$100,000 in Grants Available for Boy Scouts Councils

NEWTOWN, Conn. -- Boy Scouts Councils, are you up for the challenge?

For the second year, the National Shooting Sports Foundation will make available a total of $100,000 in challenge grants to encourage developing and expanding shooting sports programs at local Boy Scouts of America Councils.

The challenge grants from NSSF, the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry, are available to qualifying BSA Councils that plan to strengthen and increase their activities in the shooting sports. Such programs teach Scouts marksmanship skills, firearm and range safety, teamwork and fundraising.

"Our challenge grant program extends our longstanding partnership with the Boy Scouts of America and presents councils with a great opportunity to teach Scouts about the shooting sports and safe, responsible firearms ownership," said Melissa Schilling, NSSF's director of recruitment and retention. "Target shooting is one of the most popular Scouting activities, and NSSF hopes even more Scouts will gain knowledge of the shooting sports by taking advantage of these grants."

BSA Councils applying for a grant must specifically earmark funds for shooting sports programs and provide matching funds at least equal to the grant request. NSSF will provide funding to the first 50 qualifying applicants up to a maximum of $2,000 in matching support.

Councils must use awarded funds toward the purchase of equipment and supplies for their shooting sports activities from an NSSF member retailer, a list of which is available at www.nssf.org/retailers/find. Examples of qualifying purchases are ammunition, eye and ear protection, firearms, targets and shooting vests.

Applicants may view NSSF BSA Council Challenge Grant guidelines and application procedures at www.nssf.org/bsagrant. For information contact Melissa Schilling at NSSF at [email protected].