Shooting Range Small Grants Program
Applications (PDF, 83 kB) must be received by June 14, 2013 to be considered eligible.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in cooperation with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County (CCE) has developed a Shooting Range Small Grants Program.
Shooting ranges provide important benefits to the hunting, recreational shooting, and competitive shooting communities. Ranges are used for developing firearms and archery familiarity and proficiency necessary for safe and ethical hunting, and promote the responsible use of firearms and archery equipment. With publicly accessible shooting ranges being in high demand, this should prove to be a popular supportive program.
Program Summary
The Shooting Range Small Grants Program is a competitive grant program to assist non-profit organizations and municipalities with improvement projects for shooting ranges and related facilities. Examples of eligible projects are, but not limited to, berms, shooting benches, skeet and trap houses, field courses, classroom and sanitary facility upgrades, archery range development, and upgrades to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This is a reimbursement program. The successful applicant will be reimbursed upon completion and inspection of the approved project.
Program Funding and Match Requirement
Funding provided by sportsmen's and sportswomen's dollars made available from the Pittman-Robertson Act will be available to encourage the development and improvement of shooting ranges. Projects will be selected annually through a competitive grant process, with allocations ranging from $1,000 to $15,000, depending on available funds and number of applications received. This program will provide matching grants at a three to one ratio to eligible non-profit or municipal shooting ranges across the state. For example, a $15,000 grant would need $5,000 in local match. Funding for the program is derived from a federal tax on firearms and ammunition, made available to state fish and wildlife agencies through their sportsman education activities. Other federal funding is not eligible to be used as match.
Program Requirements
The following are some of the requirements of the program:
• A maximum of two applications may be submitted per applicant, but only one will have the potential to be selected. Each application can include only one project improvement.
• The current facility should have a history of operation for at least five years unless owned or managed by a municipality.
• The project must have a life expectancy of five years or more.
• At least one weekend day per month of public access is required, during the normal period of operation for five years.
• Successful applicants will be required to submit progress reports during the project (reports will be specified when project is approved). Annual reports for five years after the project is completed will be initiated by the DEC and the successful applicants will have to return them and will include updates on compliance with the contract.
How to Apply
This grant is open to all IRS certified non-profit organizations and municipalities (counties, cities, towns or villages) in New York State. View, print or download the documents listed below for a more thorough understanding of the grant program and eligibility and selection process. You must use the forms supplied in the application packet along with the required project description, and must include all documentation as per the application checklist at the time you submit your application. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered for grants.
Grant Program Guidelines (PDF, 1.92 MB) - Introduction and Instructions to apply for the Shooting Range Small Grants Program.
Grant Program Application Packet (PDF, 83 kb) - Application packet and checklist of required documents and forms to apply for the Shooting Range Small Grants Program.
Completed applications with supporting documentation must be received by close of business on June 14, 2013.
Applications must be submitted to:
NYSDEC
Melissa Bailey
207 Genesee St. 14th Floor
Utica, NY 13501
