Opportunity Information: Apply for F20AS00007
The FY20 Enhanced Hunter Education and Safety Program (also called the Section 10 Hunter Education Grant Program) for the Region 5 Northeast Region is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service under the broader framework of the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act. At its core, this funding stream exists to strengthen and modernize state-led hunter education, bowhunter education, and public shooting range efforts, with an emphasis on enhancing programs that already exist rather than simply sustaining routine operations. The opportunity is tied to long-standing federal wildlife restoration policy that began with the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937, which created a dedicated mechanism to support wildlife habitat work, wildlife management research, and the sharing of information produced through those projects. Over time, Congress expanded that original mission to reflect changing needs in conservation and outdoor recreation, especially around hunter safety and shooting sports infrastructure.
A key turning point described in the notice is the 1970 amendment to Pittman-Robertson, which explicitly added hunter safety programs and support for developing, operating, or maintaining firearm and archery ranges as eligible purposes. Later, policymakers concluded that states needed additional, more targeted support to keep hunter education and shooting range development moving forward at a consistent level. According to the description, congressional committees heard concerns from sportsmen's organizations that some states were not fully using available allotments or were not maintaining a consistent level of effort to ensure the long-term future of hunting and safe participation. In response, Congress passed the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs Improvement Act of 2000, which created the Firearm and Bowhunter Education and Safety Program, commonly referenced as Section 10 or Enhanced Hunter Education and Safety (EHE). This set-aside funding was designed specifically to "enhance" hunter education and shooting range programs nationwide, initially reserving $7.5 million in 2001 and 2002 and $8 million each year afterward.
The opportunity also reflects a more recent legislative update intended to make public target range development easier. The Pittman-Robertson Act was amended again on May 10, 2019 through the Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act (Public Law 116-17). As summarized in the posting, this change was meant to facilitate acquiring land for, expanding, or constructing public target ranges, including the possibility of ranges located on federal land. In practical terms, this signals that the program is not only about classroom-style hunter education but also about the infrastructure that supports safe, supervised firearms and archery practice, which is often a major component of reducing accidents and improving overall proficiency and ethics in the field.
From an administrative standpoint, the listing identifies this as a grant (funding instrument type: Grant) within the Natural Resources activity category, with the CFDA number 15.626. Eligibility is limited to state governments, meaning applicants are typically state fish and wildlife agencies or equivalent state entities that run hunter education and shooting range programs. The opportunity is labeled for Region 5 (Northeast Region), indicating it is part of the Fish and Wildlife Service's regional administration of these funds. The posting shows a creation date of October 3, 2019, and an original closing date of August 31, 2020, which frames the application window for FY20.
In terms of funding scale, the opportunity lists an award ceiling of $240,000. The notice lists expected awards as "0," which often appears in postings where the number of awards is not predetermined, may vary, or is dependent on final appropriations, eligible submissions, and regional or national allocation decisions. Even with that ambiguity, the program purpose is clear: to provide supplemental, targeted dollars that help states upgrade and expand hunter education and safety efforts and/or improve access to safe target practice facilities, consistent with the Section 10 mandate to enhance existing programs. For applicants and stakeholders looking for deeper program specifics, the notice points to additional background and guidance hosted by the Fish and Wildlife Service at the Hunter Education grant program page.Apply for F20AS00007
- The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY20 Enhanced Hunter Education and Safety Program (Section 10 Hunter Education Grant Program) Region 5 Northeast Region" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.626.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 03, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 31, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $240,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
FY20 Enhanced Hunter Education and Safety Program (Section 10) - Region 5 (Northeast) FAQs
1) What is this grant opportunity?
This is the FY20 Enhanced Hunter Education and Safety Program, also referred to as the Section 10 Hunter Education Grant Program. It is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for Region 5 (Northeast).
2) What is the main purpose of the funding?
The purpose is to strengthen and modernize state-led hunter education, bowhunter education, and public shooting range efforts. The emphasis is on enhancing existing programs rather than simply sustaining routine operations.
3) What broader law or framework is this grant connected to?
The program operates under the broader framework of the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act (Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937), which created a dedicated mechanism to support wildlife habitat work, wildlife management research, and information sharing related to those efforts.
4) Why does the opportunity talk about amendments and later legislation?
The description links the grant to key policy updates over time. Notably, a 1970 amendment explicitly added hunter safety programs and support for developing, operating, or maintaining firearm and archery ranges as eligible purposes. Later, Congress created a more targeted set-aside (Section 10) to ensure hunter education and shooting range efforts continued to improve consistently across states.
5) What is meant by "Section 10" or "Enhanced Hunter Education and Safety (EHE)"?
Section 10 (EHE) refers to the Firearm and Bowhunter Education and Safety Program created by the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs Improvement Act of 2000. It established a set-aside funding stream specifically designed to enhance hunter education and shooting range programs nationwide.
6) Does this program fund shooting ranges as well as hunter education classes?
Yes. The opportunity is described as supporting both hunter education (including bowhunter education) and public shooting range efforts. The narrative highlights that safe, supervised firearms and archery practice infrastructure is part of the overall safety and proficiency mission.
7) What did the 2019 legislative update change for shooting range projects?
The Pittman-Robertson Act was amended on May 10, 2019 through the Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act (Public Law 116-17). As summarized in the opportunity description, the change was intended to facilitate acquiring land for, expanding, or constructing public target ranges, including potentially locating ranges on federal land.
8) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to state governments. Applicants are typically state fish and wildlife agencies or equivalent state entities responsible for hunter education and shooting range programs.
9) Which FWS region does this particular listing apply to?
This listing is for Region 5, the Northeast Region, indicating it is administered through the Fish and Wildlife Service's regional structure for these funds.
10) What is the funding instrument type?
The funding instrument type is a Grant.
11) What activity category is this grant listed under?
The opportunity is listed under the Natural Resources activity category.
12) What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number provided is 15.626.
13) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The opportunity lists an award ceiling of $240,000.
14) How many awards are expected?
The posting lists expected awards as "0." In many postings, this can indicate that the number of awards is not predetermined and may depend on factors such as final appropriations, the number of eligible submissions, and allocation decisions.
15) Is this funding meant to maintain ongoing operations?
The description emphasizes that the funding is intended to enhance and modernize existing programs rather than simply sustain routine operations.
16) When was the opportunity created, and what was the closing date?
The listing shows a creation date of October 3, 2019, and an original closing date of August 31, 2020.
17) Why was Section 10 created instead of relying only on existing state allotments?
According to the opportunity description, congressional committees heard concerns from sportsmen's organizations that some states were not fully using available allotments or were not maintaining a consistent level of effort. Section 10 set-aside funding was created to provide additional, targeted support to keep hunter education and shooting range development moving forward more consistently.
18) What types of programs are explicitly named as being strengthened by this funding?
The notice highlights hunter education, bowhunter education, and public shooting range efforts, with a broader emphasis on hunter safety and shooting sports infrastructure tied to wildlife restoration policy.
19) Where can applicants find more program background or guidance referenced by the notice?
The opportunity description points to additional background and guidance hosted by the Fish and Wildlife Service on the Hunter Education grant program page.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Natural Resources
Next opportunity: The U.S. Small Grants Program
Previous opportunity: Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) Renewal Grant
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for F20AS00007
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (F20AS00007) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Sport Fish Restoration Grant Program Region 5 Northeast Region Apply for F20AS00006 Funding Number: F20AS00006 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| Wildlife Restoration and Basic Hunter Education Region 5 Northeast Region Apply for F20AS00008 Funding Number: F20AS00008 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| Region 3 Sport Fish Restoration Grant Program (TO STATE F&G AGENCIES ONLY) Apply for F20AS00003 Funding Number: F20AS00003 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| Region 3 Wildlife Restoration Program (TO STATE F&G AGENCIES ONLY) Apply for F20AS00001 Funding Number: F20AS00001 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| 2020 National Fish Habitat Action Plan Apply for F20AS00018 Funding Number: F20AS00018 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $900,000 |
| 2020 National Fish Passage Program Apply for F20AS00019 Funding Number: F20AS00019 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| Deer Creek Irrigation District Fish Passage Project Implementation Phase 2 Apply for F20AS00011 Funding Number: F20AS00011 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $900,000 |
| Wild Lahontan Cutthroat Trout: Genetic Evaluation of Recovery Apply for F20AS00022 Funding Number: F20AS00022 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Middle Entiat Habitat Restoration Area C and F Apply for BOR PN 19 N027 Funding Number: BOR PN 19 N027 Agency: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $2,325,388 |
| 2020 National Geological & Geophysical Data Preservation Program Announcement Apply for G20AS00008 Funding Number: G20AS00008 Agency: Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| USFS Cooperative Weed Management Area RFA 2020 Apply for USFS GLRI CWMA 2020 Funding Number: USFS GLRI CWMA 2020 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $40,000 |
| WaterSMART Drought Response Program:Drought Contingency Planning Grants for Fiscal Years 2020 and 2021 Apply for BOR DO 20 F003 Funding Number: BOR DO 20 F003 Agency: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Bois Forte Wildland Fire Management Apply for A20AC00002 Funding Number: A20AC00002 Agency: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| Fox River NRDA Apply for F20AS00032 Funding Number: F20AS00032 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $3,000,000 |
| OR/WA State-wide Wildlife Resource Management Program Apply for L20AS00006 Funding Number: L20AS00006 Agency: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| OR/WA Master Outdoor Recreation Management Apply for L20AS00001 Funding Number: L20AS00001 Agency: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| 2020 Wood Innovations Funding Opportunity Apply for USDA FS WERC 2020 Funding Number: USDA FS WERC 2020 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| OR/WA Forest and Woodlands Resource Management Apply for L20AS00004 Funding Number: L20AS00004 Agency: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| OR/WA 2020 Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery Projects Apply for L20AS00007 Funding Number: L20AS00007 Agency: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| OR/WA Rangeland Resource Management Apply for L20AS00002 Funding Number: L20AS00002 Agency: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $300,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "F20AS00007", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.