R6 Firearm and Bow Hunter Safety and Education Program TO STATE FISH & GAME AGENCIES ONLY | F16AS00057

Opportunity Information: Apply for F16AS00057

The R6 Firearm and Bow Hunter Safety and Education Program (Funding Opportunity Number F16AS00057) is a mandatory federal grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under CFDA 15.626. It is available only to state governments, specifically state fish and game agencies, and it supports education and natural resource-related public benefits tied to hunting safety and shooting sports infrastructure. The original closing date listed for this opportunity was August 31, 2016, and the posting was created on December 16, 2015. The notice does not specify an award ceiling (listed as 0) and does not provide a number of expected awards in the source data.

This funding traces back to the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act, originally enacted as the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937 and implemented beginning in 1938. That law was designed to fund core wildlife conservation priorities such as selecting, restoring, rehabilitating, and improving wildlife habitat, conducting wildlife management research, and distributing information produced by federally supported projects. In 1970, Congress expanded the law to explicitly include hunter safety programs and to allow support for the development, operation, and maintenance of firearm and archery ranges. That amendment recognized that conservation outcomes and public safety are closely linked to well-run hunter education systems and safe places for the public to practice shooting skills.

The modern grant emphasis described in the announcement comes from later congressional action responding to concerns that states were not consistently using available funding or maintaining a steady level of effort for hunter education and shooting range development. According to the description, the Congressional Resource Committee cited broad support from sportsmens organizations, which argued that stronger and more reliable investment was needed to sustain hunting participation and safety into the 21st century. To address those concerns, Congress passed the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs Improvement Act of 2000, which created the Firearm and Bowhunter Education and Safety Program (often referenced as Section 10). Section 10 set aside dedicated funding to enhance existing hunter education and/or shooting range programs, with $7.5 million allocated in 2001 and 2002 and $8 million in subsequent years for that enhancement purpose.

In practical terms, the opportunity is meant to help state fish and game agencies strengthen and expand hunter education and safety efforts, including firearms and archery-focused instruction, and to support shooting range-related needs that align with the statutory authorities. The central idea is not to replace basic state responsibilities, but to provide targeted federal support that improves program quality, capacity, and long-term consistency in hunter education and safe shooting opportunities. The announcement also points applicants to additional Section 10 program information through the Fish and Wildlife Service Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration web resources.

• The Fish and Wildlife Service in the education, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "R6 Firearm and Bow Hunter Safety and Education Program TO STATE FISH & GAME AGENCIES ONLY" 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 2015-12-16.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-08-31. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments.

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