Columbia, MO – For five years, MidwayUSA Foundation has hosted a national fundraising sweepstakes for youth shooting teams to raise funds while allowing donors the chance to win prizes. This year's Hometown Challenge (HTC) ended on September 30 and raised $1,002,911.19 for youth shooting sports, the most successful HTC to date. That's over $1 million in donations to support youth shooting organizations and teams, but that's not even the full impact of HTC. Of that total, $993,777.66 was brought in to support youth shooting team endowments, which MidwayUSA Foundation matches, dollar for dollar, thanks to their incredible matching program funded by Larry and Brenda Potterfield.
"For our organization to generate nearly $2 million for youth shooting sports is something I'm extremely proud of! The dollars raised will assist youth shooting teams forever, thanks to our sustainable endowment model," said MidwayUSA Foundation Executive Director, Pete Eisentrager. "Incentives like this allow local youth shooting teams the opportunity to educate their communities about the importance of their team and its endowment."
MidwayUSA Foundation's Hometown Challenge is designed to make fundraising simple and impactful by rewarding teams for their efforts and providing additional endowment dollars to the top 5 teams with the most donations. An additional 30 participating teams were drawn at random to receive $1,000, each, in endowment dollars. The full list of winners can be found on MidwayUSAFoundation.org. The top 5 fundraising teams for 2026 are below. The winning team was awarded $15,000.
1st Place: Hudson Farm Foundation [NJ] RAISED $199,800.00
2nd Place: West Virginia University [WV] RAISED $93,612.32
3rd Place: Peoria Skeet and Trap Youth [IL] RAISED $78,063.20
4th Place: Buckeye Outdoor Youth Education & Shooting Center, Inc. [OH] RAISED $65,432.10
5th Place: Williams County Sportsman's Educational Association [OH] RAISED $42,555.00
In addition to the effort and generosity of teams and donors, HTC would not be possible without the support of incredible industry sponsors. This year, SK Guns was the title sponsor, providing a unique Michelangelo .45ACP. Additional sponsors include UMAREX, Italian Firearms Group, Volquartsen, Walther, Savage Arms, Tippmann Arms, Glock, SSP Eyewear, Big Frig, Walkers, and other top outdoor industry manufacturers.
HTC is held every September. Support generated for endowments builds a permanent funding source that generates dependable annual grants for equipment, training, travel, and competition expenses.
The MidwayUSA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity working to sustain and grow youth shooting sports by providing long-term funding to youth shooting teams. Every donation made is tax-deductible and allows the Foundation to assist in expanding and enhancing the leadership skills, confidence, and discipline of today's youth through shooting sports activities. The Foundation supports all shooting disciplines. Learn more about how the MidwayUSA Foundation is changing the future of youth shooting sports, please visit midwayusafoundation.org or call 1-877-375-4570.