The Outdoor Wire

GRANTS

The Mule Deer Foundation received a $4 million grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Grassland Resilience and Conservation Initiative to support conservation on working lands across the Great Plains. The program, supported by McDonald's USA and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, will advance regenerative grazing practices, soil health, and wildlife habitat restoration on ranchlands.

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Salt River Project awarded the Mule Deer Foundation $500,000 to expand forest restoration in Prescott National Forest's Upper Verde Watershed Project. The funding will support approximately 1,200 additional acres of forest restoration treatments in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service and Arizona Game and Fish Department.

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Whitetails Unlimited granted $841,768 to mission-related projects in Q1 2026, supporting its four pillar programs: Outdoor Education, Hunting Preservation, Habitat Enhancement, and Shooting Sports Advancement. The DEER Program and Preserving the Hunting Tradition Program received the largest allocations.

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USA Archery received a USFWS Multi-State Conservation Grant to lead a nationwide initiative increasing target archery participation before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games. The project, partnering with state fish and wildlife agencies, will develop recruitment and retention strategies with research support from Responsive Management, an internationally recognized social science research firm.

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Whitetails Unlimited granted $46,561 to mission-related projects in Georgia, supporting outdoor education, habitat enhancement, and hunting preservation through its 12 Georgia chapters. The organization's Staying on Target Program helps youth gain shooting sports experience to preserve the hunting tradition.

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The Mzuri Wildlife Foundation renewed its grant support for Pass It On – Outdoor Mentors, a nonprofit founded in 2002 that provides mentored hunting and fishing opportunities to youth. The funding will expand youth hunting events, mentor recruitment and training, and gear provision to foster the next generation of hunters, anglers, and conservationists.

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Yamaha Motor Corp., USA announced Q4 2025 grants totaling nearly $250,000 to 11 organizations across nine states through the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative. Funding supports trail infrastructure, bridge construction, youth riding education, and stewardship efforts, bringing 2025 total funding to over $1 million toward the program's $10 million goal by 2028.

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Friday, March 20, 2026

FWP approved nearly $60,000 in funding for four pond enhancement projects across Montana through its Community Pond Program, matched with $35,000 from outside sources. Projects include aeration systems, accessible fishing piers, and platforms at Deep Mill Pond, Medicine Stab Lake, Carter Ponds, and Hieronymus Ponds.

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Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation awarded $45,425 in grants from the L. Gary Stinson Grant Fund to six Arizona non-profits, including Southern Arizona Quail Forever, Arizona Council of Trout Unlimited, Arizona Outdoor Adventures, Arizona Elk Society, Arizona State Chapter of National Wild Turkey Federation, and Into the Wild Outdoors for habitat, education, and youth programs.

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The Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Historic Preservation & Archaeology is accepting fiscal year 2026 Historic Preservation Fund grant applications through June 5. Eligible applicants include non-profits, educational institutions, and local government units for architectural, archaeological, and acquisition projects involving National Register-listed properties.

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Governor Mike Braun and the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation (INRF) are accepting applications for the Discover the Outdoors field trip grant program for K-12 educators planning visits to Indiana State Parks in 2026-2027. Grants up to $500 per application cover transportation, program fees, and materials. Since 2013, the program has awarded 355 grants, enabling over 30,800 students to visit state parks.

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