Grant money available for groups developing new hunters, anglers

Arizona Game and Fish Department sent this bulletin at 05/01/2026 10:53 AM MST

May 1, 2026

Grant money available for groups developing new hunters, anglers

June 14 is deadline to apply for Local Sportsmen’s Group grants

PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is increasing the funding of its annual Local Sportsmen’s Group grants to $100,000. The grants help organizations provide public, mentored projects focused on the recruitment and development of new hunters and anglers.

“This year, funding will increase by $25,000 — an exciting and much-needed boost,” said Doug Burt, AZGFD’s recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) program manager. “The grant has remained at $75,000 since 2007 and no longer carries the same buying power due to inflation and rising costs associated with hosting events, projects, and activities. This increase will help support our partners in their R3 outreach efforts.”

Projects eligible for this cycle’s grant funding are those that involve the pursuit or harvest of fish or wildlife with a valid license (and any necessary hunt permit-tag) and are geared toward participants who have the appropriate experience and skill levels relevant to a particular project.

Grants will be awarded through a competitive application process. Online applications and instructions are available at www.azgfd.gov/LSG. The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. (Arizona time), Sunday, June 14, 2026.

“This grant program continues to help Arizona's conservation organizations connect with the public through quality, mentored projects focusing on traditional outdoor recreation,” said Burt. “These efforts return far more in value than the grant dollars would on their own by providing safe, ethical hunting and fishing experiences, and helping participants understand the vital role hunters and anglers play in wildlife conservation.”

There is no cost to Arizona taxpayers for this grant program. AZGFD does not receive any of the state’s general tax funds and operates under a user-pay, public-benefit model. The grant program is an investment in the continuance of wildlife conservation efforts and outdoor recreation participation in Arizona.

Visit www.azgfd.gov/wsfr for more information about how hunters, anglers, shooters, and boaters fund wildlife conservation through the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) program.

To learn more about AZGFD’s Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation (R3) program, visit www.azgfd.gov/outdoorskills for hunting, and www.azgfd.gov/FishAZ for fishing.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department receives no general fund tax dollars. The majority of funding to manage more than 800 native wildlife species comes from Arizona's hunters and anglers.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD) prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, or disability in its programs and activities. This agency receives Federal financial assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Under Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The U.S. Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, or disability. If anyone believes that they have been discriminated against in any of the AGFD’s programs or activities, including its employment practices, the individual may file a complaint alleging discrimination directly with the AGFD Ombudsman, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086, (623) 236-7373 or Office of Civil Rights, Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20240.

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