industry members need to get people actively, regularly involved in hunting and the shooting sports. We are pleased to partner with them in creating this important grant program in support of those efforts.”

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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 11,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, visit nssf.org.

About Hunting Heritage Trust
The Hunting Heritage Trust is a charitable organization created to fund programs that will enhance appreciation of our hunting heritage and increase public understanding and participation in recreational shooting sports.

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Media contact:
Bill Brassard
203-426-1320

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