NRA Foundation Awards $10.7 Million

The NRA Foundation announced recently that it had awarded a record $10.7 million in grants in 2003 to support nearly 1,800 gunsafety and shooter-education programs throughout the United States. Sixty-eight percent of the funding went toward NRA youth programs as well as those of groups like 4-H, Boy Scouts of America, and hundreds of local clubs. Steven Andersen, Executive Director of The NRA Foundation, said: "The NRA Foundation has provided over $60 million in grants since getting started in 1990.

We are especially grateful for the generous support of our donors and volunteers who, through their generosity in time and treasure, have allowed The Foundation to expand its funding of youth, education, conservation, and shootingsports activities. The NRA Foundation receives most of its grant money through the Friends of NRA, a volunteer-driven, grassroots fund-raising program that is operated by local committees of NRA supporters.

Half the proceeds raised by each committee is used to support programs in the committees’ home states through state-fund committees that makes recommendations for local grant funding. The NRA Foundation awards the other half to qualifying national programs, including those of the NRA. Since inception in 1993, the Friends of NRA program has held over 5,000 events and raised over $50 million in net income.

Through its support of numerous NRA programs for youth, women, hunters, and other groups, The NRA Foundation is doing its part to guarantee that all Americans have the opportunity to learn about the safe and responsible use of firearms. In 2003, Pennsylvania had the highest number of grants awarded233 in total’and California grantees received the most dollars in awards at over $530,000.

Established in 1990, The NRA Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) taxexempt organization that raises tax-deductible contributions in support of a wide range of firearms-related public-interest activities of the National Rifle Association of America and other organizations that defend and foster the Second Amendment rights of all law-abiding Americans. For more information on The NRA Foundation or Friends of NRA, visit their web site at or call Editor Keith Lawrence Technical